Answered by Shaykh Abdullah Anik Misra
Question
Regarding the two parts of the shahada, the first part (“there is no god but Allah”) comes easy for me. It feels natural for me to believe in the existence and oneness of God.
The second part (“Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,” peace be upon him) is more challenging for me. Is this normal?
While I believe in the Prophethood of Muhammad (may peace and blessings be upon him), that conviction fluctuates in strength more and doesn’t come from a deeper place in my being. I find that hearing verbal attacks on my Prophet by non-believers often penetrates my heart.
How can I fix this disparity? Can you recommend a specific Seekers course for this purpose as well?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate
This is completely normal and nothing to worry about. Everyone’s faith can feel stronger sometimes and weaker other times, but its basis is fixed, so we should not worry about that. Faith is a relationship with Allah Most High and His Messenger (may Allah bless him and give him peace), and every relationship needs maintaining and investment to remain strong.
Fall in Love
The way to make our faith in the prophethood stronger is to fall in love with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and give him peace. Love can convince the heart in a way that information alone cannot. One way to feel love is to realize how much someone has done for you and cares for you. No one – not even your parents – has done more for you than the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), whether it is his past sacrifice for your sake, his current prayers for you, or his future intercession for you on Judgement Day.
Allah Most High says, “Indeed, there has come to you a Messenger from among yourselves; whatever disturbs you weighs heavily on him; he is extremely avid for your well-being; he is to the believers, loving and compassionate.” [Quran, 9:128]
Spiritual Devotion and Sacred Knowledge
The two main ways one can instill this love are by spiritual devotion and seeking sacred knowledge. Spiritual devotion includes sending peace and blessings (salawat) upon him, listening to odes and poems, such as the Qasidat al-Burda of Imam Busiri, and attending gatherings where his qualities are sung and mentioned.
For sacred knowledge, one can learn about his prophetic biography (sira), beautiful attributes (shama’il), and more on Seekers Guidance Academy. Please see some links to these live courses below.
Turn Away from Negative Propaganda
Finally, just like you would not voluntarily read anything negative about your mother or father, do not pay attention to anything negative or critical of the sinless Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). Lies and distortions cause disturbance in the heart, so stick with the truth from reliable and authentic sources. By Allah’s will, you will find your conviction in the prophethood become stronger and stronger.
Course: Picture the Prophet: Tirmidhi’s The Sublime Characteristics of the Prophet Explained (seekersguidance.org)
Course: Ibn Sayyid al-Nas’s Light of the Eyes: An Introduction to the Prophetic Biography (seekersguidance.org)
Seerah Song – Full Song – Vocal Only Version – YouTube
Wassalam,
[Shaykh] Abdullah Anik Misra
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Shaykh Abdullah Misra was born in Toronto, Canada, in 1983. His family hails from India, and he was raised in the Hindu tradition. He embraced Islam in 2001 while at the University of Toronto, from where he completed a Bachelor of Business Administration. He then traveled overseas in 2005 to study the Arabic language and Islamic sciences in Tarim, Yemen, for some time, as well as Darul Uloom in Trinidad, West Indies. He spent 12 years in Amman, Jordan, where he focused on Islamic Law, Theology, Hadith Sciences, Prophetic Biography, and Islamic Spirituality while also working at the Qasid Arabic Institute as Director of Programs. He holds a BA in Islamic Studies (Alimiyya, Darul Uloom) and authorization in the six authentic books of Hadith and is currently pursuing specialized training in issuing Islamic legal verdicts (ifta’). He holds a certificate in Counselling and often works with new Muslims and those struggling with religious OCD. He is an instructor and researcher in Sacred Law and Theology with the SeekersGuidance The Global Islamic Seminary. Currently, He resides in the Greater Toronto Area with his wife and children. His personal interests include Indian history, comparative religion, English singing, and poetry.