Yesterday we spoke a little bit about the love the sahaba had for the Prophet (saw). Ali (ra) could not bare to see the hunger of the Prophet (saw) and he went and found work just so he can bring back some dates for the Prophet (saw). A sahabi is unable to sleep at night because he is missing the Prohhet (saw) and wants to see him, The sahaba (ra) are worried about what will happen on the day of judgment, the Prophet (saw) will be at the highest level of jannah and everyone else might not be able to see them. These were the things that deeply disturbed them. The sahaba (RA) showed their love to the prophet (SAW) in many different ways. One of those ways was that they showed their commitment to the prophet (SAW)’s instructions and to the deen of Allah (SWT). When the battle of Badr was about to take place and the prophet (SAW) learned that there was an army of 1000 people that had departed from Makkah, he gathered his people for advice. Abu Bakr (RA) and Umar (RA) gave their opinions, saying to go out and meet them. The prophet (SAW) started the consultation again and again after their answers. Some sahaba were wondering, “Why does he keep starting this process again when Abu Bakr and Umar have already given their opinions?” There was another sahabi there, Sa’ad ibn Mu’ad (RA), who was one of the chiefs of Madinah. He said, “O prophet of Allah (SWT), it seems like you are waiting for us, the people of Madinah, to respond.” There were some sahaba who came from Makkah, the Muhajireen, and there were some that came from Madinah, the Ansar. Abu Bakr and Umar (RA) were from the Muhajireen, but the Ansar were the hosts of the Muslims. Sa’ad said, “Let me speak on behalf of the Ansar. O prophet, you can join ties and cut ties with whom you want and make alliances with who you want and take wealth from us, but the wealth that you take from us for the deen of Allah (SWT) is more dear to us than the wealth you leave behind for our families. You can tell us wherever to go. If, right now, you were to tell us to march towards Yemen, we would march to Yemen with you, and if you were to tell us to march to the ocean and jump in it, we would jump in with you.” When the prophet (SAW) heard this response and display of loyalty, he was so happy and made du’a for those people.
Their relationship with the prophet (SAW) was a relationship of love and devotion. Normally, when we think of the people that we love the most, we think of our parents first. The prophet (SAW) was so dear to them that he was more precious to them than their parents, and even more precious than their entire lives.A sahabi named Zain was captured and brought back to the people of Makkah, and after being held captive for some time, they decided to execute him. As he was strapped down and tied and he was about to be executed, Abu Sufiyan, one of the chiefs of Makkah, asked him, “We are going to kill you now. You will lose everything. You opposed us and walked away from the religion of your forefathers and now you are going to die. Meanwhile, Muhammad (SAW) is alive and well. Do you not wish that today, he would be killed in your place?” Zaid said, “I do not wish that I be set free and Muhammad (SAW) even be pricked by a thorn in my place.” Khubaib ibn ‘Adi (RA) was in a similar position and a similar question was asked. He gave a similar answer, except, in some narrations, because they saw him crying, they asked, “Why are you crying?” He replied, “I only have one life. Once you take it, it is gone. I wish that I had as many lives as the hair on my body; I would have sacrificed every single one of them for the deen of Allah (SWT).”
This was that solid dedication and pure love that enabled them to overcome every obstacle. Everything became simple and easy after this. One woman had come to the battlefield, and as she was approached them, she was told, “You have lost your son in this battle.” She grieved and said, “Tell me, how is the prophet of Allah?” Later on, she was told that her husband was lost in the battle as well. She again grieved asked where the prophet of Allah (SWT) was. Again, she was told that she lost her brother in the same battle. Again, she grieved, but kept asking about the prophet (SAW). Finally, from a distance, she saw him, and when she saw him, she said, “After seeing you, it seems like every problem is gone.” We also need to bring in this love for the prophet (SAW) in our hearts because it will motivate us and give us the strength that we do not have. It will also allow us to do the things that we want to but somehow cannot. That love is the greatest force and power inside a Muslim. May Allah (SWT) fill our hearts with love for Allah (SWT) and his prophet (SAW) and make that love a means for our obedience to Allah (SWT) and make us in such a way that our acts, words, and decisions are pleasing to Allah (SWT).
