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How can the love for Rasulullah (ŝalla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) be inculcated in our hearts?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Askimam.org

Today I ask this advise that how can we increase love for Rasulullah in our hearts? Did Sahabah do anything speial to achieve this? What can we read any duas to see Rasulullah in our dream?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

The love for Nabī (ŝalla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) is an integral part of one’s faith.

Consider the following ĥadīth:

عن أنس، قال: قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم «لا يؤمن أحدكم، حتى أكون أحب إليه من والده وولده والناس أجمعين» (صحيح البخاري، باب حب الرسول صلى الله عليه و سلم من الإيمان)

Narrated from Anas, he said: Nabī (ŝalla Allah ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, “None of you have true faith until I am more beloved to him than his parents, his children, and everyone else.” (Al Bukhārī)

 

Love is inculcated by feeding the heart and mind with information of the beloved. Study the various aspects of Rasūlullāh’s life (ŝalla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam); you will find an amazing attraction towards his lofty qualities and conduct. For example, his life as a:     

  1. Teacher:

عن معاوية بن الحكم السلمي، قال: بينا أنا أصلي مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، إذ عطس رجل من القوم، فقلت: يرحمك الله فرماني القوم بأبصارهم، فقلت: واثكل أمياه، ما شأنكم؟ تنظرون إلي، فجعلوا يضربون بأيديهم على أفخاذهم، فلما رأيتهم يصمتونني لكني سكت، فلما صلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فبأبي هو وأمي، ما رأيت معلما قبله ولا بعده أحسن تعليما منه، فوالله، ما كهرني ولا ضربني ولا شتمني، قال: «إن هذه الصلاة لا يصلح فيها شيء من كلام الناس، إنما هو التسبيح والتكبير وقراءة القرآن» (الصحيح لمسلم ج-١ ص-٢٠٣، قديمي)

Narrated from Mu‘āwiyah, he said: Whilst I was praying with Rasūlullāh (ŝalla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) a man sneezed. So, I said ‘Yarhamuk Allah’. The people shot glances at me so I replied, “May your mothers loose you (an Arabic proverb for amazement) what’s wrong? Why are you all looking at me?” They started hitting their hands against their thighs (to quiet him). When I saw them gesturing for me to remain silent, I reluctantly accepted. When Rasūlullah (ŝall Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) terminated his prayer, May my parents be sacrificed for him! I did not see a teacher, before or after, better than him. By Allah! He did not rebuke me, nor strike me, nor swear me. He merely said, “Salāh is not a good time for worldly speech. Salāh only comprises of tasbīh, takbīr, and recitation of Qurān” (Muslim)

      

  1. Leader,

عن أنس قال دخل رسول الله صلى الله عليو و سلم مكة يوم الفتح و ذقنه على رحله متخشعا (دلائل النبوة ج-٥ ص-٥١، دار الحديث)

Narrated by Anas, he said: Rasūlullāh (ŝalla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) entered Makkah at the conquest of Makkah and his chin was on his saddle in humility (Dalāil Al Nubuwwah)

 

  1. Friend,

عن أبي سعيد قال كنت في عصابة من المهاجرين جالسا معهم و إن بعضهم يستتر ببعض من العرى و قارئ لنا يقرأ علينا فكنا نستمع إلى كتاب الله تعالى فقال النبي صلى الله وعليه و سلم الحمد لله الذي جعل من أمتي من أمرت أن أصبر معهم نفسي قال ثم جلس رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم وسطنا ليعدل بيننا نفسه فينا…(دلائل النبوة ج-١ ص-٢٨٠، دار الحديث)

Narrated from Abu Sa‘īd, he said: I was amongst a group of Muhājirīn. Some were hiding behind others due to lack of clothing. We were listening to a man reciting the book of Allah. Nabī (ŝalla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, “Praise be to Allah the one who has made such individuals in my ummah whom I have been commanded to reside in their company.” So Rasūlullāh (ŝalla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) sat in the center to blend in with the rest of us (Dalāil Al Nubuwwah)

  1. Husband,

عن عائشة، قالت: كنت أتعرق العظم وأنا حائض، فأعطيه النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم -، فيضع فمه في الموضع الذي فيه وضعته، وأشرب الشراب، فأناوله، فيضع فمه في الموضع الذي كنت أشرب (سنن أبي داود ج-١ ص-٣٣٢، دار المنهاج)

Narrated from ‘Āishah, she said: I used to bite the flesh off the bone whilst in menses and would thereafter hand over the bone to him. He would place his mouth (affectionately) where I had bitten off from. Also, I would drink (from a cup) and would hand it over to him. He would place his mouth exactly where I drank from. (Abū Dawood) 

  1. Father,

عن أم المؤمنين عائشة، أنها قالت: ما رأيت أحدا كان اشبه سمتا وهديا ودلا…برسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- من فاطمة، كانت إذا دخلت عليه قام إليها، فأخذ بيدها، وقبلها، وأجلسها في مجلسه، وكان إذا دخل عليها قامت إليه فاخذت بيده فقبلته، وأجلسته في مجلسها (أبو داود ج-٥ ص-٥٦٨، دار المنهاج)

 Narrated from the mother of the believers ‘Āishah, she said: I did not see anyone resembling the manners, character, and conduct of Rasūlullāh (ŝalla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) more than Fātimah. When she would come to his house he would stand, take her by the hand and kiss it, and make her sit in his place. And when he would come to her house she would stand, take him by the hand and kiss it, and make him sit in her place. (Abū Dawood)

  1. Imām,  

عن أبيه أبي قتادة عن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم قال إني لأقوم في الصلاة أريد أن أطول فيها فأسمع بكاء الصبي فأتجوز في صلاتي كراهية أن أشق على أمه (صحيح البخاري ج-١ ص-٩٨، الميزان)

Narrated from Abū Qatādah from Nabī (ŝalla Allah ‘alaihi wa sallam) that he said: I stand up to lead the ŝalāh intending to lengthen the recitation. Then, I hear a child’s cry so I quickly shorten the ŝalah, least that I burden the child’s mother. (Al Bukhārī)

As far as the physical features of Nabī (ŝalla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), we will suffice with the words of Hassān bin Thābit (radī Allahu ‘anhu):

و أحسن منك لم تر قط عيني و أجمل منك لم تلد النساء

  خلقت مبرأ من كل عيب كأنك قد خلقت كما تشاء

My eye has not seen one more excellent than you 

And no woman has given birth to one more beautiful than you

You have been created free from any blemish

As if you have been created as you wish

N.B. One should be very careful in choosing the literature he reads. Mawlānā Idrees Kandhlewi’s Seeratul Mustafa is an excellent book written on the subject; it is also available in English.

  1. Attending Lectures on the Seerah: Speech is a gift given by Allāh. It is a very effective method of inspiration and encouragement.  
  2. Send Ŝalāh (Salutation) and Salām (Peace) with Cognizance: Whilst reciting ŝalāh and salām one should think about the favors of Nabī (ŝalla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) upon the ummah. The endless nights he cried for the ummah, the sacrifices he undertook, the torture he bore, etc.  

For example,

عن عائشة، أنها قالت: لما رأيت من النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم طيب نفس، قلت: يا رسول الله، ادع الله لي، فقال: «اللهم اغفر لعائشة ما تقدم من ذنبها وما تأخر، ما أسرت وما أعلنت»، فضحكت عائشة حتى سقط رأسها في حجرها من الضحك، قال لها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: «أيسرك دعائي؟ »، فقالت: وما لي لا يسرني دعاؤك فقال صلى الله عليه وسلم: «والله إنها لدعائي لأمتي في كل صلاة»

 (صحيح ابن حبان ج-٤ ص-٢٨٩، دار ابن حزم)

Narrated from ‘Āishah, she said: (Once) When I saw Nabī (ŝalla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) extremely happy I requested, “O Rasūlullāh, pray for me” He replied, “O Allah forgive ‘Āishah’s past and future sins, those done publicly and secretly.” (Upon hearing this) ‘Āishah was thrown into such a fit of joy that her head fell into her lap. Rasūlullāh (ŝalla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam asked, “Does my prayer make you happy?” She said, “Why not?” He (ŝalla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) replied, “By Allah, this is my supplication for my ummah in every prayer” (Ibn Ĥibbān)

 

Nabī’s (ŝalla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) mercy and love for us did not end with his demise. Rather, we will witness his love for us on the Day of Judgment. In a lengthy ĥadīth narrated in Al Bukhārī,[1] after the people will be tired of waiting for the judgment to begin, the people will approach Ādam, Nūĥ, Ebrāhīm, Mūsā, and ‘Īsā (‘alaihim as salām) to intercede on their behalf in front of Allah to start the judgment. Each of them will deny the request due to fear for their own record. Finally, the people will request Nabī (ŝalla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) to intercede on their behalf. Being the mercy unto mankind he was, and is, he will accede to the request and present himself in the court of Allah for us. There will be one request that he will make: “My ummah! O Allah”, “My ummah! O Allah”, “My ummah! O Allah”  

What favor have we done to Nabī (ŝalla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) that he should be worried for our mishaps? It is only appropriate that we return the love he has shown us, and will show, by following his blessed sunnah

The Ŝahābah (radī Allahu ‘anhum) witnessed the flawless character of Nabī (ŝalla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and were appreciative of the guidance he brought to them. They saw success in his way of life and teachings. The darkness they lived in was substituted with light. The hatred and malice they once harbored changed to brotherhood and love. Though we do not have Nabī (ŝalla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) in our presence today, we have his beautiful sunnah recorded. One who follows it completely will find peace and tranquility in his life. Naturally, his love for Nabī (ŝalla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) will increase.

Based on experience many ‘ulamā have mentioned that by sending abundance of ŝalāh and salām upon Nabī (ŝalla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) one may see him in a dream. However, one should not become despondent if he does not experience such a dream. We are only responsible for abiding by the sharī‘ah and sunnah.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Hisham Dawood

Student, Darul Iftaa
Chicago, USA

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

www.daruliftaa.net


[1]

 صحيح البخاري ج-٢ ص-٦٨٤، الميزان

This answer was collected from Askimam.org, which is operated under the supervision of Mufti Ebrahim Desai from South Africa.

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