By Sheikh Abdul-Muhsin ibn Muhammad Al-Qasim – 23 Rabiul Awwal 1435

His Eminence Sheikh Abdul-Muhsin ibn Muhammad Al-Qasim, may Allah preserve him, delivered the Friday khutbah entitled, “How the Companions Loved the Prophet, Peace and Blessings be upon Him”, in which he talked about obedience to Allah, stating that it is the source of all good in this world and that disobedience to Allah, Majesty and Glory be to Him, is the cause of misery and hardship. He also gave examples of the love that the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, had for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, which they truly proved by acting on his teachings and completely following his guidance without any hesitation or argument whatsoever.

Praise be to Allah. We praise Him and seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil within ourselves and from our wrong deeds. He whom Allah guides, none can misguide, and he whom Allah sends astray, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, Who has no partners, and I bear witness that our prophet Muhammad is His servant and messenger. May Allah bestow his bountiful peace and blessings upon him and upon his family and Companions.

O Muslims!
Fear Allah, servants of Allah, as He should be feared, for the best provision is that which is accompanied by fear of Allah and the best deeds are those accompanied by sincerity to the Lord.

O Muslims!
Allah created the jinn and humans to worship Him and ordered them to comply with His commands. He has decreed happiness for those who obey Him. Worshipping Allah, Glorified be He, is the fortress of safety and security for those who enter it and is the source of salvation for those who conduct it. Indeed, it is pure good with no harm whatsoever in it. Allah, Majesty and Glory be to Him, says: “And what loss have they if they had believed in Allah and in the Last Day, and they spend out of what Allah has provided them? …” (An-Nisa’: 39)

Obedience to Allah and His Messenger is the source of every good on earth. Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon his soul, said, “Whoever reflects upon this world and the evils that occur in it will realize that every evil in the world is due to opposing and disobeying the orders of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him.” Every good in the world is thus due to obeying the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him. Similarly, the evil, pain, and distress that afflict the servant are due to disobedience to the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him.

One sign of Allah’s mercy to His servants is that He has ordered them to answer His call so that they may attain all good. Allah says:
“Answer the Call of your Lord (i.e. accept the Islamic Monotheism, O mankind, and jinn) before there comes from Allah a Day which cannot be averted (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) …” (Ash-Shura: 47)

The believers answer the call of their Lord and are among the successful:
“The only saying of the faithful believers, when they are called to Allah (His Words, the Qur’an) and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), to judge between them, is that they say: “We hear and we obey.” And such are the prosperous ones (who will live forever in Paradise).” (An-Nur: 51).

By doing so, their hearts are given true life and their standing is elevated. Allah, Glorified be He, says:
“O you who believe! Answer Allah (by obeying Him) and (His) Messenger when he (peace and blessings be upon him) calls you to that which will give you life …” (Al-Anfal: 24)

Whenever a servant hastens to obey his Lord, He will increase his guidance. Allah, Glorified be He, says:
“While as for those who accept guidance, He increases their guidance, and bestows on them their piety.” (Muhammad: 17)

Shaikhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, may Allah have mercy on his soul, said, “The more a man follows Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, the greater his belief in Allah’s Oneness and his sincerity to Him in religion are. Conversely, the more he keeps away from following him, the more his faith decreases.”

Allah answers the supplication of whoever answers His call. Allah, Exalted be He, says:
“And He answers (the invocation of) those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah – Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, and gives them increase of His Bounty …” (Ash-Shura: 26)

Allah also loves whoever answers His call, bestows His mercy upon him, and admits him into Paradise. Allah, Might and Majesty be to Him, says: “For those who answered their Lord’s Call [believed in the Oneness of Allah and followed His Messenger Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, i.e. Islamic Monotheism] is Al-Husna. …” (Ar-Ra‘d: 18)
Al-Husna here refers to Paradise.

All the messengers of Allah, peace be upon them, hastened to show total submission and obedience to Allah. Allah said to His khalil (close friend) Ibrahim (Prophet Abraham), peace be upon him: “…Submit (i.e. be a Muslim)!” He said, “I have submitted myself (as a Muslim) to the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).” (Al-Baqarah: 131)

Allah ordered Ibrahim to slaughter his only son with his own hand, so he laid him prostrate on his forehead for this purpose. His son Isma‘il (Prophet Ishmael) said to him: “… “O my father! Do that which you are commanded, Insha’ Allah (if Allah wills), you shall find me of As-Sabirun (the patient).” (As-Saffat: 102)

Musa (Prophet Moses), peace be upon him, also hastened to please his Lord. He said: “… and I hastened to You, O my Lord, that You might be pleased. ” (Ta-Ha: 84)

Allah also took the Covenant of the Prophets to believe in and support our prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, if he was sent among them, and they said: “… We agree …” (Al ‘Imran: 81)

Allah, Exalted be He, ordered His Prophet, Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, saying: “Arise and warn!” (Al-Muddaththir: 2)

Thereupon the Prophet went out to people and engaged in calling them to believe in the Oneness of Allah. Allah also said to him: “Stand (to pray) all night, except a little.” (Al-Muzzammil: 2)

So he used to engage in the voluntary night prayer until his feet swelled from long standing.

In the same way, the disciples of ‘Isa (Prophet Jesus), peace be upon him, answered his call when he said to them: “… “Who will be my helpers in Allah’s cause?” Al-Hawariyyun (the disciples) said, “We are the helpers of Allah. We believe in Allah.” …” (Al ‘Imran: 52)

The jinn urged one another to answer the call of Allah. They said, as the Qur’an says about them:
“O our people! Respond (with obedience) to Allah’s Caller (i.e. Allah’s Messenger Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him), and believe in him (i.e. believe in that which Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him has brought from Allah and follow him). He (Allah) will forgive you of your sins, and will save you from a painful torment (i.e. Hell-fire).” (Al-Ahqaf: 31)

The Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, attained the greatest honour because of their company of the Prophet, in addition to their sincerity of faith and their being the first to answer the call of Allah and His Messenger. Therefore, their status is elevated in the sight of Allah.

When they were ordered to face the direction of the Ka‘bah (in prayer), they immediately changed their direction away from Baitul-Maqdis (Jerusalem). Even though they heard Allah’s command while offering the prayer, they did not even delay their compliance with it until the following prayer. When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, called them to give in charity, they spent the most precious of their property. Umar ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, donated half of his money, while Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, donated all his money. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, also said, “Whoever equips the army of ‘Usrah (i.e. the Battle of Tabuk) will be granted Paradise.” Uthman ibn Affan equipped it (Reported by Al-Bukhari).

When Allah revealed the verse:
“By no means shall you attain Al-Birr (piety, righteousness – here it means Allah’s Reward, i.e. Paradise), unless you spend (in Allah’s Cause) of that which you love …” (Al ‘Imran: 92)

Abu Talhah, may Allah be pleased with him, came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and said, “O Messenger of Allah! Bairuha’ (his garden) is the most beloved of all my property to me, so I want to give it in charity for Allah’s sake” (Reported by Al-Bukhari).

When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, gave his young Companions a hint about the virtue of the voluntary night prayer, they constantly worshipped Allah by performing this kind of prayer. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to Abdullah ibn Umar, who was then still young, “What an excellent man Abdullah would be if he performed prayers at night!” After that, Abdullah used to sleep but a little at night (Agreed upon).

The Companions also sacrificed their lives for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in obedience to Allah. Al-Miqdad ibn Al-Aswad came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, while he was invoking Allah against the polytheists. He said (to the Prophet), “We will not say to you as the people of Musa (Moses) said to him, “… Go you and your Lord and fight you two, we are sitting right here.” (Al-Ma’idah: 24), but we will fight on your right, on your left, in front of you, and from behind you.” Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “I saw the face of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, getting bright with happiness, for that saying delighted him” (Agreed upon).

The Companions gave up certain words and deeds when they heard the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, forbidding them to say or do them, in obedience to the Prophet and without ever arguing with him about them. During Al-Jahiliyya (the Pre-Islamic period of ignorance), they were in the habit of swearing by their fathers. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Allah has prohibited you from taking an oath by your fathers.” Umar ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “I have not taken such an oath since I heard that statement from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, neither myself, nor narrating it from anyone else” (Reported by Muslim).

During a famine, the Companions cooked food but did not eat it because they came to know that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, had forbidden it. During the Battle of Khaibar, the flesh of domestic asses was permissible, so they cooked it. However, the caller of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, cried out saying, “Allah and His Messenger have prohibited you from eating the flesh of domestic asses, for it is an abomination of Satan’s handiwork.” Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Thereupon, the pots were turned over along with what was in them, and these were brimming with cooked meat at that time” (Agreed Upon).

Similarly, intoxicants (wine and all kinds of alcoholic drinks) were permissible at the advent of Islam, but on hearing a man walking in the streets saying that they had been prohibited, the Companions spilled them out. Abu An-Nu’man, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “I used to serve wine to the people at the residence of Abu Talhah. Then the order of prohibiting alcoholic drinks was revealed, and the Prophet ordered a crier to announce that. Abu Talhah said to me, “Go out and see what this voice is.” I went out and (on coming back) said, “This is a crier announcing that alcoholic drinks have been prohibited.” Abu Talhah said to me, “Go and spill it,” and the wine flowed through the streets of Al-Madinah. (Agreed Upon)

Another narration has the following addition: “The people then never reverted to it, nor even asked about it after the announcement by that crier.”

The Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, used to emulate the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in his way of dressing without being asked by the Prophet to do so. Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, said, The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, had a gold ring which he wore with its stone towards the palm of his hand. The people also started wearing gold rings similar to his. One day, the Prophet sat on the pulpit, removed his ring, and said, “I used to wear this ring and I had its stone towards the palm of my hand.” Then he threw it away and said, “By Allah, I shall never wear it again.” Thereupon, all the people threw away their rings. (Agreed upon)

Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, wrote his will when he heard the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, say, “It is not permissible for any Muslim who has something he wishes to will to stay for two nights without having his last will written and kept at hand” (Agreed upon). Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, said, “Ever since I heard the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, say this, I have never spent a single night without my will at hand.”

The Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, also undertook to control their tongues by avoiding inappropriate speech, in compliance with the commandment of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Jabir ibn Sulaim, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “I came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! I am one of the desert dwellers and I have some of their coarseness, so what do you recommend that I should do?’ He said, ‘Never curse anyone.’” Jabir said, “After the commandment of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, I never cursed any person, nor did I even curse a sheep or a camel” (Reported by Ahmad).

The Companions obeyed the commands of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, even in their movements and gestures. During the Battle of Khaibar, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, gave the flag to Ali ibn Abu Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, and said to him, “Go forth and do not look back until Allah grants you victory.” Ali walked for a little while then stopped and shouted, i.e. he raised his voice so that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who was now distant, might hear him, but he did not look back, in obedience to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and said, “O Messenger of Allah! What shall I fight the people for?” (Reported by Muslim).

The Companions also abandoned all that the Prophet had forbidden them to do even if committing it might include an apparent benefit that might bring victory to the Muslims. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to Hudhaifah ibn Al-Yaman during the Battle of the Confederates, “O Hudhaifah! Go on a reconnaissance and bring me information about the enemy, but do not do anything that may provoke them against me [i.e. do not startle them lest they should recognize you and thus attack us].” When he reached them, he saw Abu Sufyan, who was then the leader of the polytheists, warming his back against fire. Hudhaifah said, “I placed an arrow in the middle of the bow, intending to shoot at him; however, I desisted from doing so when I remembered the words of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, ‘Do not provoke them against me.’ Had I shot at him, I would have certainly killed him” (Reported by Muslim).

The Companions obeyed the orders and prohibitions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, out of firm faith and unshakeable belief. Rafi‘ ibn Khudaij, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade us from something that was beneficial to us, but obeying Allah and His Messenger is indeed more beneficial to us” (Reported by Muslim).

Among the believers there were also women who hastened to answer the call of Allah in obedience to Him. Hajar, peace be upon her, put her trust in Allah, obeyed her husband, and dwelled in a valley where there was neither vegetation nor water. There was no living being in Makkah at that time. Her act of obedience, on the face of it, was bound to lead to her death and the death of her son. She asked her husband Ibrahim (Abraham), peace be upon him, “Was it Allah who ordered you to do so?” He replied, ‘Yes.’ She said, “Then He will not cause our loss” (Reported by Al-Bukhari).

When the obligation of hijab (the veil) was prescribed for the women Companions, they did not then have a piece of cloth that could serve as a veil. They thus tore pieces of cloth from their own garments and covered their faces with them in compliance with the order of Allah. Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, “May Allah have mercy upon the first women immigrants, for when Allah revealed, “… and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) …” (An-Nur: 31), they cut off parts of their clothes to cover their heads with” (Reported by Al-Bukhari).

O Muslims!
Obeying Allah and His Messenger is a requirement for the fulfilment of the two testimonies (that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah’s messenger) and is a sign for the perfection of one’s servitude to Allah. If you hear of an order, hasten to comply with it, delighted with your worship of your Lord, and if you hear a prohibition, avoid it and turn away from it, fully convinced that it is a harmful deed and seeking to attain your Creator’s good pleasure. I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan:
“And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, fears Allah, and keeps his duty (to Him), such are the successful.” (An-Nur: 52)

May Allah bless you and me with the Great Qur’an and make us benefit from its verses and wise words. I have said what you have heard and I ask forgiveness of Allah for myself, for you, and for all Muslims for any sin that we have committed.