The Sahaba (RA)’s Reverence for the Prophet (SAW)
The love and reverence that the sahaba (RA) had for the prophet (SAW) was so immense that it would not allow them to fall behind on any instruction. In fact, they were actively seeking out the instructions of the prophet (SAW), and when they were told of any instructions, they would go rushing to fulfil it. Once, a sahaba named Abdullah was walking by the masjid, and in the meantime, people started accumulating. The prophet (SAW) was asking people to settle down and take a seat. Abdullah (RA) was not yet in the masjid but he heard the prophet (SAW)’s voice from outside, and as soon as he heard his instruction to take a seat, he sat down exactly where he was. He stayed sitting there. Someone came into the masjid and said, “O prophet of Allah (SWT), when you asked everyone to sit down, Abdullah, who was still outside, heard your voice and also sat down. He is out there in the street.” The prophet (SAW) had him called and made a lot of du’a for him.
Similarly, on another occasion when the prophet (SAW) was about to do a khutba, he asked the people to have a seat and settle down. Abdullah ibn Mas’ood (RA) was entering the masjid and at the doorstep. He heard his voice and instruction and sat down right at the doorstep. The prophet (SAW) looked at him and smiled, giving him the instruction to come inside and sit. They did not want to delay even for a second. When they heard an instruction, to them, every one of his instructions were more valuable than anything else in the entire world. Everything about the prophet (SAW) was more precious to them than anything in the world. When you have that kind of love and devotion for someone, you cannot see yourself disobeying them. This is how much love the sahaba had for their prophet (SAW). Similarly, when we bring in our hearts true love for the prophet (SAW), we will find that everything that he has instructed for us to do will be irresistible. We will feel compelled to do it just because the prophet (SAW) did it. One sahabi came and saw that the prophet (SAW) used to keep his top button undone. The prophet (SAW) never told him about it, but for the rest of his life, that sahabi never did up his top button. He saw the prophet (SAW) in that condition, so he decided that he too would like to be in that condition.
The easiest way to get to the obedience of Allah (SWT) and his prophet (SAW) is to bring the love for them into our hearts. Sometimes, it is not that we do not want to obey, but we just simply lack the motivation. When the love for them is there, we do not need that push or encouragement. We need to have that love, and our deen is based on that love for the prophet (SAW), Allah (SWT) and all of mankind. This is in the foundation of our deen. This is what enables us to reach a higher standard of manners when dealing with each other. When the heart is empty of love, it will take a great deal of effort to obey and listen to an instruction. Let us turn our focus and attention towards building love and attention for the prophet (SAW) and Allah (SWT) in our hearts. May Allah (SWT) give us tawfiq.
