Obedience to the Messenger, is the obedience of Allah
In this spiritual discourse, Hazrat Pir Haroon-ur-Rashid Sahib (RA) explains the importance of obedience to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and its connection with obedience to Allah Almighty. Drawing guidance from Surah Aal-e-Imran, Verse 172, the discourse reflects on the devotion of the Companions after the Battle of Uhud and the great reward promised to those who follow the commands of Allah and His beloved Messenger ﷺ. Pir Sahib also reminds believers that true faith requires love, sincerity, remembrance, patience, and a life dedicated to following the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ.
Obedience to the Messenger ﷺ Is the Obedience of Allah
Discourse of His Eminence Pir Sahib (RA), delivered on 27th December 1986 — Discourse #71.
بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
فَنِعۡمَ الۡمَوۡلٰی وَ نِعۡمَ النَّصِیۡرُ
رَبِِّ اشۡرَحۡ لِیۡ صَدۡرِیۡ وَیَسِّرۡ لِیۡۤ اَمۡرِیۡ وَ احۡلُلۡ عُقۡدَۃً مِّنۡ لِّسَانِیۡ یَفۡقَہُوۡاقَوۡلِیۡ
اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِ عَلٰی سَیّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍوَّعَلٰی اٰلِ سَیِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍوَّعَلٰی اَصْحَابِہٖ وَعَلٰی اَذْوَاجِہٖ اَجْمَعِیْنَ وَبَارِکْ وَسَلِمْ وَصَلِ عَلَیْہٖ
اَ لْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ
The Almighty Allah be praised that the Master of All Sovereignty once again granted us today the opportunity to gather in His remembrance and pleasure. Millions and billions of blessings and salutations upon the Leader of the Prophets, the Beloved of Allah, Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa, peace and blessings be upon him, through whom this grace has been granted.
Respected listeners! Allah Almighty has said in the Holy Qur’an:
اَلَّذِيْنَ اسْتَجَابُوْا لِلّٰهِ وَالرَّسُوْلِ مِنْۢ بَعْدِ مَآ اَصَابَھُمُ الْقَرْحُ لِلَّذِيْنَ اَحْسَنُوْا مِنْھُمْ وَاتَّقَوْا اَجْرٌ عَظِيْمٌ
“Those who responded to Allah and the Messenger after they had suffered wounds—for those among them who did good and remained God-fearing, there is a great reward.”
(Surah Aal-e-Imran, Verse 172)
This command of Allah Almighty is complete guidance and light for mankind. By following it, a person attains the pleasure of Allah Almighty and becomes successful in both worlds. The first point is that some ignorant and unfortunate people believe that the command belongs only to Allah Almighty, and that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was merely a messenger and a human being like us. For them, this is a great lesson. Just as obeying the command of Allah Almighty is obligatory and necessary, in the same way, obeying the command of His beloved Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, is also necessary. Only then can a person be a believer; otherwise, he is a disbeliever.
This blessed verse was revealed when the Muslims suffered greatly in the Battle of Uhud and the noble companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, were wounded; however, by the grace of Allah Almighty, they eventually regained the upper hand, and the disbelievers were left humiliated. On the way, Abu Sufyan realized that they had made a mistake by turning back: the Muslims had been severely wounded and weakened, so they should have confronted them there, finished them off, and then returned. Meanwhile, the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, considered that the disbelievers might assume the Muslims had been worn out by their wounds and hardships and might attack again. Therefore, he decided it would be better to pursue them and launch another attack. He ordered the wounded companions to get ready and said they would pursue the disbelievers. Despite their injuries, the noble companions wholeheartedly obeyed his command and set out.
Allah Almighty revealed this blessed verse and praised those devoted Companions, saying that those who obeyed Allah Almighty and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, thereby performed a great act of righteousness and adopted fear of Allah. For them, the Sovereign of all sovereignty has a great reward.
This is something worth understanding: no verse of the Holy Qur’an was revealed here, nor was there any command from Allah to pursue the disbelievers. It was solely the command of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
Yet Allah Almighty referred to this command as His own command. This means that the command of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, is the command of Allah, and obeying the command of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, is a great act of righteousness and worship. This was indeed fear of Allah: they obeyed the command by giving up their rest, comfort, and personal desires.
Those who obeyed the command of their master, the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, at such a difficult time—Allah Almighty said that they had obeyed His command and that He would grant them a great reward.
Here, no limit has been set on the reward. This means that Allah Almighty will grant them boundless and immeasurable reward, both in this world and in the Hereafter.
History bears witness that they received such blessings from Allah Almighty in this world as have no parallel anywhere else in history, and ultimately, they attained the highest ranks.
This point alone is sufficient for those ignorant people who, by denying the greatness of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, fall into misfortune.
The second great lesson is that this world is a place of trials, whether one is rich or poor, a king or a beggar.
Even after facing such trials, those who, instead of complaining and lamenting, follow the teachings and commands of Allah Almighty’s beloved Prophet, make them the purpose of their lives, and care for no one else, will receive from Allah Almighty the same kind of reward that was granted to the devoted followers of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
Therefore, no matter how great the hardship or how much comfort one may have, one should always remember Allah Almighty and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him.
Considering the love of Allah Almighty and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, as everything, one should strive to live one’s life in obedience to the commands of Allah Almighty and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, so that one may attain honour and happiness in both worlds.
All praise is due to Allah that today He has granted us the ability to obey Allah Almighty and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, and has granted us the ability to engage in the remembrance of Allah—the greater Jihad.
So, acting upon this with sincerity of heart, remembering Allah through these blessed invocations and expressing our love for the beloved Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, we pray:
O Lord of all the worlds! For the sake of Your beloved Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and for the sake of those devoted servants of the beloved Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, grant us the same love and devotion to the beloved Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that Your Holy Being granted to those blessed people, and bless us with those everlasting bounties.
With this thought in mind, let us begin.
بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
The blessed Aurad-e-Naziriyah was recited, and supplication was made.
