Saturday 11 January 2014

The Rights of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam)

By Hazrat Maulana Abdul Hamid Is`haq Saheb (Daamat Barakaatuhum)

Bi Ismihi Ta’ala



Allah Ta’ala says in the Qur`aan Sharief: 

“And We have not sent you but as mercy for all the worlds.”
[Surah Ambiyaa  21 : 107]

Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam)’s Ihsaan (favour) upon us is so great, that we cannot ever truly express our appreciation adequately. 

His Kindness, Compassion, Mercy and Benevolence upon each one of us cannot be repaid even in many lifetimes. If it had not been for his concern, sacrifice and Duas, we would not be the reciters of the Kalima today.  

Despite our shortcomings and failings, we are still required – in fact, we are commanded, to fulfil his rights to the best of our ability.  

Some of these rights are :

1.)       Imaan bir Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam)

This Imaan in Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) is a condition of Tauheed. The Imaan of a person is not complete without, ‘Muhammadur Rasulullah'. Without this, a person will not be able to gain any kind of salvation in the Aakhirah. 

There are 3 aspects of this Imaan:

a.)        As Believers, we are to have full faith that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) brought and conveyed the Message of Allah Ta’ala, of how we should live and how we should die.

b.)        We should also have firm Belief that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) is the Last and Final Messenger of Allah Ta’ala. 


Allah Ta'ala clearly highlights this : 

“Muhammad is not a father of any of your men, but he is a Messenger of Allah and the last of the prophets. And Allah has the Knowledge of everything.”
[Surah Ahzaab 33  : 40]


Whilst we believe that Hazrat Isa (Alaihis Salaam) is a Nabi of Allah Ta’ala, we believe that he will return to this world and will be an Ummati of our Rasul (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam). He will not be a new Nabi. 

c.)        We should also have firm Imaan that the only way of salvation is following the Mubarak pattern of life of Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam). 


Allah Ta’ala states explicitly: 

“There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.”
[Surah Ahzaab 33 : 21]


2.)       Muhabbat-e Rasul Sallaahu alaihi wa sallam (Love) 

We should nurture within our hearts, such true and sincere love, more than any other after Allah Ta’ala. And the proof of this love is Obedience to Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam).

Our Imaan will not be perfected until the Love of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) takes precedence over the love of all creation.

Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi wasallam) said:
"A man cannot be perfect of Imaan as long as his love for me is not more than his love for his whole family and for all people." (Muslim)

It is recorded that on one occasion Hazrat Umar (RA) said: "O Rasulullah! Most assuredly, I love you more than all things, but my own life."

Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi wasallam) said: "I swear by The Being in Whose Power is my life! One is not a perfect believer until one loves me more than one's own life."

Hazrat Umar (RA) then reflected and exclaimed: "I now love you more than my own life."

Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) replied : "Now you are a perfect Muslim."

Upon reflection, Hazrat Umar (RA), realized that he would, without any hesitation, sacrifice his own life for his Beloved Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam), which thus made evident that he loved Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) more than himself.   

Similarly, every Believer should have this kind of love that supersedes the love of his own life. 


3.)       Azmat-e-Rasul Sallaahu alaihi wa sallam

The love of Rasulullah (Sallaahu alaihi wasallam) must be accompanied with Azmat (great honour) and utmost respect. 

It should not be like the love between husband and wife, or brothers and friends, who take one another for granted and speak to and treat one another in any informal way. 

For Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam), there is a Command from Allah Ta’ala, that we should have the utmost respect, so much so that the Sahabah-e-Kiraam (RA) were instructed not to even raise their voices in the presence of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam), because that, in the Court of Allah Ta’ala, is counted as disrespect - which can be a means of loss in one’s good deeds. 

“O you who have believed, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet or be loud to him in speech like the loudness of some of you to others, lest your deeds become worthless while you perceive not.”
 [Surah Al-Hujuraat 49 : 2]


We find in these days there are many matters and issues which are joked about, which are made the brunt of jesting and fun. However, we should never ever make a joke about any single thing relating to our Beloved Rasul (Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) or joke about any aspect of the pure Dien of Allah (Jalla Jalaaluhu). This can lead one out of the fold of Islam.


4.)       Ita`at-e-Rasul Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam (Obedience): 

This necessitates, practically, complete obedience and conformity to the beautiful way of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) on every occasion, practising on his Sunnah, together with complementing our actions with the respective Masnoon Duas.

Following the Sunnah is the easiest way to reach Allah Ta’ala. It is the road of success in both the worlds. Allah Ta’ala directs us to this great achievement:

“Say (O Muhammad (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam)) : If you do love Allah, follow me. Allah shall love you and forgive you your sins; And Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful.”
[Surah Aal-Imraan 3 : 31]


5.)       Zikr-e-Rasulullah Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam (Remembrance) 

We should remember Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) daily with Durood Sharief - which is that special capsule containing the Ibaadat of thinking of Rasulullaah (Sallaahu alaihi wasallam), expressing Shukr (appreciation and thankfulness), Thana (praise) and Dua, and a means of us becoming the beneficiaries to great rewards and favours. SubhanAllah.

And we should also bring in this remembrance, the recitation of the beautiful Duas Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam)  taught us on awakening, sleeping, eating, drinking, etc. as well as follow his every action in regards to living life. 

Added to this, we should remember Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) with talking about or writing or reading kitaabs about his Seerah, his nobility, beauty and greatness, whereby love is created in the hearts. 


6.)       Fikr-e-Rasul Sallaahu alaihi wa sallam (Concern)

As Ummatis of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam), we should develop within us, that same concern that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) had for the Ummah, for Accountability and for preparation of the Aakhirah. 

We too should follow in his noble footsteps, making an earnest effort in spreading the message of Islam and sacrificing for the Dien of Allah Ta’ala, and being desirous of all and everyone coming into this beautiful Dien and gaining Najaat (salvation) in the Hereafter.


7.)       Ziyarat-e-Rasul Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam: Visiting him in Madina Munawwarah 

Visiting Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) is one of the most superior forms of Ibaadah, securing the most enviable of rewards. Thus, when a person, has the means, it is greatly encouraged that he undertakes this journey to Madina Munawwarah, presents himself at the Raudha-e-Mubarak and offers his Salaam to Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam), who is alive, listening and responding to the Salaams which are offered and conveyed to him. 

Rasulullah (Salallaahu alaihu wa sallam) said: “He who visits me, after I have left the world, is just like the person who visits me in my lifetime.”

Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said: “My intercession becomes necessary for the one who visits my grave.”

May Allah (Jalla Jalaaluhu) grant us the Taufeeq of fulfilling the Rights of our Beloved Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) with deep and sincere love, and may it be a means of our acceptance and Najaat (salvation) in the Hereafter.