From: Bernard@City-Net.Com

     Indeed, all praises are due to Allah.  We praise Him, seek
     His Aid, and beg for His Forgiveness.  We seek refuge in
     Allah from the evil in ourselves and from the evil outcomes
     of our deeds.  Whomsoever, Allah, Ta 'Ala, guides, no one
     and nothing can take that person astray.  Whomsoever,
     Allah, Ta 'Ala, takes astray, no one or nothing can guide
     that person.  I bear witness that there is nothing worthy
     of worship except Allah who is alone without any
     associates.  I bear witness that Muhammad ibnu 'Abd Allah
     (SAAW) is Allah's 'Abd (slave) and Messenger.  To proceed:

     Allah has commanded in the Qur'an (what means):  "O you who
     believe!  Have Taqwah (true fear of Allah) according to His
     right and die not except that you are a Muslim.  O
     Mankind!  Have Taqwah of your Lord.  The One Who created
     you from a single soul and from him He created his mate and
     from them both He created many men and women and fear Allah
     through Whom you demand your mutual rights and do not cut
     off the ties of kinship; surely Allah is ever a Raqeeb
     (All-Watcher) over you.  O you who believe!  Have Taqwah of
     Allah and always speak the truth.  He will direct you to do
     righteous good deeds and will forgive you your sins.  And
     whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger (SAAW) he has
     indeed achieved a great achievement."

     Verily, the best speech is the Book of Allah and the best
     guidance is the guidance of Muhammad ibnu 'Abd Allah
     (SAAW).  The worst of all affairs in this Diyn are
     innovations.  Every innovation is a Bid'ah and every Bid'ah
     is a going astray and every going astray is in the Hell
     Fire.

     DEVELOPING TRUE LOVE FOR ALLAH'S MESSENGER (SAAW):

     Having the proper love for Allah's Messenger (SAAW) is a
     must for any Muslim who is striving to please his/her Lord
     and who seeks his/her Lord's Forgiveness.  Learning how to
     properly apply this love for the last Nabee (SAAW) is to
     properly implement the testimony: wa ash hadu ana
     Muhammadan rusulu Allah (SAAW).  Indeed, one cannot just
     say he/she loves the Prophet (SAAW) while his/her actions
     and 'Aqeedah are fundamentaly against what the Prophet
     (SAAW) brought (i.e. the Qur'an and the authentic Sunnah).
     Hence, the first step in the process of developing this
     love is to acknowledge that the Prophet (SAAW) has a claim
     over the believers.

     Allah has said in the Qur'an (what means):  "The Prophet
     (SAAW) is closer to the believers than their ownselves..."
     [Al-Ahzab: 6].

     Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah (Rahimullah), one of the great
     scholars of this Ummah, relates that this Ayah means the
     Prophet (SAAW) has a "higher claim" on the believers than
     they have on themselves.  This claim involves two important
     matters:

     1.  WE CONSIDER ALLAH'S MESSENGER (SAAW) TO BE DEARER THAN ONE'S OWN SELF.

     This is so because this claim is based on love.  One has
     the most claim to oneself for one loves oneself more than
     anything.  Thus, a person knows what types of foods,
     clothing, etc. he/she likes to eat, drink, etc. more than
     all others.  However, when it comes to Islam, we know that
     Allah knows us better than we know ourselves; thus, we
     submit to Him and His Orders.  We it comes to the Prophet
     (SAAW), we are to love him more than our own selves; thus,
     we too put his commandments above our own opinions, logic,
     etc.

     Once this true love is established, compliance, obedience,
     satisfication with his (SAAW) jugdements, and other matters
     related to true love will follow.  This is confirmed in the
     following authentic Haadith found in Sahih Al-Bukhari:

     Narrated 'Abd Allah bin Hisham: 'We were with the Prophet
     (SAAW) and he was holding the hand of 'Umar ibnu Al-Khattab
     (RAA).  'Umar said to him, "O Allah's Messenger (SAAW)!
     You are dearer to me than everything except my ownself."
     Allah's Messenger (SAAW) said: "No, by Him in Whose Hand my
     soul is, (you will not have complete Faith) untill I am
     dearer to you than your ownself."  Then 'Umar (RAA) said:
     "However, now, by Allah, you are dearer to me than my
     ownself."  He (SAAW) then said: "Now, O 'Umar, (now you are
     a believer)."

     LESSONS FROM THIS HAADITH:

     A.  The Negation and Affirmation:

     The Prophet (SAAW) negates (i.e. rejects, denies) that a
     person can have complete Imaan with his statement, "No, by
     Him in Whose Hand my soul is...".  Thus, the affirmation,
     or condition of having complete Imaan, follows: "...until I
     am dearer to you than your ownself...".  Therefore, the
     Muslim will never attain true Imaan unless he/she considers
     the Prophet (SAAW) to be dearer to him/her than everything
     including one's ownself.

     B.  Character of the Sahabah:

     Upon hearing that true Imaan can only be achieved through
     loving the Messenger (SAAW) more than everything, including
     one's self, 'Umar (RAA) quickly complied with the
     commandment of the Prophet (SAAW).  The Sahabah wasted no
     time in doing those acts which were pleasing to Allah and
     His Messeger (SAAW).

     2.  SECOND IMPORTANT MATTER:

     The Messenger (SAAW) has more rule over an individual than
     that individual has over his/herself.  This means that a
     person only does those actions which are in accordance with
     the Book of Allah and the authentic Sunnah of His Messenger
     (SAAW).

     Therefore, three critical conditions must be fulfilled in
     order for a deed to be accepted:

     a.  One must confess his/her belief in Islam (i.e. one must
     be a Muslim).  b.  One must have Ikhlaas of the Niyah (i.e.
     purity of the intention).  c.  One must do that deed in
     accordance with the Book of Allah and the authentic Sunnah
     of His Messenger (SAAW).

     If one of these conditions are not meet, that person's deed
     will not benefit him/her in the least.  Of course, absence
     of knowledge is always an exception (eg. a person may make
     Wudhu but does not know the specific parts of the body that
     are to be washed; thus, he/she washes those parts which
     he/she thinks to be significant.  His/her Wudhu was not
     done in accordance with the Book and the Sunnah; however,
     he/she did not know the way to make Wudhu according to the
     Book and the Sunnah; hence, their Wudhu would be accepted
     for a and b were fulfilled, wa Allahu 'alam).  These are
     the conditions which the Salaaf As-Salih (Pious
     Predecessors) understood with regards to the acceptance and
     rejection of a deed.

     Another implications of the testimony: Muhammad is the
     Messenger of Allah (SAAW).

     BELIEF THAT HE (SAAW) WAS SENT TO ALL OF MANKIND AND THE JINN

     Verily, Allah, azza wa jall, has said in the Qur'an (what
     means):  "Say (O Muhammad SAAW): O mankind!  Verily, I am
     sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah - to Whom belongs
     the dominion of the Heavens and the Earth.  La illaha illa
     Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He).  It is
     He Who gives life and causes death.  So believe in Allah
     and His Messenger (SAAW), the Prophet who can neither read
     nor write, who believes in Allah and His Words, and follow
     him so that you may be guided." [Al-A'raf: 158].

     The prophet (SAAW) said (what means):  "And the Prophets
     were formerly sent to their people only, whereas I have
     been sent to all mankind."  [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

     Therefore, recognizing that he (SAAW) was sent as a mercy
     to all of mankind will, Inshallah, help kindle the proper
     love for him which will be manifested through obedience to
     his rulings.

     FINALITY OF HIS PROPHETHOOD

     Indeed, there is no Messenger/Prophet after Muhammd ibnu
     'Abd Allah (SAAW) as Allah, Ta 'Ala, says in His Book (what
     means):

     "Muhammad (SAAW) is not the father of any man among you,
     but he is the Messenger of Allah, and the last (end) of the
     Prophets.  Allah is Ever All-Aware of everything."
     [Al-Ahzab: 40].

     The Prophet (SAAW) has said (what means):  "And the line of
     the Prophets is closed with me."  [Muslim].

     Believing that Muhammad (SAAW) is the final Messenger of
     Allah confirms Allah's statement (what means):  "...This
     day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed my
     Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your
     religion..." [Al-Ma'idah:3 (in part)].  Thus, if Islam were
     not a complete way of life, then this religion would need
     to be constantly updated.  In order to update this
     religion, there would have to be another Prophet after
     Muhammad (SAAW).  However, this is not so as Allah
     completed this Diyn and it can never be changed from its
     true form.

     BELIEVING THAT HE (SAAW) HAS BEEN GIVEN TWO (2) RELELATIONS

     Al-Hamdulilah, Allah, azza wa jall, has give the Prophet
     (SAAW) two revelations as understood by the Minhaj of the
     Ahlus Sunnah Wal Juma'ah.  These are, of course, the Qur'an
     and the authentic Sunnah.  Allah confirms this with His
     saying (what means):

     "Nor does he (Muhammad SAAW) speak of his own desire.  It
     is only an Inspiration that is inspired."  [An-Najm: 3-4].

     "Indeed, Allah conferred a great favour on the believers
     when He sent among them a Messenger (Muhammad SAAW) from
     among themselves, reciting unto them His Verses (the
     Qur'an), and purifying them (from sins by their following
     him), and instructing them (in) the Book (the Qur'an) and
     Al-Hikmah (the wisdom and the Sunnah of the Prophet SAAW -
     i.e. his legal ways, statements, actions, etc.), while
     before that they had been in manifest error."  [Al-'Imran:
     164].

     The Prophet (SAAW) has also said (what means):  "I have,
     indeed, been given the Qur'an and something like it along
     with it (i.e. his Sunnah)."  [Abu Dawud].

     Thus, there is no mere choice between following the Sunnah
     and not following it.  It has been sent down as part of
     revelation; thus, it must be adhered to in full.  It is
     adhered to the way the Prophet (SAAW) explained it and the
     way the Sahabah understood it.  Allah confirms this with
     His saying (what means):

     "We sent no Messenger, but to be obeyed by the permission
     of Allah."

     "Obey Allah, and the Messenger (SAAW).  But if they turn
     away (then know), that Allah loves not the infidels."
     [Al-'Imran: 31-32].

     THE PROPHET HAS RIGHTS UPON HIS FOLLOWERS

     These rights are:  1.  We believe in what the Prophet
     Muhammad (SAAW) has said.  2.  We obey him in what has been
     commanded and forsake what he has forbidden or
     discouraged.  3.  We worship Allah according to the
     Shar'iah of His Messenger (SAAW), not by whims and Bid'ah
     (innovations).  4.  We judge ourselves by the Shar'iah of
     Prophet Muhammad (SAAW), and not by any other law.  5.  We
     love Allah's Messenger (SAAW) more than our parents,
     children, all of mankind, indeed our very selves.

     Allah has confirmed the above with His statement (what
     means):

     "Say (to them O Muhammad SAAW): If you love Allah, follow
     me, and Allah will love you, and forgive you your sins;
     Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful. Say:  Obey Allah, and
     the Messenger (SAAW), but if they turn away (then know),
     that Allah loves not the infidels."  [Al-'Imran: 31-32].

     "And let those who oppose his (Muhammad's SAAW) command
     beware, lest a trail befall them (that will lead them to
     Kuffur) or a painful punishment be inflicted on them."
     [An-Nur: 63].

     "You have indeed a good example in the Messenger of Allah
     (SAAW) for whosoever hopes for Allah and the Last Day, and
     remembers Allah much." [Al-Ahzab: 21].

     "It is not for any believer, man or woman, when Allah and
     His Messenger (SAAW) have decreed a matter, to have the
     choice in their affair.  And whosoever disobeys Allah and
     His Messenger (SAAW) he has gone astray into manifest
     error." [Al-Ahzab: 36].

     "But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they
     make you (O Muhammad SAAW) judge in all disputes between
     them, and find in their souls no resistance against your
     decisions, but accept (them) fully with submission."
     [An-Nisa: 65].

     Thus, we see in this last Ayah that Allah negates that a
     person can have Imaan unless that person makes the Prophet
     (SAAW) judge in *all* affairs and that we accept his (SAAW)
     decisions with submission.  This Ayah is indeed serious as
     Allah swears to this negation with His saying (what means),
     "But no, by your Lord...".

     The Prophet (SAAW) stressed the importance of obeying and
     following his Sunnah with his saying (what means):

     "All of my people will enter Jennah except those who
     refuse."  When asked about those who refuse, he said: "He
     who obeys me will enter Jennah, while he who disobeys me
     has refused."  [Al-Bukhari].

     He (SAAW) also said (what means):  "If anyone introduces
     into this affair of ours anything which does not belong to
     it, it is rejected."  [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

     And:  "None of you believes untill I am dearer to him than
     his father, his child, and all of mankind."  [Al-Bukhari
     and Muslim].

     And:  "There are qualities for which anyone who is
     characterized by them will experiece the sweetness of
     Imaan: he to whom Allah and His Messenger (SAAW) are dearer
     than all else; he who loves a human being for Allah's Sake
     alone; and who has as great an abhorrence of returning to
     Kuffur (disbelief) after Allah has rescued him from it as
     he has being cast into the Hell Fire."  [Al-Bukhari and
     Muslim].

     Although the Prophet (SAAW) is the best of examples and
     following his Sunnah is obligatory, we must remember that
     it is not right to overpraise him (SAAW) as he was not
     divine, but a man.  Some deviant sects of Islam direct
     their 'Ibaadah to the Prophet (SAAW); however, this is
     Shirk Al-Akbar (association in the highest degree) which
     will not be forgiven unless that person makes sincere
     Tawbah before his/her death.

     A MAN AND NOT DIVINE

     Allah says (what means):

     "Say (O Muhammad SAAW): I am only a man like you: it is
     revealed to me that your God is One God: So, let him who
     hopes for the meeting with his Lord, do righteousness, and
     not associate anything in the worship of hsi Lord."
     [Al-Kahf: 111].

     The Prophet (SAAW) said (what means):  "Do not overpraise
     me as the Christians overpraised the son of Mary (i.e. 'Isa
     AS).  I am His slave, so say: Allah's slave and Messenger."
     [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

     SENDING SALAAT AND SALAAM UPON THE NABEE (SAAW)

     This is an action which the believer are commanded to do as
     Allah says in the Qur'an (what means):

     "Indeed, Allah and His angels send Salaat (i.e. Allah
     mentions the Prophet's SAAW name in the presence of the
     angels) upon the Prophet (SAAW).  O you who believe!  Send
     your Salaat and your Salaam upon him (ie. by saying Salla
     Allahu 'alaihi wa sallam, etc.)."  [Al-Ahzab: 56].