It’s no coincidence that when I wrote this post it was the 12th day of Rabbi’ Awwal, the day the Prophet Muhammad (saw) was born. He was described on numerous occasions to be more beautiful than a full moon, may Allah (S) send His infinite peace and blessings upon him. He was a mercy and a gift to mankind, a man of wisdom and grace. We, as Muslims, are taught from a young age to love the Prophet Muhammad (saw), to follow his sunnah, study his life, memorize his hadith and to send peace and blessings upon him.

The love of the Prophet is something ingrained in our identity as Muslims, after all we bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah (S), and Muhammad (saw) is His Prophet and messenger.

But what does loving the Prophet truly mean, and how can we embody his sunnah in our daily life? Is our love for the prophet stagnant and superficial? Do we go about our lives acknowledging his importance in our faith, sending peace and blessings upon him from one Friday to the next, and occasionally following our fard prayers with a sunnah? Or, is our love for the Prophet, peace be upon him, active, always moving and changing positively?

Are we constantly striving to follow in his footsteps, studying his seerah (life’s journey), reflecting on his hadith, and analyzing his behaviors and mannerisms in order to implement them in our own lives? Do we truly love the Prophet Muhammad (saw) unconditionally, the way his companions loved him?

As we go through the various seasons of life, it is only natural for our spirituality to also experience its own highs and lows. The path to pleasing Allah (S) and attaining jannah is not an easy one and requires frequent check in’s and renewal of intentions. Similarly, we may find our love for the prophet fluctuate in intensity from time to time. We will also need to continuously nurture that love in order to strengthen our relationship with him.

How can we expect ourselves to love the Prophet if we are not working on that love, stoking it, tending to it, learning more about it?

I recently was invited to attend a weekly local halaqa (study circle) centered around the seerah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad. I firmly believe that every aspect of our lives is divinely orchestrated and that my spur of the moment invitation was not by chance. After attending the first week, I felt as though Allah (S) knew what my heart needed at this moment of my life. It’s as though I was specifically chosen to attend this blessed gathering in order to revive my love of my Prophet and Messenger.

Over the course of the week after attending that first halaqa, I reflected on my intentions for attending the gathering and why I chose to touch base with my relationship with the Prophet. I found myself looking back at my younger self, someone who had been deeply immersed in her Islamic School upbringing and had been surrounded by the seerah and hadith of the Prophet.

I longed for those days that were centered around the teachings and sunnah of our prophet, where my heart was linked to him in a way that made his presence in my life feel almost tangible. I found myself remembering a time in my life not too long ago, a time that I was grieving the loss of a dear loved one and was reminded by doing a deep dive into the life of the Prophet, that it was okay for me to nurse my grief and that the Prophet Muhammad (S) himself grieved the loss of many throughout his lifetime.

This, in turn, led me to reflect on just how humane the Prophet Muhammad (saw) really is, and that although he is a Prophet and the best of mankind, he was also just as human as we are. His hadith and seerah show us how to carry out our daily lives, how to live every step of the day just from observing his actions and mannerisms.

There is divine wisdom in sending down messengers and prophets who are human, who are relatable in the way they carry out their daily lives and express their emotions.

I found myself looking at my children and wanting to provide them with a similar experience as my own, rooted in a pure and deep love for our Muhammad (S).

I know in order to instill love for another, I must lead by example. And that starts with attaining knowledge. The importance of studying the seerah and life of the prophet Muhammad is directly linked to the love and importance the Prophet holds in our lives as Muslims. Fully knowing the Prophet, peace be upon him, through the study of his life inevitably leads to admiration and increases our love of him.

Being reminded of Prophet Muhammad (saw) helps us see the mercy, the rahma, in our lives. That will in turn spark rahma around us and ease the way in which we respond to situations that come our way.

“And We have sent you (O Muhammad saw) not but as a mercy for the Aalameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists)” [Quran 21:107]

In this blessed, joyful month of Rabbi’ Awwal, I extend an invitation for you to be amongst those who are active lovers of the Prophet. I invite you to revisit your relationship with our beloved Messenger and cultivate a deep love for Muhammad (saw). With so many resources accessible online, I encourage you to take this month for you and your family to get to know the Messenger of Allah (S) on a deeper, more intimate level.

I ask Allah (S) to help us in seeking the Prophet’s guidance through his teachings. May Allah (S) count us amongst those who will have the privilege of meeting with our beloved Muhammad (saw) at his hawd and drink from his hands,. a drink that will quench our thirst on the day of judgement. Ameen.

“O Allah! Bestow mercy and peace upon our master Muhammad, the key to Allah’s Gates of Mercy – equal to that which is in Allah’s knowledge—a mercy and peace that last as eternally as Allah’s sovereignty, and upon his family and companions” – equal to every atom one thousand times over.

Want to grow, nurture and revive your love for the Prophet Muhammad (saw)? These resources have helped me and, Insha'Allah, will help you: