Examples of the Salaf's love of the Prophet (saw)

**Abu Muhammed** · 08-31-2007

Examples of the Salaf's love of the Prophet (saw)

A woman from the tribe of Banu Deenaar lost her husband, father and brother in the battle of Uhud. When she was informed of this, she, may Allaah be pleased with her, asked "But what happened to the Prophet?" The people replied: "All praise is due to Allaah, he is as safe as you would wish him to be." She, may Allaah be pleased with her, replied: "Show him to me so that I can see for myself" so the people pointed him out. When she saw him, she said: "Any disaster besides that of losing you is insignificant."

Abdullaah Ibn Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him and his father, asked his father: "Why do you like Usaamah more than me? I swear by Allaah that he never beat me to any battle." 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, replied: "Because Zayd (Usaamah's father) was dearer to the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam than your father was, and Usaamah was dearer to the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam than you were. Therefore, I favour the love of the Prophet over my love."

Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, may Allaah be pleased with him, said to Al-Abbaas (the Prophet?s uncle): "Embrace Islaam! I swear by Allaah that it would be more beloved to me if you embraced Islaam than if Al-Khattaab (his own father) did so." This was because Al-'Abbaas was dearer to the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam than Al-Khattaab.

Is-haaq At-Tujayni, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: "Whenever the companions of the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam mentioned him after his death, they would shiver and cry." Al-Qaadhi Iyaadh, may Allaah have mercy upon him, added: "This was also what many of the Taabieen (the generation after the companions) used to do, due to the love for him that they possessed, and longed to see him. Others also did the same thing, in order to honour him."

Mus'ab Ibn Abdullaah, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: "Whenever Imaam Maalik, may Allaah have mercy upon him, would mention the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam, his complexion would change and he would bow down his head and cry until it became difficult for those around him to bear. Therefore, one day, the people around him asked about this and he answered them by saying 'If you saw what I saw, then you would not find what I do strange; I saw Muhammad Ibn Al-Munkadir, may Allaah have mercy upon him, and he was a master of Quraanic recitation, whenever we asked him about a Hadeeth from the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam he would cry. I used to see Jafar Ibn Muhammad, may Allaah have mercy upon him, who was one of the scholars who feared Allaah and was very humorous and always smiling, whenever the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam was mentioned in his presence, he would become pale. He never narrated any Hadeeth unless he was in the state of Wudhoo. Once I became separated from him, then, when I saw him again, he would be praying, reciting the Quraan, or keeping silent. He never got involved in matters which did not concern him. I used to visit Aamir Ibn Abdullaah Ibn Az-Zubayr, may Allaah have mercy upon him, and when the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam was mentioned in his presence, he would cry until the tears ran dry."

Al-Qaadhi Iyaadh, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: "Whoever loves someone will love all that his beloved loves. This is confirmed in the history of the companions of the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam. They would practice this to the extent that they would forego things that were permissible for them to keep, or adopt things that were not compulsory or even recommended for them to do so. Anas bin Maalik, may Allaah be pleased with him, said that when he saw that the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam liked squash and looked for it on his plate, he liked squash ever since."