By Ahmad Abu Hayyan

For those that have a hatred for Islam and the Muslim world, the rawest nerve to hit is attacking our Beloved Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم . It is a direct and undiluted insult to Islam by those that have a perverse notion that belittling other faiths and religions is part of being a civilised society.

Indeed for every Muslim, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم holds the highest position among creation his صلى الله عليه وسلم status is unique in every aspect.

The Master of the Messengers is the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, the seal of the Prophets, the Imam of the pious and the Imam of the Prophets when they gathered (on the night of israa’), the one of the praiseworthy position (Al-Maqaam al-Mahmoud) for which he will be envied by people of the early and the late generations, the possessor of the flag of praise (Al-hamd), the possessor of the pond to which believers will flock (Al-hawdh), the intercessor for creation on the Day of Judgement, the owner of al-waseela and al-fadheela, the one with whom Allah sent the best of His books, and ordained the best laws of His deen, and made his nation the best nation brought forth for mankind. Allah Azza wa Jall gathered together for the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم and for his followers all qualities of dignity and goodness which were divided among the previous nations, never found all at once.

It is a requirement that the Muslim loves Allah and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم more than anything else which is precious in their life. There is nothing that comes close to this and the believer is obliged to develop this love everyday of their llife.

The love of Allah and His Messenger is the type Allah سبحانه وتعالى has linked to the Shari’ah and it’s aqeedah

Allah سبحانه وتعالى said:

·“And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger – those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favour of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of the truth, the martyrs and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions.” (An-Nisaa’: 69).

Aisha may Allah be pleased with her, reported that a man came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and said: “O Messenger of Allah! You are dearer to me than my family, my children and even myself. Sometimes I am sitting in my home and I remember you, and then I am overwhelmed with the desire to come and see you. When I think about your death and mine; I realise that when you die you will at the rank of the Prophets in paradise, but I fear that if I enter paradise, I will not be able to see you.” ‘Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, continued: “The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not answer this man until Allah revealed this verse (given above).” (At-Tabari and others).

Allah سبحانه وتعالى said:

قُلْ إِنْ كَانَ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَاكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصُوا حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ

“Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you have delight in are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving hard and fighting in His Cause, then wait until Allah brings about His Decision (torment). And Allah guides not the people who are Al-Fasiqun (the rebellious, disobedient to Allah).” [At-Tawbah, 9:24]

Ibn Kathir mentions in connection to the above ayah the narration of Imam Ahmad that recorded Zuhrah bin Ma`bad said that his grandfather said, “We were with the Messenger of Allah , while he was holding the hand of Umar bin Al-Khattab. `Umar said, `By Allah! You, O Messenger of Allah, are dearer to me than everything, except for myself.’ The Messenger of Allah said, ‘None among you will attain faith until I become dearer to him than even himself.’ Umar said, ‘Verily, now, you are dearer to me than myself, by Allah!’ The Messenger of Allah said, ‘Now (you have it), O `Umar!'”

Anas (ra) narrated that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“There are three things whoever obtains them he will experience the sweetness of belief – that Allah and His Messenger are more beloved to him than anything else; that he loves a man only for the sake of Allah; and that he dislikes the thought of reverting to disbelief as much as he would dislike being cast into the Fire.” (Agreed upon)

Imam An-Nawawi reported in his Sharh of Sahih Muslim the meaning of loving the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم on the authority of Sulayman al-Khattabi which states: “You will not be true in your love for me until you exhaust yourself in my obedience, until you prefer my pleasure over your whims even if it may lead to your death.”

The Sahabah of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم were very much concerned about competing in attaining honour by making Allah and His Messenger the pinnacle of their love and concern

Anas (ra) narrated that on the day of the battle of Uhud:

That the people ran away, leaving the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, but Abu- Talha was shielding the Prophet with his shield in front of him. Abu Talha was a strong, experienced archer who used to keep his arrow bow strong and well stretched. On that day he broke two or three arrow bows. If any man passed by carrying a quiver full of arrows, the Prophet would say to him, “Empty it in front of Abu Talha.” When the Prophet started looking at the enemy by raising his head, Abu Talha said, “O Allah’s Prophet! Let my parents be sacrificed for your sake! Please don’t raise your head and make it visible, lest an arrow of the enemy should hit you. Let my neck and chest be wounded instead of yours.” (Agreed upon)

It was narrated that Qays said:

“I saw Talha’s hand paralysed, the one which he had protected the Prophet (from an arrow).” (al-Bukhari)

Sahl b. Sa’d narrated that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said on the day of Khaybar:

“Qutaybah bin Said informed us, Ya’qoob bin “abder-Rahman informed us from Aby Haazim, he said Sahlu bin Sa’d (r.a) told me that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said on the day of Khayber: I shall give this banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger and they (Allah and His Messenger) love him.” All the Muslims came forward in the following morning hoping to be granted the honour of carrying the banner. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم called for ‘Ali bin Abi Talib. He was told, O Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم, his eyes hurt. He said, call for him. He was brought to him, and the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم spat in his eyes and made du’aa’ for him, so he was cured as if he had no pain before. Then he handed the banner to him. ‘Ali, on his part, pledged he would fight the enemies until they embraced Islam. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم answered him saying: “Take things easy and invite them to accept Islam and brief them on their duties towards Allah. I swear by Allah that if only one person should be guided at your hands, that would surely outweigh the best of our camels.” (Agreed upon)

Ibn Hibban reported in his Sahih:

“…When Urwah went back to the Quraysh, he said, I have been to the courts of the kings and have seen the splendor of the Caesar and the Chosroes and the Negus. But never have I seen any king being so revered as Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم by his companions. By Allah, had he spat out mucus and it just fell on the hands of one of his companionshe would have rubbed it on his face and skin. When he ordered them with something they rushed to carry it out and if he made ablution they would fight for the used water. When he spoke they lowered their voices and they did not look sharp at him, as sign of reverence to him …”

Anas b. Malik (ra) narrated that:

(When the enemy got the upper hand) on the day of the Battle of Uhud, the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم was left with only seven men from the Ansar and two men from the Quraysh. When the enemy advanced towards him and overwhelmed him, he said: Whoso turns them away from us will attain Paradise or will be my Companion in Paradise. A man from the Ansar came forward and fought (the enemy) until he was killed. The enemy advanced and overwhelmed him again and he repeated the words: Whoso turns them away, from us will attain Paradise or will be my Companion in Paradise. A man from the Ansar came forward and fought until he was killed. This state continued until the seven Ansar were killed (one after the other). Now, the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said to his two Companions: We have not done justice to our Companions.’ (Muslim)

Ibn Sireen said: I said to ‘Ubaydah:

We have some hair of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, which we came to acquire through Anas or the family of Anas (ra). He said: that I should have a strand of hair of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is dearer to me than the world and what it contains.’ (al-Bukhari)

Tariq b. Shihab narrated that he heard Ibn Mas’ud saying:

“I witnessed Al-Miqdad b. Al-Aswad in an event, which would have been dearer to me than anything had I been the hero of that scene. He (i.e. Al-Miqdad) came to the Prophet while the Prophet was imploring Allah’s anger against the pagans. Al-Miqdad said, “We will not say as the People of Moses said: Go you and your Lord and fight you two.” [Al-Maa’idah:27]. But we shall fight on your right and on your left and in front of you and behind you.” I saw the face of the Prophet getting bright with happiness, for that saying delighted him.” (al-Bukhari)

It is a a tragedy that today the media under the guise of freedom of expression can in the face of the Ummah mock it’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, the Ahle ul Bayt, the Quran and the Islamic Shariah. Their ignorance has reached new heights and it’s boldness has only increased due to there being little defence by those that are able among the rulers in the Muslim world. They are not stirred with these mockeries and this is seen by their silence and inaction when the Kuffar attempt to dishonour the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم.

In 1913 when the Uthmani Khilafah was in a weakened state, the English author George Bernard Shaw contemplated the writing of a book against the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم. But the existence of the Khilafah was enough of a deterrent to stop him from this.

In Shaw’s diary of 1913 he writes: ‘I had long desired to dramatise the life of Mahomet. But the possibility of a protest from the Turkish Ambassador – or the fear of it – causing the Lord Chamberlain to refuse to license such a play, deterred me.’ [Hesketh Pearson’s biography of George Bernard Shaw]

This was the the mindset in the world and it’s understanding of what the repercussions would be in using the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم has a means to attack Islam. However today this is not the reality .

If we wish the honour of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to be protected and it’s correct understanding to be given we must simultaneously give a strong dawah to all people around us in the west about the excellent Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم. Now is the time that Muslims in the west study the life of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in detail and use this study to propagate Islam and use this to defend Islam from the false and evil narrative given by a poisonous and biased media.

Indeed the ultimate goal and the correct solution in protecting the honour of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is to work for a Khilafah Rashidah state that is able to protect and maintain this today and tomorrow.