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Allah commanded: Love Him

Author: Prof. Dr. Mehmet Yaşar KANDEMİR

Translated by: Emir Esat Temiz

The Holy Qur’an shows us two main assets to love: Allah(c.c) and our beloved Prophet. Then, it expects us to love them “more than anything”. What does ‘anything’ consist of? Our Sacred Book tells about it, and that we should love God and His Messenger more than those:

Your parents,

and your children,

and your siblings,

and your spouses,

and your relatives,

and the wealth you have acquired,

and a business you worry about,

and homes you love (…)”«1»

Qur’an commands us to tend more on making jihad rather than adoring those 8 possessions listed above.

What happens if we prioritise the love of these 8 possessions? In the following of this verse Allah answers: “(If those) are more dear to you than God, and His Messenger, and the struggle in His cause, than wait until God executes His judgment(…)”«2»

Yes, He obviously threatens. Yet, we will contextualise the issue only from the aspect of love of the Prophet(pbuh).

As it has been mentioned in the verse, Allah does not recommend, rather He commands us to love His Messenger by threatening that He would proceed chant furore if it is not implemented.

The Prophet clarifies the part of the verse referred to him as “None of you will have faith till he/ she loves me more than his/her father, his/her children and all mankind.”«3»

The topic is not only about loving the Messenger of God but also obeying him. Allah adverts the dearness of both Himself and the Prophet’s jointly as follows: “O you believe! Obey God and obey the Messenger.”«4» Thus, He apprises: “O believers! You would love both Me and my Messenger, and would obey both Me and my Messenger.”

The Prophet kindly presents that being the one to whom Allah and His Apostle becomes dearer than anything else will provide to have the sweetness (delight) of faith.«5» Having the savour of faith means having a life while experiencing the elatedness of being mu’min. This shall be the goal of all of us.

Above Love

Allah treasured His dearest Prophet whom He praised and created most among all the creatures. He introduced the Prophet as the top-calibre and demonstrated his supreme features one by one in the verses of Qur’an. He was not only sent but as mercy to mankind.«6» He was of a great moral character.«7» Because of those, He commanded us to cherish him and show the great respect as follows: “We sent you as a witness, and hearer of good news, and a warner.”«8»”That you may believe in God, and His Messenger, and support Him, and honor Him, and praise Him morning and evening.”«9»

As is seen, Allah the Almighty does not confine by commanding us to love His beloved Prophet but expects something beyond love: be lauding him and showing great respect.

We should think by ourselves:

We are ought to love our Prophet because we are remained indebted to him as being Muslim and determining our God. We are thankful for him that he guided us on the path of Allah’s sake.

We also need to obey him. It is because He, such a supreme person, was blessed with most special pleasures and favour by Allah. As He adverted His name jointly with ‘my prophet’ in verses which mention about love, respect and obedience and commands us to show respect. On the other hand, a scholar man, Suleiman, expressed as “written your name and mine together” in his opus named Mavlid.

For instance, the following verse proves that it is compulsory for every Muslim to show respect to the Prophet: “O you believe! Do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet, and do not speak loudly to one another, lest your works be in vain without you realising.”«10»

Even though we could not have the distinct honour of being present in the time scale of the Prophet when he lived, we should not speak loudly nor unnecessarily when we approach to Al-masjid an-Nabawi to perform pilgrimage or umrah. Plus, we should never forget the fact that we would be present with the Prophet together. In fact, we should listen respectfully to the hadiths that are being read out in a masjid we currently remain present.

What will be the acquisition if we love, adore and obey the most-esteemed Prophet? Indeed, Allah indicates:

“Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find mentioned in the Torah and the Gospel in their possession. He directs them to righteousness, and deters them from evil, and allows for them wickedness, and unloads the burdens and the shackles that are upon them. Those who believe in him, and respect him, and support him, and follow the light that came down with him- these are the successful.”«11»

Unfortunately, it’s known that we give inconsiderable place to love in our lives whereas everything originates from love, even faith itself…

The most-distinguished Prophet reminds us that love is also the fundamental source of faith in the following narration: “The Messenger of Allah (may peace and blessings be upon him) observed: You shall not enter Paradise so long as you do not affirm belief (in all those things which are the articles of faith), and you will not believe as long as you do not love one another. Should I not direct you to a thing which, if you do, will foster amongst you: (i.e.) give currency to (the practise of paying salutation to one another by saying) as-salamu alaikum.”«12» Consequently, he emphasizes the fact that love is main key of faith while loving Muslims is essentially required as long as faith should have been acquired in order to enter the Paradise.

Greeting the most loved

Allah, who commands us to love and obey His Messenger, reminds us: “ God and His angels give blessings to the Prophet. O you believe, call for blessings on him, and greet him with a prayer of peace.”«13»

In this verse, Allah invites us to greet the loved Messenger in most-respectful way by saying “Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammad.” And Allah notifies people that He pities His Messenger, and aggrandizes the eminence and honour of the Prophet.

If I were to briefly mention about the positive impacts that are possibly eager to benefit ourselves after we call for blessings on him:

Our beloved Prophet is the closest human to Allah. Greeting him with a prayer of peace would make us closer to the Prophet on the Day of Judgment.

We better acknowledge that the more we call for blessings on him; the greater love of the Prophet we have, the more our hearts will feel relieved, the more we have the abysmal peace inside of us.

Accordingly, the companions of the Prophet have been the most appreciated instances of love of the Messenger, and they did love him even more than themselves. However, love is an endless ocean, and omani; it cannot be diminished. The Messenger of God himself heralds the delivery of the generation whom will be loving the Prophet as follows: “The people most loved by me from amongst my Ummah would be those who would come after me but everyone amongst them would have the keenest desire to catch a glimpse of me even at the cost of his family and wealth.”«14»

Indeed, it is the gracious outcome of such a strengthened faith that loving the supreme Prophet whom Allah commanded us to “love”.

May best of greetings be upon the ones who love, cherish, obey and call for blessings on the most esteemed Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Click on the link to read the Turkish translation of the article: https://www.siyerinebi.com/tr/prof-dr-m-yasar-kandemir/allah-onu-sev-dedi

REFERENCES

«1» The Repentance, 24

«2» The Repentance, 24

«3» Sahih-Al Bukhari 15, Book 2 Hadith 8

«4» Women, 59

«5» Sahih-Al Bukhari 16, Book 2 Hadith 9

«6» The Prophets, 107

«7» The Pen, 4

«8» Victory, 8-9