One of my nephews said to me, “I heard at the mosque that we should love the Prophet (pbuh) more than ourselves. I love the Prophet, but why should I love him more than myself? When I asked the Imam, he told me that it is part of our faith and we have to accept it.” Back in our days, people never asked those types of questions and even if they harboured such thoughts, they were never voiced. Growing up in the West, and being encouraged to think critically, we hear more of those questions. I said to my nephew, “Let us say you have two friends. One of them asks you to do good all the time, which results in you being happy. The other asks you to do good sometimes, but makes you do bad things at other times, which ends up getting you into serious trouble. Which one of them would you love more?” Without hesitation, he replied, “Of course I would love the first one more!” Then I said, “In the Qur’an, God says: ونفس وما سواها * فألهما فجورها وتقواها * قد أفلح من زكاها * وقد خاب من دساها By the self and how He formed it, and inspired it its own rebellion and piety. The one who purifies his self succeeds, and the one who corrupts it fails.(91:7-8) What those verses mean is that we have an innate disposition for the rebellious rejection of faith and it constitutes a significant impediment to our spiritual growth, which ultimately leads us to ruin. We also have an innate disposition for the eager acceptance of faith, which acts as a catalyst for spiritual growth. These disparate dispositions pull us in different directions. That isyourSELF. It comprises good and bad, and it is something you need to control and keep in check. The following verse talks about the need to control your SELF: وأما من خاف مقام ربه ونهى النفس عن الهوى فإن الجنة هي المأوى But as for him who feared the meeting with his Lord, and restrained his self from base desires. Paradise will be his home.(79:40-41) It is reported in an authentic Hadith that the Prophet (pbuh) taught his companions the following prayer: يا حي يا قيوم برحمتك أستغيث، أصلح لي شأني كله ولا تكلني إلى نفسي طرفة عين “O Ever Living, Ever Watchful One! Through your Mercy I seek help, rectify for me all of my affairs and do not leave me to myself (and its devices), even for the blink of an eye.” Dear nephew, that is the reality of yourSELF! The Prophet, however, always pulls you towards the good and towards eternal happiness. So which one should you love more, the Prophet oryourSELF?” He answered, “The Prophet.” Loving the Prophet (pbuh) is not about a selfish love. It is loving a model of goodness, an exemplary morality, a flawless character, a mercy, and a guiding light in a sea of darkness
Posted on: Fri, 26 Dec 2014 12:31:34 +0000