Love for the Mubaarak Sunnah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)

عن أنس بن مالك قال لي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يا بني إن قدرت أن تصبح وتمسي وليس في قلبك غش لأحد فافعل ثم قال لي يا بني وذلك من سنتي ومن أحيا سنتي فقد أحبني ومن أحبني كان معي في الجنة (سنن الترمذي #2678)

Hazrat Anas (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports, “Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) once said to me, ‘O my beloved son! If you are able to spend the morning and evening in the condition that there is no ill feeling (and malice) in your heart for any person, then do so.’ Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) thereafter said to me, ‘O my beloved son! That (i.e. not harboring ill feelings and malice for people) is my sunnah (my blessed way), and the one who revives my sunnah has love for me, and the one who has love for me will be with me in Jannah.’”

Emphasizing the importance of holding onto the sunnah, Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) quoted the saying of Hazrat Umar bin Abdul Azeez (rahimahullah):

Hazrat ‘Umar bin ‘Abdul ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) said, “Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and the righteous Khulafaa (Khulafaa-e-Raashideen and the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum)) after him showed us the mubaarak sunnah and the way of Deen. In order to follow the Qur’aan Majeed, it will be necessary for one to hold firmly to the mubaarak sunnah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). Practicing on the mubaarak sunnah is the only way to show complete obedience to Allah Ta‘ala and strengthen one’s Deen. After the mubaarak sunnah has been shown to us by Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), the righteous Khulafaa and the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum), it is not permissible for any person to change the mubaarak sunnah practices or to think of introducing anything new in Deen that opposes these sunnah practices. The one who follows the mubaarak sunnah will be rightly guided, and the one who seeks the divine assistance of Allah Ta‘ala through following the mubaarak sunnah will receive the divine assistance of Allah Ta‘ala. The one who abandons the way of the mubaarak sunnah will be treading a path which is not the path of the believers. Allah Ta‘ala will leave him in the path he has chosen and enter him into Jahannum, and how evil an abode it is!” (Ad-Deebaaj-ul-Muzahhab 1/115-116)

Hazrat Sufyaan bin Uyaynah (rahimahullah) would say, “Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) is the true gauge of success. Every aspect of a person’s life should be compared to the mubaarak life of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), whether relating to his noble character, lifestyle, mannerisms and external appearance. Whichever aspects of one’s life conforms to the mubaarak way of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), it will gain acceptance in the court of Allah Ta‘ala, and whichever aspect opposes his mubaarak way, it will be rejected by Allah Ta‘ala. (Al-Jaami li-Akhlaaq-ir-Raawi Wa-Aadaab-is-Saami)

May Allah Ta‘ala bless the entire ummah with the taufeeq of upholding the mubaarak sunnah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) in every facet of our lives.