Salaam,

It is not only the unfortunate realization, but tragedy that after every prophet abd after every message there is the eventual deviation of that message. Hisortically if we all research since the prophet's time the Muslim community has in fact deviated. We divide ourselves into various sects and make this more ocplex by associuating them with various  "schools of thought."

Like Catholicism we have hierarchal classes where we make distinctions which elevate scholars as "divine leaders." We elevate the prophet himself on equal footing as God. In my humble opinion (which is solely my opinion) as a community we have historically, truly deviated from Islamic teachings. I include myself in this category because as a community I am as good as the "next man" and what one does is a reflection on all of us, unfortunate, but true just look at the media.

This evident truth perhaps started with the death of the prophet and the confusion on who would lead the Muslim community. Not long afterwards various individuals who considered themselves "successors of the prophet" even some claiming to be prophets themselves soon emerge.

Not long after that "schools of thought emerged" each having similar philosophies yet "essential" differences that distinguished them fom each other. Scholars emerged interpreting text in accordance to their knowledge. People sought them out for guidance and some scholars later interpret even the wrong things in order to gain popularity.

Not much different than the Spanish Inquisition........

There have been attempts by minorities within the Muslim community that have made several attempts to change. However in my belief how the pagans thought then when the prophet brought them God's revelation are how some take change. People do not like change. I find that ignorance is a comfort to some because they may feel what they learned or what is taught is the right way, even if you clearly show valid proofs that its not.

Frankly, I don't like where our community is going, especially in matters of interpreting text. Some use interpretations to justify Honor Killings. Some use it to justify racism, or sexism or even physical abuse. I find the Hadith quote "Love the prophet more than you love yourself" a contradiction to the Islamic belief in Loving God with all your being.

If the prophet is only a message and only as good as what God makes him, why must we love the prophet on equal footing as God when God has no equals in the first place? A product of our deviation? Sure. This is evident when angry mobs of people burn down flags and call for the murder on individuals who are ignorant, but are innocent nonetheless.

We get furious when the prophet is slandered. We get angry when people draw cartoons or the prophet or individuals who slander him. We show too much for a man who God had blessed at infancy but who was just like you and I. Muhammad is just a messenger. God has no equal and no true believer should revered the prophet in the sense one would reveres God.

And you're just realizing this?

If men were angles.. there would be no need of governemnt or rules..

a similar saying is Found in the Qur'an and The Federalist Papers... Its a natural course of any organization to eventually splinter and deviat into sects and subsects, It is inevitiable. People will do What THEY WANT TO DO, and justify it as best as they could. Its called Human Nature... and humans are 90% of the time, self-interested...

If a man wants to beat his wife - He can find justification for it... but it doesnt mean he will get away with it in common society. But he really wants to put her in her place...  so he creates a wife-beating club on a boat in international waters... and there you go.. a sect is born. How many adherants to this sect... well.. i dont know, but I doubt there would be many willing women there. Unless they are masochists... haha

ArabianKnight,

You are perhaps right and I didn't just realize this today I have always believed this but for fairness of others I didn't really think of commenting on it. I agree it's human nature to make err and to be "self-interested" and to imagine things you want to see.

What I'm commenting on is the tragedy that this is an acceptable trait in our society. I remember driving past a mosque one time here in Souther Cali (the area I was in is considered the "O.C" or Orange Count) and I saw the prophet's name alongside the name of God.

I don't care what sect you follow if you truly follow God why would you even elevate the name of the prophet on the same plane as God? There are countless times Muhammad is referred to as "Abdullah" or Servant (or slave) of Allah. Why do we elevate the slave of Allah on equal footing as Allah himself? Regardless whether he is the best example it is a definite error to symbolically do such a thing.

Assalamu Alaikum!

Brother Israfil: "Love the prophet more than you love yourself" a contradiction to the Islamic belief in Loving God with all your being."

It is not contradiction. It means that you love Prophet ( SAW ) more than you love yourself. Of course, you love Allah more than you love Prophet ( SAW ). Allah is Supreme, and noone can be even compared to His authority.

Peace

>>>>It is not contradiction. It means that you love Prophet ( SAW ) more than you love yourself. Of course, you love Allah more than you love Prophet ( SAW ). Allah is Supreme, and noone can be even compared to His authority.<<<<

Brother Peacemaker the emotional state of love cannot be split equally, or at least as humans we don't love the same. With that said, if I love God more than my being and I say the same about the prophet, aren't we loving two entities on the same footing? Honestly, it's not possible seeing how God is greater than the prophet. For instance for serveral reasons I can note how I love my mother more than my father. Even if I were raised in a two parent household my love would be greater for the other parent, depending on who I bond with more. This is actully proven in child psychology. In essence it would be a contradiction. Given the nature of who God is, it should be like that. also given several verses in the Qur'an noting the prophet's nature and God we shouldn't love the prophet and God on equal footing. 

Amah,

If I told you I love God more than I love myself and I said I love the prophet more than myself? That is something set on equal footing, thus a contradiction. The Hadith does not imply in that sequence you just wrote. I'm mainly commenting on that Hadith reference not the sequence you present.

Bismillah,

I agree with you Brother Israfil that loving Allah, The Most High, the most will elevate our spirits more than anything else.  The endless wonderous qualities of our Lord are unmatched and limitlessly inspiring.

As'Salaamu Alaikum

The following references are taken from:http://www.abc.se/~m9783/lp_e.html

Love of the Prophet is what differentiates the believers in the perfection of their imaan. In an authentic hadith related in Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet said:

"None of you believes until he loves me more than he loves his children, his parents, and all people." In another hadith in Bukhari he said: "None of you believes until he loves me more than he loves himself."

Perfection of faith is dependent on love of the Prophet because Allah and His angels are constantly raising his honor, as is meant in the verse:

"Allah and His angels are praying on the Prophet" (33:56).

The Divine order that immediately follows in the verse:

"O believers, pray on him,"

makes it clear that the quality of being a believer is dependent on and manifested by praying on the Prophet.

O Allah! Send peace and blessings on the Prophet, his family, and his companions. see also http://www.abc.se/~m9783/lp_e.html#lp-c3 - (3) .

Assalamu Alaikum:

"Who knows we may even come close to developing the trinity in Islam Ali, Muhammad and God."

Astafra'Allah. 

I think this can only be called worship of the Prophet if that is what the intention is. All Prophets and Messengers have asked their followers to turn from their worldly lives and those who would not accept the message, and follow them. This would be showing greater love for God and His Messenger, whoever the Messenger, than you show for yourself or your family.

If a Muslim sees the Prophet Mohammed(PBUH) as more than a man, that is on that individual's head. Not on Islam, as the Quran and the Prophet(PBUH) both forbid this.

You should love the Prophet Mohammed as a Messenger of God and as one would love someone who has done a great deed for you by bringing the Message. But the Message originates from God, and all of the Prophets were just men entrusted with God's Word. No more, no less.

"They are never to marry anyone so long as their mortal lives exist on this earth. To me that is true love. To sacrifice even your lineage for God."

But Allah(SWT) did not ask us to do this. Just the opposite.

"After all, our sacrifices such as our children and family should be for God."

No one is asking you to sacrifice yourself or your family for the Prophet(PBUH). Do you mean sacrificing your life or your belongings or what?

Loving the Prophet(PBUH) for the sake of Allah(SWT) is different than sacrificing for him. Although the type of sacrifice is important. If someone asked you to sacrifice your life for your child's would you? If we sacrifice only for God, then we would not sacrifice for our families, our friends, our fellow Muslims, or human beings.

You are a police officer, you may sacrifice your life for your job. It all depends on your intentions.

Israfil wrote: Amah, If I told you I love God more than I love myself and I said I love the prophet more than myself? That is something set on equal footing, thus a contradiction. The Hadith does not imply in that sequence you just wrote. I'm mainly commenting on that Hadith reference not the sequence you present.

Assalamu Alaikum:

This is only on equal footing if that is what you believe in your heart, and your intentions for this love.

You can love your Mother more than your Father, this is an earthly love that has limitations. Just as your Mother has nurtured you and shown you more love than your Father. She sacrificed for you and struggled for you. This is what has given you this strong bond to her.

The Prophet Mohammed(PBUH) sacrificed and suffered to bring us the Message of Allah(SWT). Because of his sacrifice and suffering, we should hold him in high esteem and love him. Just as we do all of the Prophets and Messengers. Without their sacrifices and suffering we would not have been steered to the right path.

We love our parents because they loved us, raised us, and protected us. They sacrificed so that we might be prepared for the life of this earth. We should love the Prophet more because he sacrificed to bring us the Message from God that would prepare us for eternity.

But the love we feel for Allah(SWT) should go beyond any love that we feel for any human. Allah(SWT) is the Creator of everything. Allah(SWT) gave you your Mother and created us so that you can feel this bond of love. He sent us the Prophets so that we could learn the truth and prepare for the Deen. Without Allah's Mercy and Guidance, we would have none of this. He made you able to feel love, so how can you ever compare the love you feel for any man to the gratitude and love you feel to the Creator of the ability to have that feeling?

You can never compare the created with the Creator.

Let me respond to you Mishmish yours will be in bold:

Astafra'Allah. 

I think this can only be called worship of the Prophet if that is what the intention is. All Prophets and Messengers have asked their followers to turn from their worldly lives and those who would not accept the message, and follow them. This would be showing greater love for God and His Messenger, whoever the Messenger, than you show for yourself or your family.

This is true that all prophets have asked their followers to turn away from their worldly pleasures, I mean, the materialism that leads people astray. I have to disagree that one does not have to intend to believe in the matter which I presented above you can indirectly worship without decleration of that worship. For instance Shi'ites seem to hold a high reverence for Ali more so than the prophet--it seems. Although Shi'ites may claim that they only show him honor in respect of his deeds the invocation of Ali's name in prayer the belief in "saints" and thus which show much more reverence of these worldly figures proves different.

If a Muslim sees the Prophet Mohammed(PBUH) as more than a man, that is on that individual's head. Not on Islam, as the Quran and the Prophet(PBUH) both forbid this.

You should love the Prophet Mohammed as a Messenger of God and as one would love someone who has done a great deed for you by bringing the Message. But the Message originates from God, and all of the Prophets were just men entrusted with God's Word. No more, no less.

True but erecting mosques with the prop[het's name next to God's is reverencee much greater than one who is entrusted with God's word. This has been proven.

No one is asking you to sacrifice yourself or your family for the Prophet(PBUH). Do you mean sacrificing your life or your belongings or what?

Loving the Prophet(PBUH) for the sake of Allah(SWT) is different than sacrificing for him. Although the type of sacrifice is important. If someone asked you to sacrifice your life for your child's would you? If we sacrifice only for God, then we would not sacrifice for our families, our friends, our fellow Muslims, or human beings.

You are a police officer, you may sacrifice your life for your job. It all depends on your intentions.

Sister Mishmish if you read my statement again I was merely making the example of the prophet Abraham who almost sacrficed his son Issac because God commanded him to. I was merely saying that, we should love God more and our willingness to sacrifice our families and children for God, not a messenger. Thus my belief in opposition to that hadith reference we should love Allah more than we love ourselves, family and children. You said if we sacrificed for God then we would not do it for our family, Muslims etc...Ah but in essence we would.

The fact that we are directly obeying God's commandment which he calls for in Islam in principle is the essence of a true Muslim. God calls us to do different tasks. God may have called me to be a Police Officer and if need be, if I were to sacrifice my life for a child it is for God and in essence to the Muslim community because I would be an example of a Muslim who gave his life as a selfless act thus reflecting the principle nature of Islam.

Assalamu Alaikum:

Actually, in Islam, intention is everything.

If you perform prayers to conform or to show how pious you are, the prayers are not accepted. If you intend to go to Juma'a, but are stopped because a traffic jam, Allah still accepts your intention.

I said if we sacrifice only for God. Of course, it all comes back to God because He instilled in us the ability to be selfless, but if I give charity or help someone I am doing this to help the person as well as for the sake of Allah.

"How can we say we "love" God when God is beyond such a physical quality?"

Because it is the physical quality that we understand. We are not beyond love, and loving is one of the ways humans show loyalty, devotion, and gratitude. What other way could we show our feelings for Allah? By our deeds, our actions, and our love. As mere humans this is the best we have to offer. How can you say that Allah is beyond such a physical quality when Allah tells us to love Him? He may not need our love, but He does tell us to feel it for Him.

"Sister we DO show the same feelings here in this world and attribute them to God consequently and as you have proven in your example my point there is no need for me to explain further."

I attribute nothing to Allah that He has not stated in His Word. I do not believe that the love I feel for another person, the Prophet, or for Allah is the same emotion that Allah(SWT) feels. How could I even have any idea of what Allah(SWT) feels other than what He has stated in the Quran? Nor did I write anything even close to this in my post.

No one has told you to sacrifice anything for the Prophet Mohammed, just to love him.

I never implied first that we should sacrifice for the prophet, the Hadith mentioned clearly states that our love for the prophet should superceed that of our family and children. In actuality, sacrifice would also encompass that love. But I'm not commenting on that in particular. sister instead of taking parts of my statements perhaps reading the entire paragraph would be of service to you when I said:

>>>>Sister you even surprise me! We make all kinds of comparisons to our world and to God! How can we say we "love" God when God is beyond such a physical quality?<<< Me

Our love for our parents is as unexplainable as our love for God! For instance we can say that we love our parents because they taught us what we know. They raised us, nurtured us the only distinction is because we can say that God is the author of those elements that allowed our parents here on earth to nurture us. My point is how we express something to God consequently is compared to how we express ourselves on earth. If not sister I challenge you to find another word which is not human related that is the same as "mercy" that we say (or do) that is expressed towards God. but this is besides the point.

You said:

I attribute nothing to Allah that He has not stated in His Word. I do not believe that the love I feel for another person, the Prophet, or for Allah is the same emotion that Allah(SWT) feels. How could I even have any idea of what Allah(SWT) feels other than what He has stated in the Quran? Nor did I write anything even close to this in my post.

Also sister you did attribute something to Allah by definition for you said:

But the love we feel for Allah(SWT) should go beyond any love that we feel for any human

You did attribute to Allah by definition on what love for Allah is just as you mentioned in the latter part of your statement. Any words such as saying "we love" allah are inadequate any words in my opinion. What God states in the Qur'an are limited words because he is using the human alphabet in order to help us understand. God being the greatest entity in the universe in relaity is beyond anything said or done in his name. The prophet perhaps being close to this divine entity is revered because people need a tangible figure to get as close to the divine as possible.

My point here is to show that "love" for the prophet should be no greater than we love a dear friend who has done something great for us as you mentioned sister. However in my personal belief I couldn't possibly love the prophet more than my family because my family are physically there for me something the prophet at this point cannot do. We are humans who need physical reaction and attention and sometimes spirituality cannot cover that aspect. Our love for God is definitely great than the prophet's as ytou have mentioned but in my point I'm basically stating the love of God consequently is no different emotion than we already express now.

Assalamu Alaikum Brother:

These are your words:

"However I'm not saying that the love of a mother and father is the same as God we should love God more however my point here is that our sacrifice for our families and our friends and children should be for God, not the messenger."

"I never implied first that we should sacrifice for the prophet"

Sister these are your words:

"I never implied first that we should sacrifice for the prophet"

And again I never said that you said that we should sacrifice for the prophet I was merely commenting on this part of the Hadith.

But this is what Allah asks of us. I DID NOT attribute anything to Allah(SWT) that he did not state in His Word

Ok so you're going by Allah's word which I agree but what I'm saying in your attempt to make an example of whom to love more in degrees I was saying your attempt alone defines the state of love we have for specific entities see your bold paragraph.

How can you judge something as inadequate when Allah(SWT) has asked us for this, our love? Do you know better than Allah(SWT)?

Sister philosophically speaking as was mentioned earlier God is simply using the temporal words of mankind to relate to us in our language so that we may know him--partially. Although what our emotions feel for God I still say they are inadaquate in essence only not when we speak of them. They are inadequequate in my opinion because God being beyond all things physically comprehensible including words no words can accurately or even poetically describe him. This was my point. As you mentioned earlier that our intentions, not words matter. To say "I love Allah" as words themselves are inadequate expressions in the sense of their definitive term because our emotions towards Allah are nothing more than what we may share here on Earth if asked, we would say that we love God more.

I know pryayer is good communication to the divine and I understand that prayer is also means of uniformity with the believers. I cannot say that prayer is inadequate as prayer like any other communicative form is means to spiritually connect with God. Now Sister Mishmish common sense would tell you that it doesn't take  a religious doctrine i.e Qur'an for God to tell you "To love me" you just know that you loved God more than anything else. So by you saying that you're going by what God says proves difficult to me that you would just find out that God told you to love him when you converted to Islam. Come on you knew this before convertin to Islam so I highly doubt the Qur'an would teach you that aspect at least however if I'm wrong then I'm wrong.

Without direct religious infleunce as a young child I was taught God was greater than me. I was taught that we should love God because God made the univere and all things aesthetically wonderful. Religious schools that I went to only enhanced this. Islam basically is the same way. We are not taught by doctrine to love God but our religious environments teaches us. So consequently by this example I can furthermore say that in coming to Islam and learning it, it is easy to conclude that we should have love for the prophet, but that love should never superceed what we have for God. We should not build mosques with the prophet's name on equal footing as God's. We should never invoke Muhammad's (or call upon saints as our intercessors) influence on our lives rather call upon the Creator of the universe. This is my point....

No Brother, these are your words...

"I never implied first that we should sacrifice for the prophet"

Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala said:

"Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving hard and Fighting in His Cause; then wait until Allah brings about His Decision (torment). And Allah guides not the rebellious folk."

Quran Soorah At-Tawbah 9:24

Thus, the essence of love should be due to Allah and His Messenger, so too with the obedience. For the obedience is due to Allah `azza wa jal and His Messenger, and pleasing is due to Allah and His Messenger,

"But it is more fitting that they should please Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) if they are (true) believers."

Quran Soorah At-Tawbah 9:62

My pleasure should be for God and God only...

If one does kindness and sacrifices in the name of two etities then reverence of both are split. I do not believe in revering the prophet more than a human when God has commanded that worship and reverences solely belongs to him.