How to Love the Man Who Taught Us Everything ﷺ
For many of us, the question of how to love the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ feels confusing. We know we are supposed to love him ﷺ more than anyone else, but how? What does that love look like, and how do we cultivate it?
I remember feeling very similar. Whenever I heard scholars say we must love Allah and His Messenger ﷺ above everyone, I wondered, How? How do you love someone you’ve never met?
After my divorce, the only thing that brought me any peace was reciting Salawāt upon the Prophet ﷺ. It became my refuge. And apart from the countless blessings it carries, one of the most beautiful gifts it gave me was a love for the Prophet ﷺ that I never knew I was capable of feeling. I began to yearn to know more about him, to learn about his life and character ﷺ. And slowly, I began to understand why people’s eyes well up just at the mention of his name ﷺ.
The truth is, everything we know about Allah, the Qur’ān, our Deen, productivity, habits, relationships, family, leadership, and even emotional intelligence, all of it has reached us through him ﷺ. He ﷺ is the man who taught us everything.
This is why our Shahādah is incomplete without him ﷺ. Our faith itself feels incomplete if we don’t know him, don’t send blessings upon him, and don’t strive to love him ﷺ.
In this blessed month of Rabbi al Awwal, the month of love, let us make efforts to connect with him ﷺ. By learning about his life, reflecting on his sacrifices, and sending abundant Salawāt upon him ﷺ, our hearts will naturally soften.
This is the man who loved us without ever meeting us. The one who was extraordinarily kind, generous, and compassionate, even to those who mocked him ﷺ. The one who championed the rights of women, orphans, and the poor when no one else did ﷺ. The one more beautiful than the moon ﷺ.
And the one who said: “I wish to see my brothers.” When the companions RA asked, “Are we not your brothers?” he ﷺ replied, “You are my companions. But my brothers are those who have never seen me, yet still follow and believe in me.” (Muslim)
That is us. You and me.
May Allah make us among the true beloveds of Rasūlullah ﷺ. May He allow even our smallest intentions to connect with him to blossom into great love, and may He grant us the honour of being with him ﷺ in the highest Jannah. Ameen 🤍