FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND HIS MESSENGER

Prof. Dr. M. Es'ad COSAN

As it has always been, the love for rasulallah is accomplished by following his path, living his sunnah, serving his ummah , obeying him, and committing oneself to his real successors, authentic Islamic scholars and truly obedient leaders. One's main goal is then to love. Love is a gratifying feeling. Other actions and feelings --prayer and obedience, and piety and good deeds--follow it.

To have the love of God, the most high, is not a hard and unreachable task since one cannot avoid being surrounded by astonishment and adoration as he contemplates The One who has created and raised him, The One who has created heaven and earth, The One who has created all things. Allahu Taala (the most high) orders us in the Koran to be committed and obedient, and to comply with God's messenger, Muhammad Mustafa.

It is not possible for one to be a Muslim if he does not accept Muhammed as the messenger of God. If a person denies even one of the hadiths or one of the sunnahs just because his ideas contradicts their ideas, he should reject faith and departs from this world.

God does not bestow his grace to anyone who does not believe in and become a member of the ummah of Muhammad--His beloved messenger, the most honored of His creations, the best of human kind, the highest of all prophets, the master of humanity and djinns, and the owner of the highest rank in paradise. In one hadith, the prophet says, "None of you can be a true believer, unless you love me more than your father, sons, and all human beings." Consequently, when addressing to him, the prophet's companions started by saying: "My mother and father are sacrificial to you, o messenger of Allah." They have never hesitated to give their lives, properties to his cause. They had given an oath and were committed to die in his way.

As it has always been, one can love the prophet by following his path, living his sunnah, serving his ummah, obeying him, and committing himself to his real successors, authentic Islamic scholars and true obedient leaders. There are those who are unaware of these obvious facts. There are those who tie themselves to other people although they have no rights to do so. There are those who are tricked and deceived by other, yet they follow them.

God, do not stop loving us and do not allow the prophet to stop loving us either. Bring us close to those whom you love. Make us walk in your path, make us perform the deeds of which you approve. Give us the honor of returning to you as those with whom you are pleased and have considered true Muslims.

(Islam, May 1990)