In Surat Al Ahazab Allah descibes the position the Messenger of Allah holds in the heart of the true believers:

“The Prophet is more worthy of the believers than themselves, and his wives are [in the position of] their mothers…” (Ahzab:6)

The people who embodied this ayat and loved the Messenger Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam truly were the Sahaba may Allah be pleased with all of them. At their head were the Muhajiroon and the Ansar!

The reply of the Ansar, when the Prophet wanted to set out for Badr, will remain an example for the believers until the last day about how to respond to Allah’s Messenger even after his death:

It is narrated in the Saheeh of Imam Muslim on the authority of Anas ibn Maalik:

“The Messenger of Allah wanted the advice of the companions and so he asked them “Advise me my men”.

Sa’d Ibn Ubadah from the Ansar got up and spoke and he said: “Oh Prophet of Allah we believe in you and bear witness to what you have promised us and we declare in unequivocal terms what you have brought is the truth.

If you were to ask us to plunge into the sea we will do that most readily and not one of us will remain behind. We do not grudge the idea of the encounter with the enemy. We are experienced in war and are trustworthy in combat. We hope that Allah will show you through our hands those deeds of bravery which will please your eyes…”

The Prophet was pleased with this response and smiled.

The relationship of the believers with the Messenger of Allah, whether during his life or after his death, is built upon the Shahaadatain and is a reflection of our understanding and truthfulness towards this testimony.

Therefore it begins firstly with understanding what this testimony means:

“Muhammadan Rasoolullah” = “That is to say that there is no one worthy of being followed, except for the Messenger of Allaah (Peace be upon him). And if anyone other than the Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him) is followed, then he is being followed in falsehood.”

The proof for this is:

[Say (O Muhammad)] Follow what has been sent down unto you from your Lord and follow not any Auliyâ’ (protectors and helpers, etc. who order you to associate partners in worship with Allâh), besides Him (Allah). Little do you remember! (Al-A’raf 7:3)

Furthermore, just like for any statement to be deemed truthful and honest it has to meet some conditions and the conditions of the second part of the Shahaadatain to be accepted in front of Allah are:

1) Affirming his message and believing in it inwardly within the heart.

2) Uttering the Shahaada on your tongue: It was narrated that Ubaadah ibn al-Saamit said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever says ‘I bear witness that there is no god except Allaah alone [with no partner or associate] and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger…..Allaah will admit him through whichever of the eight gates of Paradise he wants.” Bukhaari

“Except for those who bear witness to the truth knowingly (i.e. believed in the Oneness of Allaah, and obeyed His Orders), and they know (the facts about the Oneness of Allaah)” [al-Zukhruf 43:86]

3) Following him (Peace be upon him) by acting upon whatever he has come with from the truth and abandoning whatever he has prohibited from falsehood.

“Say (O Muhammad): If you (really) love Allâh then follow me, Allâh will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Aali Imran 3:31)

4) Attesting to whatever he (peace be upon him) has informed of the unseen affairs of the past and in the future and other than that.

Abee Sa’eed al-Khudree who said, The Messenger of Allaah said, “Will you not trust me, whilst I am trusted by, He who is above the heavens? News comes to me from the heavens in the morning and the evening.” (Bukhari)

5) Love for him must be more intense than love for oneself, his wealth, his father, son and all of the people.

Anas ibn Maalik said, the Prophet said,
“No one from amongst you has truly believed until I am more beloved to him than his father, his son, and all of the people.” (Bukhari)

6) Putting the Prophets’ statement over the rest of the people, regardless of whoever they might be, and to act upon his Sunnah.

“O you who believe! Do not put (yourselves) forward before Allâh and His Messenger, and fear Allâh. Verily! Allâh is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (Al-Hujurat)

7) To magnify, honour, respect, exalt, and revere him. And to magnify, honour, respect, exalt, and revere what he came with from Allaah, and that is the Book and the purified Sunnah. And that cannot occur, except by acting upon the two of them and loving them more than one loves himself.

Verily, We have sent you (O Muhammed) as a witness, as a bearer of glad tidings, and as a warner. In order that you (O mankind) may believe in Allâh and His Messenger, and that you exalt (ta’zeer) and honour (tawqeer) him. (Al-Fath 48:9)

Ibn Abbaas said “wa tu’azziroohu” in the above ayat means exaltation. And the statement of Allaah, “wa tuwaqqiroohu” means respect, reverence and honour, as is found in the explanation of this aayah by Ibn Katheer.

May Allah end Salat and Salam upon the Best of Creation!