What The Companions Thought About Prophet Muhammad

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the embodiment of love and the peak of affection for all of mankind; from the time of Prophet Adam (pbuh) there has been no one of true faith who has not loved him.

The souls of all the living and non-living are full of affection for him, as stated in the following hadith: “Every being between the heavens and the earth, all but the jinn and the disobedient among mankind, knows that I am Allah’s Messenger.” (Imam Ahmad)

All the Prophets and friends of Prophet Muhammad and Companions of Allah knew him with love and affection; they were more loyal to him than they were to themselves. Those who embraced him with affection were concerned for his every need; they committed their entire lives to Prophet Muhammad and his struggle. Their devotion and affection was frequently displayed and mentioned; in each instance they would say: “You are dearer to us than our mothers and fathers.”


HE MADE THE PEOPLE LOVE HIM…

Prophet Muhammad was so loved by the Companions that it is not possible to understand the true depth of this affection; this love came from divine attachment, and was a manifestation of their affection for Allah, a love for the truth. This abundance love and affection for Prophet Muhammad was from the One Who called him ‘The loved one’, Allah. The affection for the Prophet displayed by a woman who was from the Dinar tribe and who had lost three martyrs, her husband, her father and her brother, in the battle of Uhud was so great! When the Companions went to visit and comfort her, the first thing she asked was: “Is the Messenger of Allah alive?” Then she said: “Show him to me.” When she saw Prophet Muhammad she said: “All praise is to You, Allah...! If I hadn’t seen him alive then nothing could have comforted me...”

Prophet Muhammad has bee recorded in history with the following words uttered by his Companions:


THERE WAS NOBODY MORE LOVED!
The polytheists of Mecca strung Hubaib from the gallows to hang him. Abu Sufyān asked him “To save your own life would you rather your Prophet took your place?” Hubaib, pitying Abu Sufyān, answered without even pausing for thought; with great courage he shouted: “Never! Not only would I not want him to take my place, I would not even want a thorn to prick his holy foot in the city of Medina where is right now!” Hearing this, Abu Sufyān could not help but say: “I have never seen anyone in the world loved so much by his friends as Muhammad!” (Ibn Sa‘d)

The reason why the Companions demonstrated so much affection for the Prophet was that they knew him well and they were able to perceive his great spirituality, thus loving him more than they did any one else. Abu Bakr al-Siddīq was without doubt one of those who knew and loved Prophet Muhammad the most. Whatever the subject, whether it was confidential or public, secret or open, in every matter Abu Bakr al-Siddīq’s answer was:


WHATEVER THE MESSENGER SAYS IS THE TRUTH!

When Prophet Muhammad was about to relate the Mi‘rāj (night journey) to the atheists of the Quraysh he said to Gabriel: “O Gabriel! My nation will not believe me!” And Gabriel, trying to comfort him, said: “Abu Bakr will believe you; he is faithful.” (Ibn Sa‘d)

When the atheists heard about the Mi‘rāj, they immediately called Prophet Muhammad a liar; using this as an excuse they tried to get the believers to reject Islam, even going to Abu Bakr; however, he told them, with great faith and devotion: “Whatever he says is the truth! He wouldn’t lie! Whatever he says I will believe and support...” And the unbelievers said to him: “You accept what he says, but do you really believe that he went to Masjid al-Aqsa and returned?” Abu Bakr replied: “Yes, why are you so surprised? I swear, day or night, whenever a revelation comes to him from Allah, the Prophet tells me and I believe him.”

Then he added: “Isn’t it possible that the One Who communicates with him from the skies could send him to the heavens? You speak such foolishness!” Abu Bakr then went to Prophet Muhammad, who was in the Ka‘ba and he listened to what had happened as reported by the Messenger himself and said: “You tell the truth, O Messenger of Allah!” Prophet Muhammad was so pleased that Abu Bakr believed him that he smiled; it was as if the entire universe was lit up by that smile. He said to Abu Bakr: “You are a faithful one, O Abu Bakr.” (Ibn Hishām)

Abu Bakr dedicated himself and whatever he owned to Prophet Muhammad; the only thing that we can say about Abu Bakr and everything he did is that:


EVERYTHING WAS FOR PROPHET MUHAMMAD
AND ALLAH!

The whole of Abu Bakr’s existence was dedicated to Prophet Muhammad, so much so that even when he was with the Messenger Abu Bakr would yearn for him; every moment he had was spent in the company of the Prophet. In a verse of the Qur’ān he is called the ‘Second of the two’. Prophet Muhammad was on Abu Bakr’s mind and heart at all times. Everything he owned was at the command of the Messenger to such an extent that one day Prophet Muhammad said: “The most generous of my people with his Companionship and wealth is Abu Bakr.”

Hearing this Abu Bakr burst into tears and said: “Are not I and everything I own for you alone O Messenger of Allah?”

Abu Bakr had learned:

TO CHOOSE ALLAH!

Prophet Muhammad taught his followers to choose Allah; he himself was the greatest example of this and those who knew him followed in the Prophet’s footsteps. During his final illness Prophet Muhammad could not join the community, so he asked Abu Bakr to lead the prayer on his behalf. When he felt a little stronger he went to the mosque and advised the Companions: “O People! Allah gave a choice to one of His worshippers to choose this world or what is with Him in the Hereafter. He chose the latter.” The sensitive and delicate heart of Abu Bakr realized what the Messenger was saying, but he was so saddened by this farewell speech of Prophet Muhammad that he burst into tears, saying: “You are dearer to us than our mothers and fathers, O Messenger! We would sacrifice our mothers, our fathers, our wealth and our children for you!”

Abu Bakr was so faithful and devoted to the Messenger of Allah that he could understand him; the reason for Abu Bakr’s affection for and knowledge of the faith was Prophet Muhammad and Abu Bakr clearly implied with every action that:


MIRACLES ARE NOT NECESSARY FOR THOSE
WHO KNOW HIM!
The miracles of all the Prophets were confirmed by Prophet Muhammad with the revelations of the holy Qur’an; the example of his character was such a miracle for the community, containing such knowledge and wisdom, that no other miracle was necessary. Prophet Muhammad was the source of faith for many, including Abu Bakr. This is how Mawlana explained this miracle of truth: “When Abu Bakr attained the spiritual presence of the Messenger he said: ‘This face is not the face of a liar; it is a holy face that gives revelation from Allah’ and his heart was filled with affection and faith. The faithful one of Allah did not require miracles and said: ‘This blessed person would not say anything that was not the truth’ and he ran towards the path of Allah. But, because Abu Jahl refused to try to find the truth he did not accept the faith, even though he witnessed hundreds of miracles, like the moon splitting into two.”

The hearts of those who thought like Abu Jahl were blind due to the weakness of their egos and they were the slaves of the devil. Even though they said “You are truthful, you are a faithful one” they did not accept the truth or the glory of the straight path. This and their ill treatment of Prophet Muhammad are the reasons why they are among the grief stricken.

All this shows that only those who see Prophet Muhammad as Abu Bakr did know that:


HIS DIVINE LIGHT IS CLEARER THAN THE SUN…

In a report by Suleyman Chalabi it is stated: “Prophet Muhammad was such a divine light of admiration that even the sun used to follow him everywhere…” Prophet Muhammad is the light and the dearest of those from the past and the eternal; he is the divine light that shines on the two universes. Prophet Muhammad was so great that he cannot be compared to the sun or to the moon; his was a light of beauty that surpasses description. It is mentioned in the Qur’ān as a ‘Lamp that spreads light.’

Mawlana describes the light of Prophet Muhammad in the following way: “That gleaming light is reflected into all of our hearts. It shines on the souls; the knowledge of Adam and the other Prophets were attained with this light. This light was reflected onto Adam, it was held by Seth. Adam saw the light of Seth and made him a Caliph. Nūh (pbuh) received the light and poured the pearls into the ocean of life. Ibrāhīm (pbuh) threw himself into the flames of the oppressor with the manifestation of this light on his soul. When Ishmael fell into this river of light he was overwhelmed that he willingly laid down his head for his father. The soul of Dāwūd (pbuh) was warmed by the rays of this light and became so hot that iron melted in his hand like a candle. Sulaymān (pbuh) took the generosity of the light like a baby sucking milk, and the giants were at his beck and call. Ya‘qūb (pbuh) accepted and bowed his head to the incident of the divine light, but the separation from his beloved Yūsuf (pbuh) grieved him and the scent of Yūsuf’s shirt lit up his eyes. The bright-faced Yūsuf saw the light of the sun of Muhammad and his understanding of dreams deepened. He became greatly aware. The staff was held by Mūsā; it was from this that he drank the Divine light; it swallowed up the Pharaoh and his kingdom.

‘Isa found the stairs of faith and quickly reached the upper levels above the skies with the divine light. When Muhammad found his own divine light in this universe of mortality, he glimpsed the world of pure ones, just for a moment, and with this glimpse he split the moon in two. When Abu Bakr saw the divine light of the Prophet Muhammad he became the faithful, devoted and inseparable companion of that master of Prophets. When ‘Umar fell in love with the source of divine light, the beloved beyond comparison, he chose between the truth and falsehood and became “he who distinguishes the truth from falsehood. ‘Uthmān was one with a heart of purity and clear thoughts and he attained a light of such prosperity that he was granted two very special lights. Prophet Muhammad called him the owner of two lights.

‘Alī scattered pearls with the means of this divine light, and became the lion of Allah in the valley of life and the universe of meaning. That great holy man Junayd Baghdādī gained help from the soldiers of that light and their ranks of spirituality increased immensely, they were innumerable. Bayāzīd Bistāmī saw the true path with the gleam of that light clearly, and because of this they called him the ‘Happy one of the wise men’. Ma‘rūf Karakhī was a guard in the home of that divine light, he was the assistant of the affectionate and lived and breathed with the divine one. When Ibrāhīm bin Adham rode the horse towards the light and turned towards that light for the rest of his life he became the Sultan of all Sultans. With the desire to find the light, Shakīk Balkhī set out on a difficult journey and endured many hardships; due to such difficulties his thoughts were as bright as the sun and his understanding was intense.

There are hundreds of thousands more sultans of mystery, many more who have reached the universe of light and the high ranks of spirituality due to that light of divinity.

If I were to call this great light of eternity the life of the ocean or the ocean of life this would not be worthy of Prophet Muhammad; we will have to search for something else to call him.

Prophet Muhammad is such a great light of authority that all the words we use while trying to describe him are insufficient. All the souls, their spirit, essence and significance are just the surface when compared to him.”

In order to benefit from Prophet Muhammad’s spirituality and divine light we need to learn about him and his life. Living according to the regulations and purity of Islam is the only way we can embrace the behavior of Prophet Muhammad; this condition, which is set out for all believers, is called:


LIVING WITH
THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH

Being overwhelmed and losing oneself in an ocean of affection for Prophet Muhammad...

The sign of this is the reflection of the Qur’ān and Sunnah in every aspect of our lives; this is important because one who is unable to achieve living with the Messenger can never attain living with Allah. The essence of this order is to love Prophet Muhammad more than anyone else and to be devoted to him with great affection. Abdullah bin Hishām explained: “We were with the Messenger of Allah; he took hold of ‘Umar’s hand and ‘Umar said to him: “O Messenger of Allah! You are dearer to me than everything but myself.” Prophet Muhammad turned to ‘Umar and said : “No, by He who holds my soul in His hand, (you will never have complete faith) until I am dearer to you than your own self.” ‘Umar immediately answered: “In that case, you are even dearer to me than myself.” Prophet Muhammad replied: “Now, ‘Umar you are a true believer.” (Bukhārī)

In another hadith, Prophet Muhammad said: “By He Who holds my life in His hand, none of you will have faith until you loves me more than your father and your children.” (Bukhārī) This is the reality and condition of true faith. All the fortunate ones of mankind have reached their positions among the gleaming stars of humanity because they lived according to these conditions. Thus, we must also know, love and follow the path of the Messenger of Allah, the path which the people of greatness chose.

And we must never forget:


LOVE AND RESPECT FOR PROPHET MUHAMMAD
IS A MUST

Those exalted by his love and respect are the true ones of compassion; this is the most distinct characteristic of the Companions and the great ones in Islam who followed their path. There are numerous examples, here are just a few of them:
Imam Abū Hanīfa, who had been to hajj many times, would go to the grave of Prophet Muhammad with great respect and politeness; entering the garden, he would bow his head to gain the permission of Prophet Muhammad.

Out of respect Imam Mālik would maintain his ablutions within the boundaries of Medina.

The great scholar Imam Nawawī was so devoted to Prophet Muhammad that, since he never found a hadith about the Prophet eating watermelon, he refused to eat it.

The great wise man Sayyid Ahmad Yasawī, who spread the message and the light of Islam from the Middle East to the Balkans, had a headstone engraved when he was sixty-three years old, saying: “After reaching this age I no longer need to live on this earth!” As a result of being so devoted to Prophet Muhammad and spending his life in worship and guidance Yasawī carried on this devotion to the grave.

The souls of the wise ones that were created with such affection attained the manners of Prophet Muhammad in a magnificent way because they were devout and sincere with a love full of wisdom.


THOSE WHO LOVE HIM ARE A REFLECTION OF MUHAMMAD

When we think of the love and reflection of the Prophet, one of the people who comes to mind from the latest period of the Companions of Allah is Sami Efendi. His adoration and actions were very much like those of Prophet Muhammad. This blessed person lived his life like Prophet Muhammad in every way and acted as a guide and example to the community.

The innumerable examples of his excellent ways and behavior are so much like that of the Prophet of the Universe; his affection for Prophet Muhammad was so deeply embedded and he was so careful to be an example to others in every detail. While he was buying a train ticket he would get the fare ready before he went so he would not waste the time of those who were waiting in the queue; he visited the people who were dear to him even if they never returned his visit; this was a manner of great honor.

Sami Efendi was a great lover of Medina and it was a divine blessing that he passed away in the city of Medina and was buried there. Whoever saw him and Musa Efendi, another Companions of Allah, whom Sami Efendi had taught, would say:


THEY HAVE FACES LIKE ANGELS:

We were on our way back to Bursa with Sami Efendi and Musa Efendi, we were about to join the queue to get on the ferry to Yalova when the steward responsible for keeping cars in order came to show us the way. He noticed Sami Efendi and Musa Efendi, who were sitting in the rear of the car. He stopped in astonishment and came nearer the car, looking carefully through the window; he sighed deeply, and said: “Allah, Allah, what a funny world! Some faces are like angels... And some are faces of cruelty!”

Truly the faces of those who are a reflection of the life of Prophet Muhammad are like the faces of angels.

Like Sami Efendi, Musa Efendi was also a great Companion who was overwhelmed by affection for and the light of Prophet Muhammad; his heart would flutter when he heard the name of the city of Medina or that of Prophet Muhammad. The interest he showed in the people of Medina and his generosity was great. He was an example for those in Ravza when he made the charity of giving food during the month of Ramadan a custom, with a cleanliness, order and harmony as it should be in the presence of Prophet Muhammad.

Musa Efendi was like Abu Bakr when it came to generosity and spending his wealth in the path of Allah. In his sermons he would make a point of purifying the ego, advising everyone to give as little as possible to their own desires while giving plenty to charity. Our duty is to pray for these great people and to gain from their ways of goodness and beauty because they are the affection and love of Muhammad and:


THEY ARE THE GREATEST EXAMPLES...

In every aspect of their lives the Companions of the Messenger of Allah and the great Companions of Allah and those who love Prophet Muhammad in later times are the best examples to us all.

The Companions of Allah attained the lofty character of Prophet Muhammad and are a reflection of his purity and spirituality for everyone; they loved Prophet Muhammad with the best of faith, devotion and affection and they submitted their souls in the most beautiful way.

In brief, all the Companions after Abu Bakr, the great ones of Islam, are reflections of the beautiful manner and personality of Prophet Muhammad.

May Allah Almighty give us all enlightenment and show us the true path with the affection and manner, the eternal light, compassion, and abundance of His Messenger!

O Allah, as you turned those days of darkness and ignorance into the period of happiness, with the prosperity of the Honoured One of the Universe, turn these days of modern ignorance into times of goodness.

Osman Nuri Topbaş