Source: Sermons of Hafiz Muhammad Ishaq Zahid, compiled by: Tauheed.com
Respected gentlemen!
In the previous Friday sermon, we have discussed the status and rank of the Imam of the Prophets, Hazrat Muhammad ﷺ, his virtues and miracles, and some of his characteristics. Now the question is, what are the rights of such a great Prophet ﷺ over his Ummah? So, in today’s Friday sermon, let us talk about these rights in the light of the Quran and Hadith.
① To Believe that He is Allah’s Servant and Messenger
The foremost right of the noble Prophet ﷺ over the Ummah is that the Ummah should believe that he ﷺ is Allah’s servant and His final Messenger. This is the very statement that every Muslim affirms while reciting the Kalima Shahadah: "There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and Muhammad (ﷺ) is the servant and Messenger of Allah."
The command of the Almighty Allah is:
﴿فَآمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَالنُّورِ الَّذِي أَنزَلْنَا ۚ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ﴾
"So believe in Allah and His Messenger and the Light which We have sent down. And Allah is well aware of what you do."
Reference: Surah At-Taghabun:8
Similarly, His statement is:
﴿قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا الَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۖ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ ۖ فَآمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ النَّبِيِّ الْأُمِّيِّ الَّذِي يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَكَلِمَاتِهِ وَاتَّبِعُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ﴾
"Say, O people! I am the Messenger of Allah to you all, to Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth; there is no deity except Him. He gives life and causes death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered Prophet who believes in Allah and His revelations. And follow him so that you may be guided."
Reference: Surah Al-A'raf:158
Therefore, it is obligatory to believe in the Prophethood and Messengership of the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and to sincerely accept the religion he brought, because every person's salvation depends on it. It should be noted that the Prophet ﷺ gave glad tidings once to those who saw him and believed in him, and gave glad tidings seven times to those who did not see him but believed in him.
As Hazrat Abu Umamah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
(( طُوْبٰی لِمَنْ رَآنِیْ وَآمَنَ بِیْ وَطُوْبٰی سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ لِمَنْ لَّمْ یَرَنِیْ وَآمَنَ بِیْ ))
"Glad tidings to the person who saw me and believed in me. And seven times glad tidings to the person who did not see me but believed in me."
Reference: Al-Silsilah al-Saheehah:3512
And whoever does not believe in the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his Shariah is certainly destined for Hell.
As narrated by Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
(( وَالَّذِیْ نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِیَدِہٖ لَا یَسْمَعُ بِیْ أَحَدٌ مِنْ ہٰذِہِ الْأُمَّةِ یَہُوْدِیٌّ وَلَا نَصْرَانِیٌّ ثُمَّ یَمُوْتُ وَلَمْ یُؤْمِنْ بِالَّذِیْ أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ إِلَّا کَانَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّارِ))
"By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad (peace be upon him)! If any person of this Ummah, whether Jew or Christian, hears about me and then dies without believing in the Shariah with which I was sent, then surely he is among the inhabitants of Hell."
Reference: Sahih Muslim:153
It should be noted that we call our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) the servant (one who worships) of Allah because Allah Himself has declared him as His servant. The Divine statement is:
﴿سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى﴾
Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa.
Reference: Surah Bani Isra'il:1
And the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, himself has said:
(( إِنَّمَا أَنَا عَبْدٌ فَقُوْلُوْا عَبْدُ اللّٰہِ وَرَسُوْلُہُ ))
"I am only a servant, so say that he is the servant of Allah and His Messenger."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:3445
Therefore, you must give the Prophet, peace be upon him, the position that Allah Almighty has given him and that which he himself has described. When we acknowledge the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, as a servant of Allah, the distinction between him and Allah Almighty becomes clear. Likewise, the exaggeration in praising the Prophet, peace be upon him, which elevates him to the status of Allah, will also be negated.
② Showing Respect and Reverence
The second right of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) over his Ummah is that he (peace be upon him) should be honored and respected with heart and soul. Therefore, during the blessed life of the Prophet (peace be upon him), the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were forbidden from calling him by name or speaking loudly in his presence, and they were strictly instructed to show respect to him (peace be upon him).
The Divine command is: ﴿ لَّا تَجْعَلُوا دُعَاءَ الرَّسُولِ بَيْنَكُمْ كَدُعَاءِ بَعْضِكُم بَعْضًا﴾
"Do not call the Messenger (peace be upon him) in the same way you call one another."
Reference: Surah An-Nur:63
And He said: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَرْفَعُوا أَصْوَاتَكُمْ فَوْقَ صَوْتِ النَّبِيِّ وَلَا تَجْهَرُوا لَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ كَجَهْرِ بَعْضِكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ أَن تَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالُكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَشْعُرُونَ﴾
"O you who have believed! Do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet or speak loudly to him as you speak loudly to one another, lest your deeds become worthless while you perceive it not."
Reference: Surah Al-Hujurat:2
Regarding the occasion of revelation of this noble verse, Hazrat Abdullah bin Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a caravan from Banu Tamim came to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Appoint Qaqa' bin Ma'bad (may Allah be pleased with him) as their leader, while Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: No, appoint Aqra' bin Habis (may Allah be pleased with him) as their leader. Then Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: You only wanted to oppose me. Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: No, I did not want to oppose you. After that, an argument ensued between the two to the extent that their voices were raised. At that moment, Allah Almighty revealed this verse: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَرْفَعُوا أَصْوَاتَكُمْ فَوْقَ صَوْتِ النَّبِيِّ﴾
Hazrat Ibn Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him) says that after the revelation of this verse, Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to speak to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in such a low voice that the Prophet (peace be upon him) had to ask him again what he had said.
And regarding Hazrat Thabit bin Qais رضي الله عنه, whose voice was naturally loud, Hazrat Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه narrates that after the revelation of this verse, he stopped attending the gatherings of the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم inquired about his whereabouts. Someone said: O Messenger of Allah! Allow me to go and check on him.
Reference: It is explicitly mentioned in Sahih Muslim that the person who went to check on Hazrat Thabit bin Qais رضي الله عنه was Hazrat Saad bin Muadh رضي الله عنه, who was also his neighbor.
When this man reached Hazrat Thabit bin Qais رضي الله عنه, he saw him sitting in his house with his head bowed down (distressed). He asked: What has happened to you? He replied: I am in a very bad state because my voice is louder than the voice of the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. Therefore, my deeds have been wasted and now I am among the people of Hell. After hearing this, the man returned to the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and informed him about what he had said. The Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم then sent him back to Hazrat Thabit bin Qais رضي الله عنه with glad tidings that he is not among the people of Hell but among the people of Paradise.These two incidents prove that the companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had great respect for him and, keeping in mind etiquette and respect, they could never tolerate their voice being louder than that of the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Allah Almighty gives glad tidings to those who honor and respect the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, saying:
﴿فَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِهِ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَاتَّبَعُوا النُّورَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ مَعَهُ ۙ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ﴾
"So those who believe in the Prophet, honor him, help him, and follow the light sent down with him - it is they who will be successful."
Reference: Surah Al-A'raf:157
He also said:
﴿إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ شَاهِدًا وَمُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًا ﴿٨﴾ لِّتُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَتُعَزِّرُوهُ وَتُوَقِّرُوهُ وَتُسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا﴾
"Indeed, We have sent you as a witness, a bringer of good tidings, and a warner, so that you (O Muslims) may believe in Allah and His Messenger, support him, and honor him. And glorify Him morning and evening."
Reference: Surah Al-Fath:8-9
The way the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, showed respect and reverence to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is glimpsed in the story of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah.
Hazrat Urwah bin Masood Thaqafi (RA), who was a polytheist at that time and had come to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as a representative of the Quraysh, when he returned to the Quraysh, he said:
(أَیْ قَوْمِ وَاللّٰہِ لَقَدْ وَفَدْتُّ عَلَی الْمُلُوْكَ وَوَفَدْتُّ عَلٰی قَیْصَرَ وَکِسْرٰی وَالنَّجَاشِیِّ وَاللّٰہِ إِنْ رَأَیْتُ مَلِکًا قَطُّ یُعَظِّمُہُ أَصْحَابُہُ مَا یُعَظِّمُ أَصْحَابُ مُحَمَّدٍ صلي الله عليه وسلم مُحَمَّدًا وَاللّٰہِ إِنْ یَتَنَخَّمُ نُخَامَةً إِلَّا وَقَعَتْ فِیْ کَفِّ رَجُلٍ مِنْہُمْ فَدَلَكَ بِہَا وَجْہَہُ وَجِلْدَہُ وَإِذَا أَمَرَہُمُ ابْتَدَرُوْا أَمْرَہُ وَإِذَا تَوَضَّأَ کَادُوْ یَقْتَتِلُوْنَ عَلٰی وَضُوْئِهِ وَإِذَا تَکَلَّمُوْا خَفَضُوْا أَصْوَاتَہُمْ عِنْدَہُ وَمَا یُحِدُّوْنَ إِلَیْہِ النَّظَرَ تَعْظِیْمًا لَّہُ )
"O my people! By Allah, I have met great kings; I have seen kings like Caesar, Khosrow, and Najashi, but by Allah, I have not seen any king whose companions show as much respect as the companions of Muhammad (PBUH) show to him. By Allah! Even when they cough, the phlegm that comes out falls into the palm of one of his companions, who then wipes it on his face and skin. And when he issues a command, his companions immediately act upon it. And when he performs ablution, every one of his companions tries to get some of the water used in ablution. And when they converse among themselves, they lower their voices in his presence and, out of respect, do not make eye contact with him..."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:2731
Brothers in Islam! Remember that the essential requirement of honoring the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is to consider the religion he conveyed to the Ummah as perfect and not to regard any deficiency or excess in it as correct. The commands given by the Prophet (peace be upon him) should be followed, and what he prohibited should be avoided. The blessed Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) should be revived, his call to monotheism should be widely spread, jihad should be waged against polytheism and innovation, his biography should be adopted, and false and fabricated statements should not be attributed to him.
In connection with this topic, it should also be firmly kept in mind that the reverence for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ should not exceed the limits set by Allah Almighty and His Messenger ﷺ, because within these limits, reverence for the Prophet ﷺ is not only appropriate but also a part of faith. However, exceeding these limits is absolutely not correct.
The Noble Messenger ﷺ said:
(( لَا تُطْرُوْنِیْ کَمَا أَطْرَتِ النَّصَارَی ابْنَ مَرْیَمَ إِنَّمَا أَنَا عَبْدٌ فَقُوْلُوْا عَبْدُ اللّٰہِ وَرَسُوْلُہُ ))
"Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians exaggerated in praising Jesus, son of Mary. I am only a servant, so say, 'The servant of Allah and His Messenger.'"
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:3445
From this hadith, it is proven that considering the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to possess powers that belong only to Allah Almighty, such as considering him a fulfiller of needs, remover of difficulties, or a spiritual master (Ghaus), is forbidden. It also exceeds the limits set for the respect and reverence of the Prophet ﷺ.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿قُل لَّا أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِي نَفْعًا وَلَا ضَرًّا إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ ۚ وَلَوْ كُنتُ أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ لَاسْتَكْثَرْتُ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ وَمَا مَسَّنِيَ السُّوءُ ۚ إِنْ أَنَا إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ وَبَشِيرٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿١٨٨﴾
"Say, I do not possess for myself any harm or benefit except what Allah wills. And if I knew the unseen, I would have acquired much good, and no harm would have touched me. I am only a warner and a bringer of good tidings to those who believe."
Reference: Surah Al-A'raf:188
He also said:
﴿قُل لَّا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِي خَزَائِنُ اللَّهِ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ وَلَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي مَلَكٌ ۖ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ ۚ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الْأَعْمَىٰ وَالْبَصِيرُ ۚ أَفَلَا تَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴿٥٠﴾
"Say to them, 'I do not say to you that I have the treasures of Allah, nor do I know the unseen, nor do I say to you that I am an angel; I only follow what is revealed to me.' Ask them, can the blind and the seeing be equal? Then why do you not reflect?"
Reference: Surah Al-An'am:50
③ Loving the Messenger of Allah ﷺ
The third right of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, is that after Allah Almighty, the greatest love should be for him, peace be upon him. And this love should be such that no one else in Allah's creation is loved in the same way. The noble saying of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, is:
(( ثَلاَثٌ مَنْ کُنَّ فِیْہِ وَجَدَ حَلَاوَۃَ الْإِیْمَانِ : أَنْ یَّکُوْنَ اللّٰہُ وَرَسُوْلُہُ أَحَبَّ إِلَیْہِ مِمَّا سِوَاہُمَا، وَأَنْ یُّحِبَّ الْمَرْئَ لَا یُحِبُّہُ إِلَّا لِلّٰہِ،وَأَنْ یَّکْرَہَ أَنْ یَّعُوْدَ فِیْ الْکُفْرِ بَعْدَ إِذْ أَنْقَذَہُ اللّٰہُ مِنْہُ ، کَمَایَکْرَہُ أَنْ یُّلْقٰی فِیْ النَّارِ ))
"Three qualities are such that if a person possesses them, he attains the sweetness and delight of faith through them. One is that he loves Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) the most. The second is that if he loves someone, it is solely for the sake of Allah's pleasure. And the third is that he dislikes returning to disbelief as much as he dislikes being thrown into Hell."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:21
Love the beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ more than your family, parents, and all other people. As Hazrat Anas رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
(( لَا یُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُکُمْ حَتّٰی أَکُوْنَ أَحَبَّ إِلَیْہِ مِنْ وَّلَدِہٖ وَوَالِدِہٖ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِیْنَ ))
"None of you can be a true believer until he loves me more than his children, his father, and all other people."
Reference: Sahih Muslim:169
Indeed, it is necessary to love the Messenger of Allah ﷺ even more than your own life. As Abdullah bin Hisham رضي الله عنه narrates that we were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he ﷺ was holding the hand of Hazrat Umar رضي الله عنه. At that moment, Hazrat Umar رضي الله عنه said:
(یَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰہِ، لَأَنْتَ أَحَبُّ إِلَیَّ مِنْ کُلِّ شَیْئٍ إِلَّا مِنْ نَّفْسِیْ)
"O Messenger of Allah! You are more beloved to me than everything (in this world), but not more beloved than my own life."
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
(( لَا وَالَّذِیْ نَفْسِیْ بِیَدِہِ،حَتّٰی أَکُوْنَ أَحَبَّ إِلَیْكَ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ،فَقَالَ لَہُ عُمَرُ: فَأنَِّہُ الْآنَ وَاللّٰہ،لَأَنْتَ أَحَبُّ إِلَیَّ مِنْ نَفْسِیْ،فَقَالَ النَّبِیُّ صلي الله عليه وسلم : اَلْآنَ یَا عُمَرُ))
“No, by the One in Whose hand is my soul! Until I become more beloved to you than your own self.”
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:6632
Then Hazrat Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “By Allah! You are now more beloved to me than my own self.” The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “O Umar! Now the matter is settled.”
It should be remembered that true love for the Prophet, peace be upon him, is practically expressed through following and obeying him.
Allah the Exalted says:
﴿قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿٣١﴾
“Say, [O Muhammad], ‘If you love Allah, then follow me, so Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.’”
Reference: Surah Al-Imran:31
From this noble verse, it is proven that the proof of love for you, peace be upon him, is to follow and obey him. Therefore, whoever claims to love you, peace be upon him, and also follows the Sunnah of the Prophet, should be understood to be truthful in his claim of love. And if he claims love but does not follow the Prophetic Sunnah, then it should be certain that he is lying in his claim of love. A poet has beautifully said:
تَعْصِیْ الإِْلٰہَ وَأَنْتَ تُظْہِرُ حُبَّہُ ہٰذَا لَعَمْرُکَ فِیْ الْقِیَاسِ بَدِیْعُ
لَوْ کَانَ حُبُّکَ صَادِقًا لَأطَعْتَہُ إِنَّ الْمُحِبَّ لِمَنْ یُّحِبُّ مُطِیْعُ
"You disobey Allah Almighty and yet claim to love Him! By your life, this is extremely unreasonable; if your love were true, you would obey Him, because one who loves is obedient to his beloved."
And the intense love that the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, had for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, can be understood from this narration of Hazrat Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her. She states that a man came to the presence of the Noble Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and said:
O Messenger of Allah! You are more beloved to me than my own life and likewise more beloved than my children. And when I am at home, I remember you, then I cannot bear it until I come to you and see you. And when I think about my death and your death, I become certain that when you enter Paradise, you will be sent to the highest ranks with the Prophets (peace be upon them). And if I enter Paradise, I fear that I will not be able to see you there!
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not respond until Angel Jibreel (peace be upon him) came down with this verse:
﴿وَمَن يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ ۚ وَحَسُنَ أُولَٰئِكَ رَفِيقًا ﴿٦٩﴾
"And those who obey Allah and the Messenger will be with those upon whom Allah has bestowed favor — of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs, and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions."
Reference: Surah An-Nisa: 69
From this hadith, it is understood that obedience to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and following his Sunnah are actually the true signs of love for him, peace be upon him. And on this basis, those who love him, peace be upon him, will be granted his companionship on the Day of Judgment. Because when this companion expressed the concern that perhaps he would not be able to see the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, in Paradise, Allah Almighty responded that if you obey Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him, then you will surely be granted the companionship of the Prophets, peace be upon them. This is evidence that merely claiming love is not sufficient; rather, obedience and compliance with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, are also necessary.
Also, Hazrat Amr ibn al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that before embracing Islam, I held intense enmity towards the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Then, when Allah Almighty instilled the love of Islam in my heart, I came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and pledged allegiance on his hand. After that, I began to love the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) intensely... He says:
(وَمَا کَانَ أَحَدٌ أَحَبَّ إِلَیَّ مِنْ رَّسُوْلِ للّٰہِ صلي الله عليه وسلم وَلَا أَجَلَّ فِیْ عَیْنَیَّ مِنْہُ ، وَمَا کُنْتُ أُطِیْقُ أَنْ أَمْلأ عَیْنَیَّ مِنْہُ إِجْلاَلاً لَہُ ، وَلَوْ سُئِلْتُ أَنْ أَصِفَہُ مَا أَطَقْتُ ، لِأنِّیْ لَمْ أَکُنْ أَمْلأ عَیْنَیَّ مِنْہُ ۔۔۔۔)
"There was no person who was more beloved to me than the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Nor was there anyone whose status and rank was higher in my eyes than him (peace be upon him). Due to the great status and rank of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), I did not have the strength to keep my eyes from filling with tears for him. And if I were asked to describe the attributes of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), I could not do so because, while looking at him, my eyes would never be satisfied with him..."
Reference: Sahih Muslim:121
Also, a necessary requirement of true love for the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, is to revive his blessed Sunnah and teach it to the people. The noble saying of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, is:
(( إِنَّ الْإِسْلاَمَ بَدَأَ غَرِیْبًا وَسَیَعُوْدُ غَرِیْبًا کَمَا بَدَأَ،فَطُوْبٰی لِلْغُرَبَاءِ) قِیْلَ: یَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰہِ،وَمَنِ الْغُرَبَاءُ؟ قَالَ: (اَلَّذِیْنَ یُحْیُوْنَ سُنَّتِیْ وَیُعَلِّمُوْنَہَا عِبَادَ اللّٰہِ))
"Indeed, Islam began in poverty and helplessness, and it will soon return to that state in which it began. So glad tidings for the poor and helpless."
Reference: Sahih Muslim:145
He, peace be upon him, was asked: Who are the poor and helpless? He, peace be upon him, replied: "Those who will revive my Sunnah and teach it to the servants of Allah."
④ Following the Excellent Example
The fourth right of the Ummah upon you, O Prophet (peace be upon him), is that by considering you the best example, all sayings, actions, and every aspect of life should follow you. The Divine command is:
﴿لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا ﴾
"Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) there is a good example for you, for whoever hopes in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah often."
Reference: Surah Al-Ahzab:21
From this verse, it is understood that the person who will adopt the example of the Messenger ﷺ will have two qualities: first, that he believes in meeting Allah on the Day of Judgment; and second, that he frequently remembers Allah. Both of these qualities are lacking in many Muslims today. Therefore, the importance of the example of the Messenger ﷺ is no longer present in their hearts. On the contrary, they have considered other people as ideal personalities, and their sayings and actions are a model and worthy of imitation for them. There is no power and no strength except with Allah. Whereas the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, considered the Messenger of Allah ﷺ the best example and followed him in all sayings and actions, except when a particular action was exclusive to the Messenger ﷺ, then they would leave it. The reason was that they loved him sincerely and had true love for him.
Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) wore a gold ring, so people also started wearing gold rings. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "I had worn a gold ring." After that, he (peace be upon him) took off his ring and threw it away and said:
(( إِنِّیْ لَنْ أَلْبَسَہُ أَبَدًا))
"I will never wear it again." Accordingly, people also took off their rings and threw them away.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:7298
Therefore, we too should consider the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as the best example and follow him completely—in beliefs and worship, in morals and character, in dealings, and similarly in every aspect of life, we should walk in the footsteps of the Prophet ﷺ... But it is regrettable that when we look at the daily routines of those who claim to believe in and love the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ today, this reality becomes clearly evident that there is a world of difference between the daily routines of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and those of most Muslims in this era.
In the chapter of beliefs, the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the only one who called upon Allah alone and considered Him the only one who fulfills needs and removes difficulties, whereas most Muslims today consider and call upon others besides Allah for fulfilling needs and removing difficulties. The Prophet ﷺ considered only Allah as the owner of benefit and harm, while most Muslims today hope for benefit from deceased saints and fear harm from them as well. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade making his grave a place of prostration and cursed those who did so, whereas Muslims of this era build shrines over the graves of elders and turn to them for their wishes...
And in the chapter of worship, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, strictly adhered to the prayers until his last breath, whereas most Muslims today do not observe all five prayers and do not attend mosques even upon hearing the call to prayer (حی علی الصلاۃ،حی علی الفلاح). And among those who do pray, most do so according to their own wishes or their sect's way, while the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said ( تم نماز اُس طرح پڑھو جیسا کہ تم مجھے نماز پڑھتے ہوئے دیکھتے ہو ۔). And if one is to worship according to their own wishes or the methods prescribed by their sect, then tell me, where is the following of the exemplary conduct of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him!!
In the matter of morals and character, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was extremely humble, mingling with his companions and treating all Muslims well, whereas many Muslims today appear filled with pride and arrogance, displaying bad behavior towards their Muslim brothers. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was forgiving and taught forgiveness, avoiding and preventing obscene language and cursing, while Muslims of this era are seen quarreling over trivial matters, insulting each other, and even uttering abuses against mothers and sisters!
And in the matter of dealings, the beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ forbade deceit, fraud, betrayal, and bribery, while in this era the situation is such that bad deeds like deceit, fraud, and betrayal have become the identity of Muslims. And the Noble Prophet ﷺ commanded earning through lawful means and forbade unlawful earnings, yet many Muslims who believe in him are seen accumulating wealth by all means without distinguishing between lawful and unlawful, and keeping the accumulated capital in interest-based banks!
In short, in every aspect of life, the example of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, has been overshadowed, and in its place, an imported example has taken the status of a role model. Moreover, even in appearance and demeanor, the beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, has now become a flaw, and whoever tries to adopt the appearance and demeanor like the Prophet, peace be upon him, is given a hundred derogatory titles by those who claim to be his followers and lovers, and they are seen mocking the Sunnah of the Prophet, peace be upon him, in a crowded gathering... Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return.
⑤ Obedience
The fifth right of the Noble Messenger, peace be upon him, is that he should be obeyed and not disobeyed, because obedience to the Prophet, peace be upon him, is obedience to Allah, and disobedience to the Prophet, peace be upon him, is disobedience to Allah.
Allah Almighty has described the right of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as follows:
﴿وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَاحْذَرُوا ۚ فَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا عَلَىٰ رَسُولِنَا الْبَلَاغُ الْمُبِينُ ﴾
"And obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and beware. And if you turn away, then know that upon Our Messenger is only [the duty of] clear notification."
Reference: Surah Al-Ma'idah: 92
He also said: ﴿مَّن يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ﴾
"He who obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah."
Reference: Surah An-Nisa: 80
In this noble verse, Allah Almighty has equated obedience to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) with obedience to Himself. This is also supported by this hadith:
Hazrat Fatimah bint Qais رضي الله عنها narrates that her husband Abu Amr bin Hafs رضي الله عنه had gone out of the house, and during that time, he gave her the final divorce. So, she sent her agent (Ayash bin Abi Rabi'ah رضي الله عنه) to him with the divorce letter and also sent five Sa' of dates and five Sa' of barley through him, but she did not like this.
Reference: In a narration in Muslim, she said: Is this all the food and maintenance I have?
Then her agent said: By Allah! We have nothing for you. So, Hazrat Fatimah رضي الله عنها went directly to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم and informed him of the whole matter. Then he صلى الله عليه وسلم said:(( لَیْسَ لَكَ عَلَیْہِ نَفَقَةٌ))
"Indeed, they are not obliged to provide you with any food or maintenance."
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 1480
Then the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) ordered them to observe the waiting period (iddah) in the house of Umm Shareek (may Allah be pleased with her). After that, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Umm Shareek (may Allah be pleased with her) is the woman in whose house my companions (may Allah be pleased with them) frequently visit. Therefore, you should observe your iddah in the house of Ibn Umm Maktum (may Allah be pleased with him) because he is blind, and you will be able to remove your (extra) clothing in his house. And when you complete your iddah, inform me."
Hazrat Fatimah bint Qais رضي الله عنها narrates that when my waiting period (iddah) was completed, I informed the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم that Hazrat Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan رضي الله عنه and Hazrat Abu Jahm رضي الله عنه had sent me marriage proposals. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
(( أَ مَّا أَبُوْ جَہْمٍ فَلَا یَضَعُ عَصَاہُ عَنْ عَاتِقِهِ،وَأَمَّا مُعَاوِیَةُ فَصُعْلُوْكَ لَا مَالَ لَہُ،اِنْکَحِیْ أُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَیْدٍ))
"As for Abu Jahm رضي الله عنه, he does not even move his stick from his shoulder (meaning he is very harsh-tempered). And as for Muawiyah رضي الله عنه, he is poor and does not have wealth. Therefore, marry Usama ibn Zaid رضي الله عنه."
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 3697
Hazrat Fatimah رضي الله عنها says that I disliked Usama رضي الله عنه, but the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم again instructed me to marry Usama رضي الله عنه.
In a narration of Muslim, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
(( طَاعَةُ اللّٰہِ وَطَاعَةُ رَسُوْلِهَ خَیْرٌ لَّكَ ))
"Obedience to Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him, is better for you."
Reference: Sahih Muslim:1480
Therefore, I married him, and then Allah Almighty blessed this marriage with so much goodness that the women of that era envied me.
This story proves that obedience to the Messenger ﷺ is a cause of goodness and welfare, and also that obedience to the Messenger ﷺ is essentially obedience to Allah Almighty because the Holy Prophet ﷺ gave the command to Hazrat Fatimah (RA) to marry Hazrat Usama (RA), about which Allah Almighty did not reveal any verse in the Holy Quran. Despite this, the Prophet ﷺ said that obedience to Allah Almighty and His Messenger ﷺ is better for you. So this is evidence that obedience to the Messenger ﷺ is essentially obedience to Allah Almighty.
Wherever Allah Almighty has commanded His servants to obey Him, He has also commanded obedience to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
The command of Allah Almighty is:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَلَا تُبْطِلُوا أَعْمَالَكُمْ ﴾
"O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and do not invalidate your deeds."
Reference: Surah Muhammad:30
Also, Allah the Exalted says:
﴿ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ ۖ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَأَنَّهُ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ ﴾
"O you who have believed! Obey Allah and the Messenger while he calls you to that which gives you life. And know that Allah intervenes between a man and his heart and that to Him you will be gathered."
Reference: Surah Al-Anfal: 24
◈ Hazrat Abu Saeed Al-Mu'alla (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that I was praying in the mosque when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) passed by me. He called me, but I did not come to him until I completed my prayer. Then I came to him, and he asked: (( مَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تَأْتِیَ؟)) "What prevented you from coming to me?"
I said: O Messenger of Allah! I was praying.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
(( أَلَمْ یَقُلِ اللّٰہُ :﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ﴾))
"Has Allah not said: O you who have believed! Obey Allah and the Messenger while the Messenger invites you to that which gives you life."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:4647
◈ He also said:
﴿وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا﴾
"And whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you, abstain from it."
Reference: Surah Al-Hashr:7
This verse is evidence that the command of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, is a legal proof and obligatory to follow.
◈ Similarly, this hadith also supports the same:
Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
(( لَعَنَ اللّٰہُ الْوَاشِمَاتِ وَالْمُوْتَشِمَاتِ، وَالْمُتَنَمِّصَاتِ، وَالْمُتَفَلِّجَاتِ لِلْحُسْنِ، اَلْمُغَیِّرَاتِ خَلْقَ اللّٰہِ ))
"Allah has cursed the woman who tattoos and the one who gets tattooed, the one who plucks facial hair for beautification, and the one who files her teeth to change the creation of Allah."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:4886
This hadith reached a woman from Bani Asad, who was called Umm Ya'qub, and she came to Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, and said: I have heard that you cursed such and such a woman?
He said: Why should I not curse her when the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, cursed her and Allah's Book also curses her?
Umm Ya'qub said: I have read the entire Quran, but I did not find the thing you mentioned.
Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas'ud (RA) said: If you had read the Quran, you would have definitely found it. Have you not read this verse ﴿وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا﴾
"Obey the Messenger; that is what you are commanded. And avoid what he forbids you."
Reference: Surah Al-Hashr:7
Umm Ya'qub said: Why not!
He said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) has forbidden these actions.
Umm Ya'qub said: Your wife does these things!
He said: Go and see for yourself.
So she went, but she did not find anything of that sort.
Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas'ud (RA) said:
If she did such a thing, I would not even go near her.
◈ Hazrat Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
(کُلُّ أُمَّتِیْ یَدْخُلُوْنَ الْجَنَّةَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَبٰی،قَالُوْا: یَارَسُوْلَ اللّٰہِ ،وَمَنْ یَّأْبٰی؟ قَالَ:مَنْ أَطَاعَنِیْ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ،وَمَنْ عَصَانِیْ فَقَدْ أَبٰی)
"All the people of my Ummah will enter Paradise except those who refuse (to believe)." The noble companions رضي الله عنهم asked the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, "Who are those who refuse?" He صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم replied: "Whoever obeys me will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys me has, in effect, refused (to believe)."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 7280
The Noble Companions رضي الله عنهم and Obedience to the Messenger صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم
Among the noble companions رضي الله عنهم, the spirit of obedience and compliance to the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم was overflowing. Some incidents in this regard are mentioned.
➊ Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas (RA) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saw a man wearing a gold ring, so the Prophet (PBUH) took it off his hand and threw it away. Later, he said: (یَعْمِدُ أَحَدُکُمْ إِلٰی جَمْرَۃٍ مِنْ نَّارٍ فَیَجْعَلُہَا فِیْ یَدِہٖ)
"Would any one of you pick up a burning coal from Hell and hold it in his hand?"
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 2090
Then, when the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) left, the man was told: Pick up your ring and benefit from it.
He said:
لَا وَاللّٰہِ،لَا آخُذُہُ أَبَدًا وَقَدْ طَرَحَہُ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰہِ صلي الله عليه وسلم !
Now that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) has taken it off my hand and thrown it away, by Allah, I will never pick it up again.
➋ Hazrat Umar bin Al-Khattab (RA) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
(( إِنَّ اللّٰہَ عَزَّوَجَلَّ یَنْہَاکُمْ أَنْ تَحْلِفُوْا بِآبَائِکُمْ))
"Indeed, Allah forbids you from taking the oath by your fathers."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 6646
Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated this hadith and said:
فَوَاللّٰہِ مَا حَلَفْتُ بِہَا مُنْذُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُوْلَ اللّٰہِ صلي الله عليه وسلم نَہٰی عَنْہَا ذَاکِرًا وَلَا آثِرًا
Meaning: Since I heard from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that he forbade it, I have never taken such an oath, neither on my own behalf nor while conveying from anyone else.
➌ Hazrat Abdullah bin Amir bin Rabi'ah narrates that Hazrat Umar bin Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) set out towards Sham (Syria), and when he reached the place called Sargh, he learned that there was an epidemic spreading in Sham. Then Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated a hadith in which the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
(( إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ بِهِ بِأَرْضٍ فَلَا تَقْدَمُوْا عَلَیْہِ،وَإِذَا وَقَعَ بِأَرْضٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِہَا فَلَا تَخْرُجُوْا فِرَارًا مِنْہُ ))
"When you hear that there is an epidemic in a land, do not go into it, and if you are in a land where an epidemic breaks out, do not leave it fleeing from it."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 3473
Upon hearing this hadith, Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) returned from Sargh.
And when Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) heard a hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that contradicted his own opinion, he would immediately withdraw from his opinion and decide according to the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
As Yahya bin Saeed bin Al-Musayyib narrates, Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) made a ruling regarding the blood money (diyat) of fingers: the blood money for the thumb was fifteen camels, for the adjacent finger and the middle finger it was ten camels each, for the next finger nine camels, and for the smallest finger six camels. But when he learned that in the book of the family of Umar bin Hazm there was a hadith stating that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) fixed the blood money for all fingers at ten camels each, he withdrew from his opinion.
➍ When Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) kissed the Black Stone, he said:
( أَمَا وَاللّٰہِ،إِنِّیْ لَأعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ حَجَرٌ لَا تَضُرُّ وَلَا تَنْفَعُ،وَلَوْ لَا أَنِّیْ رَأَیْتُ رَسُوْلَ اللّٰہِ صلي الله عليه وسلم یُقَبِّلُكَ مَا قَبَّلْتُكَ)
"Beware! I know that you are a stone and neither can you harm nor benefit. And if I had not seen the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) kissing you, I would never have kissed you."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:1605
Then he said:
(مَا لَنَا وَلِلرَّمَلِ،إِنَّمَا کُنَّا رَاءَ یْنَا الْمُشْرِکِیْنَ،وَقَدْ أَہْلَکَہُمُ اللّٰہُ،ثُمَّ قَالَ : شَیْئٌ صَنَعَہُ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰہُ صلي الله عليه وسلم فَلَا نُحِبُّ أَنْ نَتْرُکَہُ )
"That is, why should we perform Raml (the act of moving the Black Stone during Tawaf) now! It was originally done to show strength before the polytheists, and now Allah has destroyed them! Then he said: We do not like to abandon the practice that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) performed."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:1605
⑥ Decision in Disputed Matters
The sixth right of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) over his Ummah is that in all matters of dispute, he (peace be upon him) and his blessed Hadiths should be considered the final authority, and one should bow in submission before them, giving no importance to anyone else's opinion or sect in opposition.
The Divine command is:
﴿فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّىٰ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا ﴾
"By your Lord, they will never become believers until they make you (O Muhammad) judge in all their disputes, and then find no resistance in their hearts against your decisions, but accept them with full submission."
Reference: Surah An-Nisa: 65
Hazrat Urwah bin Zubair (RA) narrates that there was a dispute between his father Hazrat Zubair (RA) and an Ansari companion over a water channel located in Harrah, through which they used to supply water to the date palms. The Ansari said: "Let the water go and allow it to flow ahead," but Hazrat Zubair (RA) refused. Then both of them took their matter to the Messenger of Allah (SAW), who said:
(( اِسْقِ یَا زُبَیْرُ،ثُمَّ أَرْسِلِ الْمَاءَ إِلٰی جَارِكَ ))
"O Zubair! Water your trees and then let it flow into your neighbor's garden."
The Ansari companion became very angry and said: "O Messenger of Allah! Why not? After all, he is your aunt's son!"
Upon this, the radiant face of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ changed in color, and he ﷺ said:
(( اِسْقِ یَا زُبَیْرُ،ثُمَّ احْبِسِ الْمَاءَ حَتّٰی یَرْجِعَ إْلَی الْجُدُرِ ))
"Zubair! Water your field, and do not leave it until the water reaches the furrows."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 2359
Hazrat Zubair رضي الله عنه says: I believe this verse was revealed in this case:
﴿فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّىٰ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا ﴾
And it is narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari that a man asked Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنه about the Istilam (touching) of the Black Stone, and he said:
(رَأَیْتُ رَسُوْلَ اللّٰہِ صلي الله عليه وسلم یَسْتَلِمُہُ وَیُقَبِّلُہُ )
"I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ touch it and kiss it."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 1611
This man asked: What do you think if I get stuck in a crowd (should I still perform Istilam?), and what do you think if people overpower me (should I still perform Istilam then)?
Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (RA) said:
( اِجْعَلْ ’’أَرَأَیْتَ ‘‘ بِالْیَمَنِ،رَأَیْتُ رَسُوْلَ اللّٰہِ صلي الله عليه وسلم یَسْتَلِمُہُ وَیُقَبِّلُہُ )
Meaning: "This thing that you are saying, 'What do you think?' leave it in Yemen. I only know that I saw the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) receiving it and kissing it."
From this, it is understood that once the knowledge of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is established, then no one's opinion holds any weight, even if that opinion belongs to a Companion. But, alas! In this era, there are many people who, when they are told the authentic Ahadith about the blessed Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, they present the opinions of their scholars or Imams against them! Whereas this is such a great audacity that Hazrat Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه expressed fear of divine punishment for it. As Imam Ibn Abd al-Barr رحمه الله narrated from Urwah that he said to Hazrat Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه: "Do you not fear Allah that you permit Hajj al-Tamattu'?" He replied: "O Urwah! Ask your mother." Urwah said: "Abu Bakr and Umar (رضي الله عنهما) did not perform Tamattu'!" Upon hearing this, Hazrat Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه said:
(وَاللّٰہِ مَا أُرَاکُمْ مُنْتَہِیْنَ حَتّٰی یُعَذِّبَکُمُ اللّٰہُ ، نُحَدِّثُکُمْ عَنْ رَسُوْلِ اللّٰہِ ،وَتُحَدِّثُوْنَا عَنْ أَبِیْ بَکْرٍ وَعُمَرَ )
"By Allah! I do not think you will desist until Allah's punishment descends upon you. We narrate to you the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and you oppose it with the words of Abu Bakr and Umar (رضي الله عنهما)?"
And in another narration, it is mentioned that Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
(أُرَاہُمْ سَیَہْلِکُوْنَ،أَقُوْلُ: قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰہِ صلي الله عليه وسلم وَیَقُوْلُوْنَ: قَالَ أَبُوْبَکْرٍ وَعُمَرُ؟)
"I think that they will be destroyed soon, I say that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said (thus), and they say that Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) said (thus)?"
The Strong Reaction of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) Against the Contradiction of the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
➊ Salim bin Abdullah narrates that once Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated this hadith that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
(( لَا تَمْنَعُوْا نِسَاءَ کُمُ الْمَسَاجِدَ إِذَا اسْتَأْذَنَّکُمْ إِلَیْہَا))
If your women ask permission to go to the mosques, then do not prevent them from going there.
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 989
Upon hearing this hadith, Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (RA)'s son Bilal bin Abdullah said:
(وَاللّٰہِ لَنَمْنَعُہُنَّ)
By Allah! We will definitely forbid them. Then Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (RA) turned towards him and severely reprimanded him, so severely that I have never seen him reprimand anyone so harshly before. And he said:
(أُخْبِرُكَ عَنْ رَسُوْلِ اللّٰہِ صلي الله عليه وسلم وَتَقُوْلُ: وَاللّٰہِ لَنَمْنَعُہُنَّ)
I am narrating to you the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), and you say: By Allah! We will definitely forbid them!
In a narration, when Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated this hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him):
(( اِئْ ذَنُوْا لِلنِّسَاءِ بِاللَّیْلِ إِلَی الْمَسَاجِدِ))
"Allow women to go to the mosques at night."
One of his sons, whose name was Waqid, said: Then they will make it a means of corruption! Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) struck him on the chest and said:
(أُحَدِّثُكَ عَنْ رَسُوْلِ اللّٰہِ صلي الله عليه وسلم وَتَقُوْلُ:لَا )
"I am narrating to you the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and you say no."
Reference: Mentioned reference
Regarding the benefits of this hadith, Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) says:(فیہ تعزیر المعترض علی السنة والمعارض لہا برأیہ، وفیہ تعزیر الوالد ولدہ وإن کان کبیرا)
"This hadith proves that a person who objects to the Sunnah and speaks contrary to it based on his own opinion can be punished. It also shows that a father can punish his son even if he is an adult."
And based on the same hadith of Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), despite being very strict in nature, did not forbid his wives from going to the mosque. As Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) himself narrates, one of Hazrat Umar's wives used to attend the congregational prayers of Isha and Fajr in the mosque. When she was asked why she prayed in the mosque even though she knew that Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) disliked it and was very protective, she replied: Then why does he not forbid me? He said: Only the command of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prevents him from forbidding you to go to the mosque:
(( لا تَمْنَعُوْا إِمَاءَ اللّٰہِ مَسَاجِدَ اللّٰہِ ))
"Do not prevent the female servants of Allah from going to the mosques."
It is understood from this that although Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) disliked his wives going to the mosque, he did not forbid them. What was the reason for this? Simply that he had heard the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that "Do not prevent the servants of Allah from going to the mosques." For this reason, he did not forbid them from going to the mosques.
➋ Abdullah bin Buraidah narrates that Hazrat Abdullah bin Mughaffal (may Allah be pleased with him) saw one of his (relatives) picking up stones or pebbles and throwing them, so he said: Do not do this because the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) forbade it (or he said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) disliked it). And the statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is:
(( إِنَّہُ لَا یُصَادُ بِهِ صَیْدٌ،وَلَا یُنْکَاُ بِهِ عَدُوٌّ،وَلٰکِنَّہَا قَدْ تَکْسِرُ السِّنَّ وَتَقْفَأُ الْعَیْنَ))
"One cannot hunt in this way, nor can one gain victory over the enemy by it, but it may break someone's teeth or injure someone's eye."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 6220
After that, Hazrat Abdullah bin Mughaffal (may Allah be pleased with him) saw the same man again throwing pebbles or stones in the same manner, so he said:
(أُحَدِّثُكَ عَنْ رَسُوْلِ اللّٰہِ صلي الله عليه وسلم أَنَّہُ نَہٰی عَنِ الْخَذْفِ أَوْ کَرِہَ الْخَذْفَ وَأَنْتَ تَخْذِفُ لَا أُکَلِّمُكَ کَذَا وَکَذَا )
"I am telling you a Hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in which he forbade or disliked this, and yet you continue to throw pebbles like this! I will not speak to you anymore."
In one narration, it is said that he said:
(لَا أُکَلِّمُكَ أَبَدًا )
"I will never speak to you."
May Allah grant us all the ability to respect the Hadith of the Messenger (peace be upon him) and to follow it. Ameen.
⑦ Acting upon the Quran and Hadith
The seventh right of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ upon the Ummah is that the two things he left for the Ummah at the time of his passing should be thoroughly studied, and Islamic teachings should be derived from these two things. They are: the Holy Quran and the authentic and established Sunnah.
The noble saying of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is:
(( تَرَکْتُ فِیْکُمْ شَیْئَیْنِ،لَنْ تَضِلُّوْا بَعْدَہُمَا: کِتَابَ اللّٰہِ وَسُنَّتِیْ،وَلَنْ یَّتَفَرَّقَا حَتّٰی یَرِدَا عَلَیَّ الْحَوْضَ))
"I am leaving among you two things. If you hold fast to them, you will never go astray after me. One is the Book of Allah (the Holy Quran) and the other is my Sunnah. These two will never separate until they come to me at the Pond."
Reference: Sunan Tirmidhi: 3788
Therefore, it is obligatory upon every common and learned person to derive the rulings of the religion directly from the Holy Quran and the Prophetic Hadiths, so that they may be saved from misguidance and continue on the straight path.
⑧ Frequent Sending of Blessings (Durood Sharif)
The eighth right of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ upon the Ummah is that the Prophet ﷺ should be sent the maximum amount of blessings (Durood). The Divine command is:
﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا ﴾
"Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace."
When this verse was revealed, the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: O Messenger of Allah! We know how to send peace (Salam), but how do we send blessings (Durood)? The Prophet ﷺ said: You should say like this:
(( اَللّٰہُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰی مُحَمَّدٍ وَّعَلٰی آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ، کَمَا صَلَّیْتَ عَلٰی إِبْرَاہِیْمَ وَعَلٰی آلِ إِبْرَاہِیْمَ،إِنَّكَ حَمِیْدٌ مَّجِیْدٌ،اَللّٰہُمَّ بَارِك عَلٰی مُحَمَّدٍ وَّعَلٰی آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ،کَمَا بَارَکْتَ عَلٰی إِبْرَاہِیْمَ وَعَلٰی آلِ إِبْرَاہِیْمَ،إِنَّكَ حَمِیْدٌ مَّجِیْدٌ))
The most excellent Durood is the Durood Ibrahimiyyah itself, which the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught to the noble companions, may Allah be pleased with them. In the authentic hadiths, whichever words of this Durood Sharif have been narrated, one may recite any of them. And the most blessed words of Durood are those that came from the blessed tongue of the Prophet ﷺ himself, because he ﷺ did not speak without revelation. As for the artificial Duroods, such as Durood Hazara and Durood Taj, etc., such Duroods can never be superior to the Durood taught by the Noble Prophet ﷺ. In fact, the reality is that these artificial Duroods contain words that are certainly polytheistic. Therefore, it is extremely necessary to avoid them.
There are many hadiths that establish the virtue of sending Durood, here we mention a few hadiths:
➊ It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
(( مَنْ صَلّٰی عَلَیَّ وَاحِدَۃً ، صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ بِہَا عَشْرًا))
"Whoever sends blessings upon me once, Allah will send down ten mercies upon him."
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 408
➋ It is narrated from Hazrat Anas (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
(( مَنْ صَلّٰی عَلَیَّ وَاحِدَۃً،صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ عَشْرَصَلَوَاتٍ،وَحَطَّ عَنْہُ عَشْرَ خَطِیْئَاتٍ،وَرَفَعَ لَہُ عَشْرَ دَرَجَاتٍ))
"Whoever sends blessings upon me once, Allah will send down ten mercies upon him, erase ten of his sins, and raise him by ten degrees."
Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i: 1297
➌ It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Darda (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
(( مَنْ صَلّٰی عَلَیَّ حِیْنَ یُصْبِحُ عَشْرًا،وَحِیْنَ یُمْسِیْ عَشْرًا،أَدْرَکَتْہُ شَفَاعَتِیْ یَوْمَ الْقِیَامَةِ ))
"Whoever sends blessings upon me ten times in the morning and ten times in the evening, he will be granted my intercession on the Day of Judgment."
Reference: Majma' az-Zawa'id: 17022
Therefore, one should recite Durood Sharif as much as possible.
Hazrat Abi bin Ka'b (RA) narrates that he said: O Messenger of Allah! I send abundant blessings upon you, so what do you think, how much should I send blessings upon you? He (SAW) said: (( مَا شِئْتَ)) "As much as you wish." I said: A quarter part? The Prophet (SAW) said: (( مَا شِئْتَ،فَإِنْ زِدْتَّ فَہُوَ خَیْرٌ لَّكَ)) "As much as you wish, and if you send more than that, it will be better for you." I said: Half? The Prophet (SAW) said: (( مَا شِئْتَ،فَإِنْ زِدْتَّ فَہُوَ خَیْرٌ لَّكَ)) "As much as you wish, and if you send more than that, it will be better for you." I said: Two-thirds? The Prophet (SAW) said: (( مَا شِئْتَ،فَإِنْ زِدْتَّ فَہُوَ خَیْرٌ لَّكَ)) "As much as you wish, and if you send more than that, it will be better for you."
I said: Should I just keep sending blessings upon you? The Prophet (SAW) said: (( إِذًا تُکْفٰی ہَمَّك،وَیُغْفَرُ لَكَ ذَنْبُكِ)) "Then this will be sufficient to relieve your distress and your sins will be forgiven."
Reference: Sunan Tirmidhi: 2457
In the end, I pray to Allah, the Lord of Glory, to grant us all the ability to fulfill all the rights of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, to obey him, and to love him sincerely. And on the Day of Judgment, may He grant us the intercession of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and the water of the Pond of Kawthar through his hands. Ameen.
