We often speak of our love of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Poets have praised him in some of the finest poetry in Arabic and other languages of the Muslim world. His praises are sung in different types of functions. Some even add superlatives that go beyond what is legitimate. This is obviously way off the mark. It is contrary to Islamic beliefs. It elevates the Prophet to God’s rank, which no Muslim can ever entertain. It is certainly wrong to give the Prophet more than the status God has given him: the last messenger to deliver a message from God, and whose message is addressed to all mankind in all generations. This is indeed a supreme rank to which no other human being can aspire. Why should anyone try to give him a greater role?
People realize that loving the Prophet is part of their faith. We mentioned last week three Hadiths stating that a Muslim must love the Prophet more than anyone else, including oneself. In order to show their commitment to such love, people stress it in different ways, as we mentioned earlier. Yet verbal emphasis is not enough on its own. The love we should have for the Prophet must have a different way of expression. It must be practical. Abu Musa Al-Ashari quotes the Prophet as saying: “To give an example of my role and the message God has given me to deliver: A man comes upon some people and says to them: ‘My people! I have seen with my own eyes an army coming toward you. I am here like a naked warner. Make haste and move away.’ Some of his people heed his words and start moving away by night. They move at their own pace and they manage to escape the attack. Others do not believe him and stay in their positions until the morning. The army takes them unawares, killing them and taking their land. These two groups are like the ones who have heeded my warnings and followed the message I deliver, and the ones who take no heed and deny the truth I am sent to advocate.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Al-Tirmidhi).
We should first explain the simile of the naked warner mentioned by the Prophet. It used to be the practice that if someone is sent to warn a people against an impending danger, or if he has something of serious importance to say, he would stand on a high place and take off his robe to wave with it, as he called to the people. When they saw him doing this, they would realize that he has something important to tell them and they would flock toward him. The Prophet says that he is like a naked warner, giving a warning against an impending danger. That danger is death that will inevitably overtake everyone and comes all of a sudden. His warning aims to make them realize that they need to believe in God’s oneness if they wish to save themselves from the fire that awaits unbelievers and sinners. Those who believe in him are like the ones who heed the warning and take the necessary steps to ensure their own safety. Those who disbelieve expose themselves to a great danger.
Following the Prophet means accepting his guidance in all respects. He provided a balanced way that ensures the best results. It does not lean too much toward either the material or the spiritual aspect of life. The following Hadith explains this. Anas reports: “Three men went to the Prophet’s homes inquiring from his wives about his worship. When they were given the information, they seemed to think that it was less than expected. Then one of them said to the others: ‘How can we compare ourselves to the Prophet whose sins, past and future, have already been forgiven by God.’ One of them pledged that he would spend the whole night, every night for the rest of his life, in voluntary prayers. The second pledged to fast every day of his life. The third pledged not to marry any woman. The Prophet went to see them and confirmed that their reported pledges were correct. He then said to them: ‘By God, I am more God-fearing than anyone else, but I fast on some days and do not fast on others; I pray at night, but I also go to sleep; and I marry women. Whoever declines to follow my way does not belong to me.’”
Here the Prophet stresses the importance of following his guidance. This is indeed the practical meaning of the second part of the declaration that brings a person into Islam. Making this declaration, a person says: “I bear witness that there is no deity other than God, and I bear witness that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is God’s Messenger.” A messenger has a message to deliver, and Prophet Muhammad delivered his message complete. Doing so, he informed us of everything God requires from us, explaining His commands and defining what He has forbidden us. Therefore, believing that Muhammad is God’s Messenger means a commitment to obey him and follow his guidance in everything he stated to have been given to him by God Almighty.
He has explained how such following should be done, making it easy and placing on us no hardship whatsoever. Abu Hurayrah quotes the Prophet as saying: “Leave alone what I have not mentioned. Communities before you ended up in ruin as a result of their too many questions and their disputes over what their prophets gave them. When I order you not to do something, avoid it completely, and when I give you an order, do of it what you can.” (Related by Al-Shafie, Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Al-Nassaie and Ibn Majah).
This is a great statement summing up all that Islam requires of us: what God and the Prophet have forbidden must be abandoned. There can be no compromise in this area. Prohibitions have to be avoided at all costs. Orders, on the other hand, must be heeded, but in this area we have a leeway in the fact that God does not charge anyone with more than they can do. We find this in every thing God commands. Whenever hardship arises, it is immediately removed. A person who cannot stand up for prayer, can pray seated, or lying in bed if necessary. The one who cannot fast compensates by feeding a poor person. He who is too weak to undertake the pilgrimage can send someone else to do it on his behalf. Such concessions are applicable to the major acts of Islamic worship, and they are mirrored in every other aspect of Islam. Hence scholars have formulated the rule: “Hardship shall be eased.”