How Do We Balance Worshipping Allah and Honoring Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)?
أرسل الله رسوله محمدا صلى الله عليه وسلم برسالة الإسلام وبكتابه القرآن فكيف نجمع بين عبادة الله وتعظيم رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم؟
By worshiping Allah: (And if you obey him, you will be ˹rightly˺ guided.) [An-Nur 24:54], as His Messenger (PBUH) legislated for us and taught us of the acts of worship: (Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it. And whatever he forbids you from, leave it.) [Al-Hashr 59:7]
Following the Sunnah of the Messenger (PBUH) is part of Iman (faith), and whoever does not follow it, his faith will remain incomplete.
In many Ayaat of the Noble Quran, Allah the Almighty orders us to follow the Messenger. Allah the Almighty says:
(O believers! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. Should you disagree on anything, then refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if you ˹truly˺ believe in Allah and the Last Day. This is the best and fairest resolution.) [An-Nisa 4:59]
(And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger will be in the company of those blessed by Allah: the prophets, the people of truth, the martyrs, and the righteous, what honourable company!) [An-Nisa 4:69]
(Whoever obeys the Messenger has truly obeyed Allah. But whoever turns away, then ˹know that˺ We have not sent you ˹O Prophet˺ as a keeper over them.) [An-Nisa 4:80]
(The only response of the ˹true˺ believers, when they are called to Allah and His Messenger so he may judge between them, is to say, “We hear and obey.” It is they who will ˹truly˺ succeed.) [An-Nur 24:51]
بأن نعبد الله: (وَإِن تُطِيعُوهُ تَهْتَدُوا) [النور 24: 54]، كما شرع لنا رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم وعلمنا من العبادات: (وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا) [الحشر 59: 7]
إن اتباع الرسول عليه الصلاة والسلام من الإيمان، ومن لا يتبع سنته فلا يكمل إيمانه.
وكثير من الآيات في القرآن الكريم التي يأمرنا الله تعالى أن نتبع الرسول:
(يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ ۖ فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا) [النساء 4: 59]
(وَمَن يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ ۚ وَحَسُنَ أُولَٰئِكَ رَفِيقًا) [النساء 4: 69]
(مَّن يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ ۖ وَمَن تَوَلَّىٰ فَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًا) [النساء 4: 80]
(إِنَّمَا كَانَ قَوْلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذَا دُعُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَن يَقُولُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۚ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ) [النور 24: 51]
1. Whoever Obeys the Messenger Has Obeyed Allah | من يطع الرسول فقد أطاع الله
Ibn Kathir explains 4:80: Allah informs us about His servant and Messenger Muhammad that whoever obeys him has obeyed Allah, and whoever disobeys him has disobeyed Allah, and that is only because he does not speak of his own whims; it is only a revelation sent down to him (53:3-4). Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah said: Whoever obeys me has obeyed Allah, and whoever disobeys me has disobeyed Allah (Sahih al-Bukhari 7137, Sahih Muslim 1835). Ibn Kathir adds on the end of the verse: the Messenger’s duty is only to convey; whoever follows him is happy and saved, and whoever turns away fails and loses.
مَّن يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ (سورة النساء: 80)
قال ابن كثير في قوله تعالى: (من يطع الرسول فقد أطاع الله) (النساء 4: 80): يخبر تعالى عن عبده ورسوله محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم بأنه من أطاعه فقد أطاع الله، ومن عصاه فقد عصى الله، وما ذاك إلا لأنه ما ينطق عن الهوى إن هو إلا وحي يوحى، وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "من أطاعني فقد أطاع الله، ومن عصاني فقد عصى الله" (صحيح البخاري 7137، صحيح مسلم 1835)، وقال في قوله: (ومن تولى فما أرسلناك عليهم حفيظا): أي: إن عليك إلا البلاغ، فمن تبعك سعد ونجا، ومن تولى عنك خاب وخسر.
2. Worship Belongs to Allah Alone | قل إن صلاتي ونسكي ومحياي ومماتي لله
Obeying the Messenger never means worshipping him: he himself was commanded to say: Surely my prayer, my sacrifice, my life, and my death are all for Allah, Lord of all worlds (6:162). Ibn Kathir explains that Allah commanded him to tell the idolaters, who worshipped others besides Allah and slaughtered in other than His name, that he differed from them: his prayer was for Allah and his sacrifice in His name alone, with no partner, as Allah says: So pray and sacrifice to your Lord alone (108:2). Mujahid said that nusuk here is the sacrifice in Hajj and Umrah. This is the heart of the types of monotheism, and directing worship to anyone else is shirk.
قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (سورة الأنعام: 162)
قال تعالى: (قل إن صلاتي ونسكي ومحياي ومماتي لله رب العالمين) (الأنعام 6: 162)، قال ابن كثير: يأمره تعالى أن يخبر المشركين الذين يعبدون غير الله ويذبحون لغير اسمه أنه مخالف لهم في ذلك، فإن صلاته لله ونسكه على اسمه وحده لا شريك له، وهذا كقوله تعالى: (فصل لربك وانحر) (الكوثر 108: 2)، أي: أخلص له صلاتك وذبيحتك، وقال مجاهد: النسك الذبح في الحج والعمرة.
3. Honouring Him Without Excess | وتعزروه وتوقروه
Allah commands us to honour His Messenger: so that you believers may have faith in Allah and His Messenger, support and honour him, and glorify Allah morning and evening (48:9). Ibn Kathir reports from Ibn Abbas and others that tu’azziruhu means to honour him greatly, and tuwaqqiruhu comes from tawqir: respect, esteem and reverence, while the glorification morning and evening is for Allah. The Prophet himself set the limit of this honour: Umar reported that he heard the Prophet say: Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians exaggerated in praising the son of Mary, for I am only His servant, so say: the servant of Allah and His Messenger (Sahih al-Bukhari 3445).
لِّتُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَتُعَزِّرُوهُ وَتُوَقِّرُوهُ وَتُسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا (سورة الفتح: 9)
قال تعالى: (لتؤمنوا بالله ورسوله وتعزروه وتوقروه وتسبحوه بكرة وأصيلا) (الفتح 48: 9)، قال ابن كثير: قال ابن عباس وغير واحد: (وتعزروه): يعظموه، (وتوقروه) من التوقير وهو الاحترام والإجلال والإعظام، (وتسبحوه) أي: يسبحون الله، وعن عمر رضي الله عنه قال: سمعت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: "لا تطروني كما أطرت النصارى ابن مريم، فإنما أنا عبده، فقولوا عبد الله ورسوله" (صحيح البخاري 3445).
4. Dearer to the Believer Than Himself | النبي أولى بالمؤمنين من أنفسهم
Allah says: The Prophet has a stronger affinity to the believers than they do themselves (33:6). Ibn Kathir explains that Allah knew His Messenger’s compassion and sincere care for his nation, so He made him closer to them than their own selves and put his judgment before their own choice, as He says: they will never be true believers until they accept you as the judge in their disputes (4:65). Anas reported that the Prophet said: None of you believes until I am dearer to him than his father, his child and all people (Sahih al-Bukhari 15, Sahih Muslim 44). When Umar said: You are dearer to me than everything except myself, the Prophet said: No, until I am dearer to you than yourself; Umar said: Now you are dearer to me than myself, and the Prophet said: Now, O Umar (Sahih al-Bukhari 6632).
النَّبِيُّ أَوْلَىٰ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ (سورة الأحزاب: 6)
قال تعالى: (النبي أولى بالمؤمنين من أنفسهم) (الأحزاب 33: 6)، قال ابن كثير: قد علم الله تعالى شفقة رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم على أمته ونصحه لهم، فجعله أولى بهم من أنفسهم، وحكمه فيهم مقدما على اختيارهم لأنفسهم، كما قال تعالى: (فلا وربك لا يؤمنون حتى يحكموك فيما شجر بينهم) (النساء 4: 65)، وعن أنس رضي الله عنه قال: قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: "لا يؤمن أحدكم حتى أكون أحب إليه من والده وولده والناس أجمعين" (صحيح البخاري 15، صحيح مسلم 44)، وقال عمر رضي الله عنه: يا رسول الله، لأنت أحب إلي من كل شيء إلا من نفسي، فقال: "لا والذي نفسي بيده حتى أكون أحب إليك من نفسك"، فقال عمر: فإنه الآن والله لأنت أحب إلي من نفسي، فقال: "الآن يا عمر" (صحيح البخاري 6632).
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
How do we combine worshipping Allah and honouring the Prophet?
By worshipping Allah alone and obeying His Messenger, for whoever obeys the Messenger has truly obeyed Allah (4:80).
Why is obeying the Messenger obedience to Allah?
Ibn Kathir explains that it is because he does not speak of his own whims; it is only a revelation sent down to him (53:3-4).
What did the Prophet say about excessive praise of him?
Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians exaggerated in praising the son of Mary; I am only His servant, so say: the servant of Allah and His Messenger (Sahih al-Bukhari 3445).
Must a Muslim love the Prophet more than himself?
Yes. The Prophet said: None of you believes until I am dearer to him than his father, his child and all people (Sahih al-Bukhari 15), and he told Umar: until I am dearer to you than yourself (Sahih al-Bukhari 6632).