Title of the Sermon: And Support Him and Honor Him
Themes of the Sermon:
1- The Companions’ reverence for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ
2- The exalted status of the Prophet ﷺ with his Lord
3- Forms of honoring and showing reverence to the Messenger ﷺ
4- Beware of exaggeration
All praise is due to Allah, who raised the status of His Messenger Muḥammad ﷺ above all people, praised him for his magnificent character, and placed him upon the Straight Path. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muḥammad is His servant and Messenger. May Allah send abundant peace and blessings upon him.
To proceed:
Fear Allah, servants of Allah, as He truly deserves to be feared, and remain mindful of Him in private and in secret. Allah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ
“O you who believe, fear Allah as He should truly be feared, and do not die except as Muslims.” [Sūrat Āl ʿImrān: 102]
Servant of Allah:
On the day of al-Ḥudaybiyyah, Quraysh sent a number of their men to negotiate with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Among them was ʿUrwah ibn Masʿūd al-Thaqafī.
As he spoke with the Prophet ﷺ, he would reach out and take hold of the Messenger of Allah’s beard. Al-Mughīrah ibn Shuʿbah, may Allah be pleased with him, was standing beside the Prophet ﷺ with a sword and wearing a helmet. Whenever ʿUrwah reached his hand toward the Prophet’s beard, al-Mughīrah struck his hand with the lower end of his sword’s scabbard and said, “Keep your hand away from the beard of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ!”
ʿUrwah then began closely observing the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ. When he returned to his companions among the polytheists, he said:
“O my people! By Allah, I have visited kings. I have visited Caesar, Chosroes, and the Negus. By Allah, I have never seen any king whose companions honored him as the Companions of Muḥammad honor Muḥammad. By Allah, whenever he spat, it would fall into the hand of one of them, who would then rub it over his face and skin. Whenever he gave them an order, they rushed to carry it out. Whenever he performed ablution, they would almost fight over the water from his ablution. Whenever he spoke, they lowered their voices in his presence, and out of reverence for him, they would not look intently at him.” Narrated by al-Bukhārī.
May Allah be pleased with those blessed lions of the battlefield, the Companions of the trustworthy Prophet ﷺ. They truly fulfilled the words of Allah:
إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ شَاهِدًا وَمُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًا * لِتُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَتُعَزِّرُوهُ وَتُوَقِّرُوهُ وَتُسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا
“Indeed, We have sent you as a witness, a bearer of glad tidings, and a warner, so that you may believe in Allah and His Messenger, support him and honor him, and glorify Him morning and evening.” [Sūrat al-Fatḥ: 8–9]
Their reverence for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ reached the level described by ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ, may Allah be pleased with him, when he said:
“No one was more beloved to me than the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and no one was more majestic in my eyes than him. I could not bear to fill my eyes with the sight of him out of reverence for him. If I were asked to describe him, I would not be able to do so, because I never used to look at him fully.” Narrated by Muslim.
When they were in his presence, they would sit “as though birds were perched upon their heads” and they would not raise their heads toward him out of reverence for him.
Indeed, honoring the Prophet ﷺ, revering him, and respecting him is an obligatory duty and a binding right upon everyone who believes in Allah and His Messenger ﷺ.
Allah has promised success to those who do so. He says:
فَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِهِ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَاتَّبَعُوا النُّورَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ مَعَهُ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
“So those who believe in him, support him, help him, and follow the light that was sent down with him—it is they who are successful.” [Sūrat al-Aʿrāf: 157]
Servants of Allah:
How magnificent is the status of the Prophet ﷺ with his Lord!
Allah raised his mention, exalted his rank, praised his character, purified his heart, and honored his speech and intellect. Allah says:
وَالنَّجْمِ إِذَا هَوَى * مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمْ وَمَا غَوَى * وَمَا يَنْطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَى * إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَى
“By the star when it descends. Your companion has neither gone astray nor fallen into error. Nor does he speak from his own desire. It is nothing but revelation revealed.” [Sūrat al-Najm: 1–4]
And He, Glorified, says:
وَرَفَعْنَا لَكَ ذِكْرَكَ
“And We have raised high your mention.” [Sūrat al-Sharḥ: 4]
And He says:
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَى خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ
“And indeed, you are truly of magnificent character.” [Sūrat al-Qalam: 4]
He ﷺ is the leader of all mankind, the possessor of the Praiseworthy Station, the intimate friend of al-Raḥmān, and the first person for whom the gate of Paradise will be opened.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “I will have the greatest number of followers among the prophets on the Day of Resurrection, and I will be the first to knock at the gate of Paradise.” Narrated by Muslim.
He ﷺ also said: “I am the leader of the children of Adam on the Day of Resurrection, and I say this without boasting. In my hand will be the Banner of Praise, and I say this without boasting. There will be no prophet on that day, from Adam onward, except that he will be beneath my banner. And I will be the first for whom the earth is split open, and I say this without boasting.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhī.
Servants of Allah:
Honoring and revering the Prophet ﷺ includes every word and action that is appropriate to the rank and status in which Allah has placed him.
One way of doing so is to refer to him by his prophethood and messengership, rather than addressing him simply by his name as one would address an ordinary person.
Allah, Exalted, called His other prophets and messengers by their names, but our Prophet ﷺ was addressed in the Qurʾān with words such as “O Prophet” and “O Messenger.”
Indeed, Allah prohibited people from calling the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the same way that they called one another. Allah says:
لَا تَجْعَلُوا دُعَاءَ الرَّسُولِ بَيْنَكُمْ كَدُعَاءِ بَعْضِكُمْ بَعْضًا
“Do not make your calling of the Messenger among yourselves like your calling of one another.” [Sūrat al-Nūr: 63]
One of the clearest signs of honoring and revering him is to give precedence to his words, his rulings, and his Sunnah over those of anyone else. Allah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُقَدِّمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيِ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ
“O you who believe, do not put yourselves forward before Allah and His Messenger.” [Sūrat al-Ḥujurāt: 1]
And He, Glorified, says:
وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلَا مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمْرًا أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ وَمَنْ يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا مُبِينًا
“It is not for a believing man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, to have any choice in their affair. Whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly gone far astray.” [Sūrat al-Aḥzāb: 36]
Allah prohibited raising one’s voice above the voice of the Prophet ﷺ or speaking loudly in his presence. Although this ruling concerned his lifetime, after his death likewise no ruling is to be placed above his ruling, and no statement, guidance, or Sunnah is to be given precedence over his words and his Sunnah.
By Allah, this is among the signs of the piety of the hearts. Allah says:
يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَرْفَعُوا أَصْوَاتَكُمْ فَوْقَ صَوْتِ النَّبِيِّ وَلَا تَجْهَرُوا لَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ كَجَهْرِ بَعْضِكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ أَنْ تَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالُكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تَشْعُرُونَ * إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَغُضُّونَ أَصْوَاتَهُمْ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ امْتَحَنَ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ لِلتَّقْوَى لَهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ
“O you who believe, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor speak loudly to him as you speak loudly to one another, lest your deeds become worthless while you do not realize it. Indeed, those who lower their voices in the presence of the Messenger of Allah are the ones whose hearts Allah has tested for piety. For them is forgiveness and a magnificent reward.” [Sūrat al-Ḥujurāt: 2–3]
The Companions embodied this noble etiquette. They lowered their voices in his presence.
When this verse was revealed, ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, may Allah be pleased with him, “would speak to the Prophet ﷺ as quietly as someone sharing a secret, to the point that the Prophet ﷺ could not hear him clearly unless he asked him to repeat what he had said.” Narrated by al-Bukhārī.
Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, even said: “The doors of the Prophet ﷺ used to be knocked upon with the fingernails.” Narrated by al-Bukhārī in al-Adab al-Mufrad.
Those who oppose his words and his Sunnah with the opinions of men and the desires of thinkers have not truly honored or revered the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
What person is there, and what thinker is there, whose status, thought, and opinion can be placed on the same level as the words of the infallible Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who does not speak from his own desire?
May Allah be pleased with Ibn ʿAbbās. On one occasion, he prayed alone behind the Prophet ﷺ, and the Prophet ﷺ moved him so that he stood beside him. Ibn ʿAbbās, however, moved back and continued praying behind him.
When the Prophet ﷺ finished the prayer, he asked him: “What is the matter with you? I placed you beside me, yet you moved back?”
Ibn ʿAbbās replied: “O Messenger of Allah! Is it fitting for anyone to pray alongside you when you are the Messenger of Allah whom Allah has given such a rank?”
“The Prophet ﷺ then supplicated to Allah to increase him in knowledge and understanding.” Narrated by Aḥmad.
The leading Companions did not regard anyone’s statement as comparable to the statement of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, whoever that person might be.
ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with them both, once said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, “Do not prevent your women from going to the mosques when they seek your permission to go there.”
One of his sons said, “By Allah, we will prevent them!”
ʿAbd Allāh turned toward him, rebuked him severely, and said: “I tell you what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, and you say By Allah, we will prevent them?” Narrated by Muslim.
Likewise, ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn, may Allah be pleased with them both, narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Modesty brings nothing but good.”
Bushayr ibn Kaʿb then said: “It is written in wisdom that some forms of modesty bring dignity and some forms of modesty bring calmness”—meaning weakness.
ʿImrān said to him: “I narrate to you from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and you narrate to me from your writings?!” Narrated by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.
This was the path followed by every person who truly honored the Messenger of Allah ﷺ among the Tābiʿūn and those who came after them from the righteous predecessors and the leading imams of guidance.
Out of reverence for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, they never gave precedence to the words of another person, an opinion, personal inclination, or intellectual thought over the words of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
On one occasion, the great Imam Ibn Abī Dhiʾb narrated a ḥadīth, and a man asked him: “Do you follow this, O Abū al-Ḥārith?”
He struck his own chest and raised his voice at the man, saying: “I narrate to you from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and you ask me whether I follow it?! Yes, I follow it! It is obligatory upon me and upon everyone who hears it. Allah chose Muḥammad ﷺ from among mankind and guided them through him and at his hands. He chose for him what He conveyed through his tongue. Therefore, all creation must follow him willingly and humbly. They have no way out of that.”
May Allah have mercy upon Imam al-Shāfiʿī. A man once came to him and asked him about an issue. Al-Shāfiʿī replied: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ ruled such and such.” The man then asked al-Shāfiʿī: “But what do you say?”
Al-Shāfiʿī replied: “Do you see me in a church?! Do you see me in a synagogue?! Do you see a religious belt around my waist?! I tell you, ‘The Messenger of Allah ﷺ ruled such and such,’ and you ask me, ‘What do you say?!’”
Among the ways of honoring the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is avoiding everything that involves improper conduct toward him and safeguarding his status from every fault or deficiency that contradicts his protected status.
Insulting the Prophet ﷺ, criticizing him, belittling him, or disparaging him constitutes apostasy from Islam and contradicts the duty of honoring and revering him.
Imam Mālik even said: “Whoever says, The Prophet’s ﷺ lower garment was dirty, intending thereby to insult him, is to be killed.”
May Allah bless me and you through the Magnificent Qurʾān and benefit me and you through its verses and wise reminder.
I seek Allah’s forgiveness for myself and for you, so seek His forgiveness. Indeed, He is the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
The Second Sermon:
All praise is due to Allah. May peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, his Companions, and all those who follow him.
To proceed:
Servants of Allah:
Allah is the security of those who are afraid and the hope of those who hope.
Whoever worships Him with both fear and hope—longing for Allah’s mercy, hoping for His bounty, while remaining fearful and apprehensive of His punishment and retribution—Allah will grant him security from what he fears and reward him with His Paradise and pleasure.
The Prophet ﷺ once entered upon a young man who was dying and asked him: “How do you find yourself?”
He replied, “By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, I hope in Allah, but I fear my sins.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “These two do not come together in the heart of a servant in a situation such as this except that Allah gives him what he hopes for and grants him security from what he fears.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhī.
The Muslim glorifies his Lord and fears Him, while at the same time hoping in Him and longing for what is with Him. These two qualities together produce his good expectations of his Lord and Master.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “None of you should die except while having good expectations of Allah.” Narrated by Muslim.
O Allah, we ask You to grant us good expectations of You, fear of You that stands between us and disobedience to You, and hope that drives us toward obedience to You.
O Allah, help us and do not help against us. Support us and do not support others against us. Plan in our favor and do not plan against us. Grant us victory over those who transgress against us.
O Allah, grant us security in our homelands, rectify our leaders and those entrusted with our affairs, and place authority over us in the hands of those who fear You, are mindful of You, and follow what pleases You.
O Allah, support our oppressed brothers and sisters in Gaza and everywhere else, and decree for them victory and relief soon.
Servants of Allah: Remember Allah abundantly and glorify Him morning and evening.
And the conclusion of our supplication is: all praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all worlds.
