THE OBJECTIVE UNDERLYING THE PROPHET'S LIFELONG STRUGGLE

THE OBJECTIVE UNDERLYING THE PROPHET'S LIFELONG STRUGGLE

Now  the  question  is: 
what  was  the  aim  for which  the Prophet  (SAW) lived a life of such grueling  effort? 

The truth  is that, any individual,  who  has  only briefly gone through  the Seerah of the Prophet Muhammad  (SAW), is awestruck by the extent to which he strove and suffered to accomplish his mission. If we are desirous  of practicing true following of the Prophet (SAW) we have to determine foremost  the  aim  towards  which  his  life's  efforts were directed! 

• What objective did he have in sight? 
• What objective  did  the  Prophet (SAW) struggle  so  hard   to achieve? 

Within this context, also bear in mind that if you have set an objective for yourself, its achievement usually involves  doing   various   tasks.  If  you  look  at  the  various tasks  in isolation they  will  appear   disparate, incongruent, and   apparently  lacking   coherence.  But  in  reality   there exists   a  single   purpose   (behind   such   actions   or   tasks) which  brings  unity  and  singularity in meaning to all such disparate tasks.  

It is only  when  we look  through   the  'lens' of  this   purpose   that   enables   us   to  see   the  connection between the  various   actions  that  would   otherwise appear disparate,  disjoint  and  contradictory. And  the truth  is that it would  be difficult  to establish their coherence unless  and until   that  single  purpose  is  clearly  identified. Coherence between  apparently  disparate  and  conflicting actions  can only be determined when  the "Objective"  set (by a person) has been clearly  identified.

Source:LOVE FOR THE MESSENGER (SA)

To Be Continued....

AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF TRUE FOLLOWING

AN   IMPORTANT   ASPECT   OF   TRUE    FOLLOWING

Another  important  aspect  of such  true  following  is  to consider the direction, as a whole, of the Prophet Muhammad's   impeccable  life!    

• What  was  the  task  for which the Prophet (SAW) worked so hard? 

•  What thought occupied his mind throughout his life? 

• Towards what aim were  all his efforts and  striving  directed?    

• What  was  the  aim  for which  the Prophet  (SAW) lived a life of such grueling  effort?

In this world every  individual,  consciously  or  unconsciously,  sets  an aim for himself. His efforts and struggle are then directed towards achieving that aim. A person may work hard and strive in his profession to reach successively higher levels of excellence in its expertise and  to make a position  for himself. 

Like any professional, a politician too has an aim. He yearns for occupying an important post in the Government  and for the reins of power  to be in his own hands and of his (political) party. A businessman  too has an aim. He works hard and toils burning the midnight oil, ordering goods from and dispatching them to every nook and  comer  of the world.  He keeps a close eye on price fluctuations  in  markets  all  over  the  world.  The  entire gamut of his activities is dictated by his aim.

Source:LOVE FOR THE MESSENGER (SA)

To Be Continued....

TRUE FOLLOWING OF THE MESSENGER MUHAMMAD (SAW) AS THE FUNDAMENTAL DEMAND

TRUE FOLLOWING OF THE MESSENGER MUHAMMAD (SAW) AS THE FUNDAMENTAL DEMAND

It  is  important  to  know   that   there   are  two  significant words   that  are  used  in connection   with  both  Allah  (SWT) and  His  Messenger   Muhammad    (SAW). One of these is "Obedience"   and   the other   one is “Love".   Likewise   the word   love  has  been  used  both  for  Allah  (SWT) and  his Messenger   Muhammad   (SAW). For instance, as is stated in Ayat No.24 of Surah Al-Tauba (The Repentance):

"Say: If your  fathers,  your  sons, your brothers,  your wives,   your   kindred,    the  wealth   that   you   have gained,   the commerce  in which  you  fear  a decline, and  the  dwellings   in which  you  delight  are  dearer to you  than  Allah  and  His Messenger  (Muhammad SAW), and  striving  hard  and  fighting  in His Cause  , then   wait   until   Allah  brings   about   His  Decision (torment).  And Allah guides not the people who are Al-Fasiqun (the rebellious, disobedient   to Allah)."

(At-Tauba 9:24)

So here we find mention of both, love for Allah (SWT) and love for His Messenger Muhammad (SAW) and along with this ardent desire for Jihad Fi Sabeel Allah has also been mentioned.

Now listen carefully to what I am about to say by way of explaining this. When you put together “Love for Allah" and “Obedience to Allah," the sum total is referred to as "worship” or 'Ibadah. Allah alone will be worshipped and not His Messenger Muhammad (SAW}. On the other hand when you combine "Love for the Messenger (SAW)"and "Obedience to the Messenger (SAW)" the result is not called worship rather it is called Itteba’a i.e.  "True Following".   

The  precise  meaning  of worship  is  to be Allah's slave (or servant) and to prostrate oneself in veneration and humility before Him with utmost love for Him. And the precise meaning  of True Following is "To tread  in someone's  footsteps being  overcome with  deep love for him". What then is the difference between obedience and true following? Obedience is in reply to an order.  And true following is to develop love for someone so  much   that   even   if  that   person   has   not   ordered something every action and practice of that person will be followed and emulated.

Therefore 'true following' is much superior to mere obedience and has much wider and deeper meaning. Obedience concerns itself only with  the order; but  in the case of true following, emulating each and every practice, action and in fact all mannerisms of the Prophet Muhammad  (SAW) would   be  considered  an  honour whether  ordered so by the Prophet (SAW) or not. To sum up, love for the Prophet (SAW) demands  true following of the Prophet  Muhammad (SAW) in even minor details of life and conduct.

Source:LOVE FOR THE MESSENGER (SA)

To Be Continued....