35- Honoring the prophet

35- Honoring the prophet

The First Khutbah
All praises are for Allah, who sent for us His trustworthy Messenger Muhammad. He sent him with guidance, and a clear manifest Truth. So He was a mercy unto the world, and a glad tiding to all the believers. I testify that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah, the Uniquely One, who has no partners. And I testify that our Sayyid and Prophet Muhammad is the slave of Allah and His Messenger. The best of people in character, and the greatest of creation. So O Allah: Increase Muhammad in honor, may peace and blessings be upon him. O Allah send Your peace and blessings upon our Sayyid, our Messenger, Muhammad. And upon  his family and companions, all of them. And upon whomever follows their way of guidance till the Last Day.

To continue: I advise you slaves of Allah and myself with the enjoining of Taqwa.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَآمِنُوا بِرَسُولِهِ يُؤْتِكُمْ كِفْلَيْنِ مِنْ رَحْمَتِهِ وَيَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ نُورًا تَمْشُونَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ).
O you who have believed, fear Allah and believe in His Messenger; He will [then] give you a double portion of His mercy and make for you a light by which you will walk and forgive you; and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

O Muslims: Quraish sent its negotiator, 'Urwah bin Mas'ud, in the treaty of Hudaybiyah. He was sent to the Prophet and then he remained observing the companions of the Messenger of Allah. So when he returned back to his people, he was from those who said: “By Allah, I have visited kings. I have visited the Caesar (King of Rome), Chosroes (King of Persia) and Negus (King of Abysinnia) I swear by Allah I have never ever seen a King more honored by his people, to the degree the companions of Muhammad honour him. If he commands them to something, they hasten to fulfil his command. And when he did ablution, it was almost as if they would fight each other to get his water. And when he speaks they all lower their voice to hear him. They occupy themselves with looking at him out of their awe of him.”

O Slaves of Allah:
This was the manner in which the companions of the Prophet used to esteem him. They revered him, exalted him and loved him. This because they knew that love of him and putting him before the entirety of mankind is from the perfection of faith.

The Prophet is reported to have said:
لَا يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى أَكُونَ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ وَالِدِهِ وَوَلَدِهِ، وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ
"None of you will truly have faith till he loves me more than his father, his children and all of mankind."

Allah also praised him, concerning the nobility of his attributes and traits. He honored his character with the highest honor, when He said:
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَى خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ
It is not but a revelation revealed.

For the Prophet was indeed the greatest example to be emulated in his character. And the greatest of exemplars in his spiritual wayfaring and deeds. He represents the foundational source of all goodness and virtues, and a model in all his movements and stillness. He was the most noble in his giving, of great generosity, being merciful to the weak. He honored his relatives, showed piety towards his people. So what is it today that prevents us from emulating his noble character, and his honorable guidance?

Second Khutbah
All praises are for Allah, Lord of all the Worlds. Who has sent to us the Seal of the Prophets. And made him honored in both the first and the last. As well as honored in the greatest of assemblies, until the Last Day. I bear witness that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah, the Uniquely One, having no competing partner in that One-ness. I bear witness that our Sayyid, Muhammad, is the perfect embodiment of servanthood towards Allah and is His Messenger. O Allah: We ask you to bestow Your peace and blessings upon our Prophet, Sayyiduna Muhammad and upon his family and all of his companions. And whomsoever follows them and seeks to emulate them in the best of ways till the Last Day. I counsel you, O servants of Allah, and myself, to adhere to the taqwa of Allah (glorified be He).

O you who believe: Allah Most High says:
لَا تَجْعَلُوا دُعَاءَ الرَّسُولِ بَيْنَكُمْ كَدُعَاءِ بَعْضِكُمْ بَعْضًا
Do not, among yourselves, consider the calling of the Messenger to be like your calling of one another.

In this noble verse, our Lord explains to us that the station of Prophethood is an exalted station and prohibits people from calling and addressing our Beloved Prophet, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in the same way we call and address one another out of veneration for his station and out of reverence for his status. This the Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) realized and likewise the learned scholars after them, and thus acted and behaved accordingly.

And with this, let us send our peace and blessings upon the seal of the Prophets and Messengers as we have been commanded to by the Lord of all the Worlds for He states in His manifest Book:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace.