Loving the Prophet ﷺ Means Following Him

Assalamu Alaikum Reader,

As we pass through the blessed days in which Muslims across the world remember and celebrate the birth of our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, it is an opportunity to ask ourselves a simple but important question:

What does it truly mean to love the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?

Our gatherings, nasheeds, salawat and expressions of joy are beautiful ways of showing our love. But the greatest expression of love for the Prophet ﷺ is to follow his example.

The Prophet ﷺ transformed people not merely through his words, but through the way he lived. He was truthful when dishonesty was easier. He forgave when he had the power to take revenge. He showed kindness to the weak, generosity to the poor, patience towards those who offended him and mercy even towards his enemies.

This is the Sunnah we desperately need today.

Following the Prophet ﷺ is not limited to outward practices. It means bringing his character into our homes, workplaces and communities. It means becoming more patient with our families, more trustworthy in business, more compassionate towards our neighbours and more willing to forgive.

Allah describes him beautifully: “You have an excellent role model in the Messenger of Allah” (Surah Al-Ahzab:21).

So, as we commemorate the Milad of our beloved Prophet ﷺ, let us make it more than an annual celebration. Let us renew our commitment to learning about his life, increasing our salawat upon him and, most importantly, living according to his example.

The strongest evidence of our love for Muhammad ﷺ is not simply what we say about him, but how much of his beautiful character people can see in us.

May Allah fill our hearts with sincere love for His beloved Messenger ﷺ, enable us to follow his Sunnah faithfully, beautify us with his noble character and gather us beneath his banner on the Day of Judgement.

Allahumma salli ‘ala Sayyidina Muhammad wa ‘ala aalihi wa sallim.

With prayers and best wishes,

Dr Musharraf Hussain Al-Azhari OBE