How the Companions loved the Messenger of Allah

How the Companions Loved the Messenger of Allah

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As people celebrate the life of the Prophet ﷺ, sometimes we get confused — what does it really mean? Is it a one-time thing, a one-night event, a one day of this whole year that we celebrate the Prophet's ﷺ life? Is that what it is exactly? How can we understand that? How can we understand the beautiful life of the Prophet ﷺ? And what does that even mean to me? What does that mean to you and I?

My dear brothers and sisters, to show us what it means exactly, we have to look into those who were around the Prophet ﷺ. How did they love him? How did the companions of the Prophet ﷺ love this man, Rasulullah ﷺ? And he deserved to be loved, no doubt about it. But are we doing it the right way? Are we truly following that example of these beautiful people, the companions of the Prophet ﷺ?

The Story of Hudaybiyyah — A Window Into Their Love

To show one example: during the Hudaybiyyah Treaty, when the Prophet ﷺ came with hundreds of the companions peacefully, just to perform Umrah. They were banned from going into Mecca at the time. And now there was tension between the people of Mecca and Rasulullah ﷺ — the Meccans were threatening to invade and even fight the Prophet ﷺ. To which the Prophet ﷺ said, "Look, we're coming here for Umrah, we're coming here for peace. However, if you're going to fight us, I swear, we're going to fight until the last man."

The Meccans were already broken from the year before, as they had brought all their might into Al-Khandaq — the Battle of the Trench — and they lost. So they knew that if they fought again, they risked losing once more. Eventually, the time came to negotiate a treaty.

Urwa ibn Mas'ud, one of the delegates that the Meccans sent to negotiate with the Prophet ﷺ, was the leader of the city right near Mecca. When he went there to negotiate, as he was speaking with Rasulullah ﷺ, you know, there is a habit among the Arabs — one of the ways they show endearment is that, as they speak to you, they hold your beard. That is one of their gestures of affection.

So Urwa ibn Mas'ud, as he was speaking with the Prophet ﷺ, he felt the liberty to reach out toward the beard of the Prophet ﷺ and touched it. To his surprise, he suddenly felt the sheath of a sword smacking his arm, pushing it down. And a voice said: "Don't touch the beard of the Prophet ﷺ!" He was scared. He looked up and it was al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba, one of the companions. He said, "Don't you dare touch the Prophet's ﷺ beard!" And Urwa looked at al-Mughira and said, "You? Don't you remember? I was going to bat for you and trying to help you when you betrayed your own tribe." And al-Mughira kept quiet, and Rasulullah ﷺ also kept quiet. But that moment shows just how much these people loved the Prophet ﷺ.

Then Urwa, when he returned to the Quraysh, said: "Look, I went to Kisra, the king of Persia. I went to the king of the Romans. I've seen how people treat their kings — but I have never seen people who love and care for their leader the way I saw the people of Muhammad ﷺ love him." And he described it further: whenever the Prophet ﷺ looked somewhere, everybody looked in that direction to see what he intended, what he might ask — because everyone was rushing to be the first to fulfill the Prophet's ﷺ command. When the Prophet ﷺ made wudu, they would fight over the remaining water so that they could make wudu from it, seeking the barakah. And whenever they spoke to him, they lowered their voices — afraid to offend the Prophet ﷺ even by raising their tone.

They showed the Prophet ﷺ the respect and love that Rasulullah ﷺ deserved for the world to witness. Why? Because he was a great Messenger of Allah and he was a great man ﷺ.

The Prophet ﷺ — A Light and a Clear Book

Brothers and sisters, Allah said about Rasulullah ﷺ:

"There certainly has come to you from Allah a light and a clear book." The scholars of tafsir say: as for the book, it is clear — it is the Qur'an. As for the light, that was Rasulullah ﷺ. He is the light of our lives. He is the light of our hearts.

Allah explained that further in Surah Al-Ahzab when He said:

"O Prophet, indeed We have sent you as a witness, a bringer of good tidings, and a warner — and one who invites to Allah by His permission, and an illuminating lamp." So he was that beacon of light. He is our qudwa — our example ﷺ — and for what he has done for this ummah, we love him ﷺ.

I want to show you in this khutbah, in a few words insha'Allah, how these sahaba demonstrated this love for Rasulullah ﷺ, and then what it means to us today — how can we live this love for the Prophet ﷺ?

More Beautiful Than the Full Moon

Jabir radiyaAllahu anhu narrates: one night we were sitting with the Prophet ﷺ when the moon was full and the sky was clear.

(Reported by al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 2811)

"The night was clear, the sky was clear, the moon was full completely. I was looking at the Prophet ﷺ and then looking at the moon — the full moon." He says the Prophet ﷺ was wearing a red garment. "And I'm looking at the Prophet ﷺ, then looking at the moon, then looking at the Prophet ﷺ — and I swear, the sight of the Prophet ﷺ to me was much more beautiful than the sight of the moon that night."

They marveled simply at looking at the Prophet ﷺ, just seeing him. May Allah make it easy for us to see the Prophet ﷺ with our own eyes. But from the descriptions of the sahaba, we can see him with the eyes of our minds, the eyes of our hearts. We can see — through the eyes of the sahaba — that beautiful man, Rasulullah ﷺ, if we hear these stories and read them.

Abdullah ibn Salam — A Face That Cannot Lie

Abdullah ibn Salam was one of the rabbis in Medina when the Prophet ﷺ arrived. When he heard that the Arabs were following this man they called a prophet, he wanted to go and see who this man was. So when he arrived, he said:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3938)

"Just by looking at him, because I looked at his face — I couldn't believe this could be a liar. He cannot be a liar. That face is not the face of a liar." They saw the Prophet ﷺ with their eyes; we see through their eyes. We learn from them how they loved Rasulullah ﷺ.

When the Prophet ﷺ Arrived — and When He Left

Anas radiyaAllahu anhu shows us how much the Prophet ﷺ was the light of their lives. He explains it in a hadith whose concept can feel profound to us. He says:

(Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 3618; also reported by Ibn Majah, Hadith 1631)

"When it was the day the Prophet ﷺ entered Medina, everything shined. Medina — that small town that no one really cared about at that time — suddenly became a shining city filled with light. But when the Prophet ﷺ passed away, everything went dark. Everything went dark. That light was gone." And Anas continues: "When we started taking the dust off after the burial of the Prophet ﷺ — barely had we finished — we already felt it in our hearts. It had changed completely."

And those were the people who lived with the Prophet ﷺ. Imagine us, 1,400 years later.

Even the Trunk of a Tree Wept

My dear brothers and sisters, it was not just people who loved Rasulullah ﷺ — even inanimate objects. Even stones, mountains, rocks, and even a trunk of a tree. The Prophet ﷺ used a tree trunk as a minbar. But when the community grew, they built him a larger one. As the Prophet ﷺ moved to the new minbar, the companions suddenly heard a crying voice — like the voice of a baby crying. They looked around; there was no one. But the Prophet ﷺ came down and hugged that trunk, because it was crying — it was missing the proximity of Rasulullah ﷺ.

Al-Hasan al-Basri used to say:

(Reported by Ibn Majah, Hadith 1415; also narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3584)

"O Muslims — a piece of wood longs to meet the Prophet ﷺ, to be near him. You deserve far more to feel that longing to meet the Prophet ﷺ." May Allah make it easy for us to meet him, Ya Rabbil 'Alamin.

Abu Bakr as-Siddiq — The Truest of Friends

One of the best examples is that of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq. How much he loved this man — how much he loved his companion, his best friend ﷺ. When the Prophet ﷺ was assaulted by Uqba ibn Mu'ayt in Mecca — this man grabbed the Prophet ﷺ by the collar of his garment and almost choked him — Abu Bakr as-Siddiq came jumping to his defense, pushing Uqba away from Rasulullah ﷺ, saying:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3856)

"You're killing a man because he says 'My Lord is Allah' and invites you to Allah? What is wrong with you?"

When Aisha radiyaAllahu anha saw the Prophet ﷺ arriving at the home of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq on the day of Al-Hijrah — the migration — after all those months of being told to wait, and wait, and wait — finally the Prophet ﷺ said, "Let's go." And Abu Bakr asked: "It is time? Am I going to be your companion?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Yes, we go together." Aisha radiyaAllahu anha said: "I had never seen my father cry before. And I couldn't even believe people could cry that much out of joy — until I saw my father at that moment." The joy of being chosen by the Prophet ﷺ as his companion. He was crying — "I have never seen anyone cry this much out of joy." Why? Because the Prophet ﷺ said, "You will be my companion."

Abu Bakr's Last Wish

That love continued with Abu Bakr as-Siddiq until his very last day. On his deathbed, he was drifting between consciousness and unconsciousness, and when he woke, he asked: "What day is it today?" He was told it was Monday — the same day the Prophet ﷺ had passed. He said: "If I die this night, do not wait until tomorrow — bury me right away. The most beloved days and nights to me are those when I am close to the Prophet ﷺ."

Bilal — "Tomorrow I Meet My Beloved Ones"

The exact same spirit was shown by Bilal radiyaAllahu anhu. When Bilal was dying, his wife was crying out, "Wah hazna!" — expressing her grief. But Bilal said: "For what? Bal wa taraba — I am happy!" And he said:

(Reported by Ibn 'Asakir in Tarikh Dimashq; narrated in various sira and tabaqat works)

"What are you crying for? Tomorrow I am going to meet my beloved ones — Muhammad ﷺ and my beloved friends. I am leaving this prison; I am going to meet my friends, my beloved ones." That was Bilal radiyaAllahu anhu.

Will You Be With Me in Jannah?

My dear brothers and sisters, until their last moments, they loved him ﷺ. And this shows the loyalty the companions had for the Prophet ﷺ. Aisha radiyaAllahu ta'ala anha narrates in al-Tabarani that a man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said:

(Al-Tabarani, al-Mu'jam al-Kabir; also referenced in related narrations in Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6171)

"O Messenger of Allah, I love you more than anybody else. I love you more than I love myself, more than my children, more than my family, more than the whole world. But I am scared, ya Rasulullah. Every day I come to see you — but I fear that when you die and I die, you will be with the Prophets. I won't be able to see you in Jannah."

Look at their concern, jama'ah. Look how they think. Look at their motivation — not this dunya. They wanted to be with the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ did not immediately answer. He kept quiet. Then Allah revealed in Surah An-Nisa':

"And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger — those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor: of the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions." Allah revealed that whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger will be with them — the Prophets, the Siddiqin, the Shuhada', the Salihin. All of them. And the best companionship there will be for you in Jannah.

Another man came to the Prophet ﷺ who had been serving him. The Prophet ﷺ asked: "How can I reward you for your service?" He said: "I want to be your companion in Jannah. Can you guarantee this for me?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "I cannot guarantee that for you. Can you ask for something else?" He said, "That is what I want." So the Prophet ﷺ said:

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 489)

"Then help me get you there by praying often — very often. Pray the sunnah, the nafl, and the tahajjud."

"I Love Allah and His Messenger" — Is That Enough?

When another man asked the Prophet ﷺ, "Ya Rasulullah, when is the Hour going to be established?" the Prophet ﷺ asked him in return: "What have you prepared for it? It doesn't matter when — but are you ready? What did you prepare for that day?" The man said honestly: "Not much, ya Rasulullah. I am not a great doer of deeds."

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3688; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2639)

"But I love Allah and His Messenger — and Abu Bakr and Umar." The Prophet ﷺ said: "You will be with those whom you love. Allah will bring you with them." He knew he could not reach their level through his deeds alone — but his sincere love for Allah and His Messenger could get him there.

Anas, the narrator of the hadith, says: "We have never been happier in our lives than when we heard the Prophet ﷺ saying this." Because he says: "I cannot do what they do — but I love Rasulullah, Abu Bakr, and Umar. And I hope that Allah will bring me with them." And today, I ask Allah to bring us all with them, Ya Rabbil 'Alamin.

But brothers and sisters, that love for Rasulullah ﷺ should be real. It should translate into actions. That is how you bring yourself closer to Rasulullah in Jannatul Firdaws Al-A'la.

Second Part of the Khutbah

Alhamdulillahi Rabbil 'Alamin. May Allah send His peace and blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, his family, and his companions.

Brothers and sisters, there are so many stories from the life of the Sahaba radiyaAllahu ta'ala anhum that show us how much they loved him. They loved him because he brought barakah into their lives ﷺ. If you are missing blessing and barakah in your life — bring the life of the Prophet ﷺ into your families, into your households. Make sure that you read the stories of the Prophet ﷺ. Live by his example ﷺ.

They loved the Prophet ﷺ because of his mercy and his rahmah with them. They lived a hard life — life in this world is difficult. Allah says it will be kabad — there will always be tests and trials. But the Prophet ﷺ brought them mercy, and they loved him for that. They loved the Prophet ﷺ because they knew how much he cared about them — more than he cared about himself ﷺ.

How Do We Love Him Today?

Brothers and sisters, it is for that reason we love Rasulullah ﷺ. How can we do this? Obviously, there is nothing more than following his example. As Allah commands in the Qur'an:

"Say, O Muhammad: if you truly love Allah, then follow me — and Allah will love you and will forgive you." This is the key point. This is Friday — mention more salawat upon the Prophet ﷺ. Make sure that you always talk about him. Bring his story to the people. Bring it into your household, among your families. Make him the best example for all of us, so that we can grow in that love of Rasulullah ﷺ.

And finally, that love should translate — insha'Allah — into good manners and akhlaq. Because he was the best example. You follow his example, no matter how this dunya treats you — you treat others as the Prophet ﷺ would treat them. Why? Because of the hadith narrated by Abu Huraira radiyaAllahu anhu:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6576; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2290)

He says: "On the Day of Judgment, when I am by the water pool — al-Hawd — and I am supposed to be giving people water from it, people will come to me. And as I start calling them, 'Come, come to me,' all of a sudden the angels come between some of these people, steering them away from the Prophet ﷺ. And the Prophet is shocked — 'Ya Rabbi, these are my followers! Why are they being taken away from me?' And it will be said: 'You have no idea how much they changed after you.'"

Brothers and sisters, look at your lifestyle. Look at your manners, your akhlaq. Your ibadah, your level of worship. How you live your life. Is that something you will be proud to present before Allah and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? If not, beware of this hadith. And you have a chance — alhamdulillah rabbil 'alamin — to rectify that.

Closing Du'a

We ask Allah to bless us with the love for Allah, and to make us among those who love Him. We ask Allah to bless us with love for the Prophet ﷺ, and for his companions, and for all those who loved the Prophet ﷺ. We ask Allah that as we gather in this place, He gathers us together in Jannatul Firdaws Al-A'la with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the Salihin. We ask Allah to treat us with His mercy and His rahmah — not merely with His justice. And we ask Allah to bring us together with those whom we love — and those are the Prophet ﷺ and his companions.