This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Abu Hamza Abdul Khaliq Siddiqi's book Sahi Fazail-e-Amaal.
The Creator of the universe, Allah Almighty, desires that those who love Him follow the actions of His beloved, Hazrat Muhammad Rasul Allah ﷺ, and through him attain nearness to Him, and erase the mistakes and errors of their lives to become heirs of Jannat al-Firdous. The noble verse:
﴿قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ﴾
Reference: (3-Al Imran:31)
explains this secret of love.
◈ Gratitude to Allah Almighty:
Sayyiduna Mughira bin Shu'bah رضي الله عنه and Sayyida Aisha Siddiqah رضي الله عنها narrate that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم used to pray at night for such a long time that his blessed feet would begin to swell and crack. Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها said (I asked): O Messenger of Allah! Why do you do this, when Allah (The Most Forgiving, The Most Merciful) has already forgiven your past and future sins? The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم replied:
أفلا أكون عبدا شكورا
"Should I not be a grateful servant of Allah?"
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Tafsir, No: 4837, 4836.
◈ Weeping out of Fear of Allah:
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud رضي الله عنه narrates that I came to the presence of the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم while he was praying. (I saw that) from his chest, due to weeping, a sound was coming out like the sound from a pot placed on a stove.
Reference: Sunan Abu Dawood, Book of Prayer, No: 904 - Sunan Tirmidhi, No: 321.
◈ The Highest Status of Servitude and Connection with Allah:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه that on the day of Badr, except for Miqdad bin Amr, there was no other horseman with us. Every one of us slept deeply, except the Holy Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, who sat under a tree worshipping Allah all night and weeping.
Reference: Musnad Ahmad: 1/125 - Al-Sunan Al-Kubra by Al-Nasa'i, No: 823 Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, No: 899
Ibn Khuzaymah has declared it "Sahih".◈ Complete certainty of Allah Almighty's companionship:
Sayyiduna Bara bin Azib رضي الله عنه narrates that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه said (during the migration journey) that when we set out, people were pursuing us. Among them, only Suraqa bin Malik reached close to us on his horse. I said: O Messenger of Allah! He has come close to us while pursuing us. The Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: ﴿لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَنَا﴾ "Do not grieve, Allah is with us." He came so close to us that there was only a distance of one or two spears between us and him. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه said: I said: O Messenger of Allah! He has reached us, and then I began to cry. The Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: Why are you crying? I said, By Allah! I am not crying because I see my life in danger, but I am crying because I see your safety in danger. (Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم prayed against him, saying: O Allah! Be sufficient for us against him as You will. As a result of the Prophet's prayer, the legs of his horse sank deeply into the hard ground up to its belly.
Reference: Musnad Ahmad: 2/1, Hadith number: 3.
Ahmad Shakir says: Its chain of narration is authentic.◈ Expression of Patience in Trials and Difficulties:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas رضي الله عنه that the Prophet of Mercy صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: "I have been subjected to so much torment in the way of Allah that no one else has been subjected to such torment, and I have been so frightened in the way of Allah that no one else has been so terrified. Three days and nights passed over me during which neither I nor Bilal had enough food for a person with a strong liver to eat. (It was so little) that Bilal would hide it under his armpit."
Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah, Number: 151 -
Allama Albani رحمه الله authenticated it as Sahih.◈ Seeking the Pleasure of Allah:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to recite this supplication in the Tahajjud prayer:
اللهم إني أعوذ برضاك من سخطك وبمعافاتك من عقوبتك وأعوذ بك منك لا أحصي ثناء عليك أنت كما أثنيت على نفسك
"O Allah! I seek refuge in Your pleasure from Your anger, and in Your forgiveness from Your punishment, and O Allah! I seek refuge in You, I cannot praise You as You have praised Yourself."
Reference: Sunan Abu Dawood, Chapter on the division of the Witr chapters, Hadith number: 1427.
Allama Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) has declared it authentic.◈ Beautiful Recitation of the Holy Quran:
Muawiyah bin Qarah, may Allah have mercy on him, says: I heard Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mughaffal, may Allah be pleased with him, who said that I heard the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, reciting on the day of the conquest of Makkah while sitting on his mount:
﴿إِنَّا فَتَحْنَا لَكَ فَتْحًا مُّبِينًا . لِّيَغْفِرَ لَكَ اللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ﴾ The Prophet, peace be upon him, was reciting these verses slowly and clearly. Muawiyah bin Qarah, may Allah have mercy on him, says, "If I were not afraid that people would gather around me, I would recite to you in the same way with proper recitation, Tajweed, and beautification."
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Military Expeditions, No: 5047 - Sahih Muslim, Book of Traveler's Prayer, No: 547
Humility:
Visiting the sick is also an example of humility. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, came to me neither riding a mule nor a Turkish horse (rather, he came on foot).
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of the Sick, No: 5664.
◈ Kindness and Compassion towards Children:
Sayyiduna Yusuf bin Abdullah bin Salam رضي الله عنه says: "The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم named me Yusuf and placed me in his lap and stroked my head."
Reference: Musnad Hamidi, No: 869 - Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir al-Tabarani: 22/285 - Musnad Ahmad: 4/35, 6/6-
Sheikh Shoaib has called it "Sahih al-Isnad."◈ The longing to meet Allah at the last moments of the blessed life:
At the last moments of the blessed life, the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم emphasized to the Muslims to avoid shirk (polytheism), and also urged them to be punctual in prayer and to treat slaves kindly.
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Maghazi, Chapter on the illness and death of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, Sunan Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Jana'iz: 1/1317.
The last words of the blessed life were:
اللهم اغفر لي وارحمني وألحقني بالرفيق الأعلى
"O Allah! Forgive my sins, have mercy on me, and join me with the highest companions."
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Maghazi, No: 4440.
