IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL
BEING THE FIRST SERMON FOR THE MONTH OF DHUL-QA’DAH
DATE: 4 / 11 / 1446 AH — 2 / 5 / 2025 CE
TOPIC: THE NECESSITY OF EMULATING THE MESSENGER (ﷺ) IN ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE
THE FIRST SERMON
All praise is due to Allah. We praise Him, seek His help, seek His forgiveness, and repent to Him. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of our souls and the misdeeds of our actions. Whomever Allah guides, none can misguide; and whomever He misguides, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant, His Messenger, His chosen one and beloved, the trustee of His revelation, and the conveyor of His divine law. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his family, his companions, and all those who follow them with goodness until the Day of Judgment.
As to what follow,
O servants of Allah! I advise you and myself to fear Allah, for whoever fears Allah, He will protect him and guide him to the best in his religious and worldly affairs.
Today’s topic is about the NECESSITY OF EMULATING THE MESSENGER (ﷺ) IN ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE. This is one of the fundamental influences in shaping people’s lives, a powerful drive for transformation and reform, and a key factor in raising generations across time — shaping them intellectually and morally so that they may bear the responsibility of religious obligation, fulfill the trust of vicegerency on earth, and contribute to its development.
A believer who follows the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) must adhere to the correct methodology in emulation. This is because a proper approach to emulation ensures that following the Prophet is sound and balanced according to the standards of Shariah — without excess or negligence. Many have slipped and deviated, not because of bad intentions, but because of straying from the correct path and method. Therefore, understanding the method of emulating the Prophet ﷺ protects a person from falling into danger.
The first step in emulating the Prophet ﷺ is to believe in him as a Messenger sent by Allah, and to affirm the truth of what he brought in terms of religion, belief, and morals. Allah says:
“فَآمِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَٱلنُّورِ ٱلَّذِى أَنزَلْنَا”
“So believe in Allah and His Messenger and the Light [i.e., the Qur’an] which We have sent down.”
(Surah At-Taghābun, 64:8)
This is a clear command from Allah to believe in the Prophet ﷺ and to affirm what he has brought. Allah has also warned those who disbelieve in the Prophet ﷺ of a severe punishment on the Day of Judgment:
“وَمَن لَّمْ يُؤْمِن بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ فَإِنَّآ أَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ سَعِيرًۭا”
“But whoever does not believe in Allah and His Messenger — then indeed, We have prepared for the disbelievers a Blaze.” (Surah Al-Fatḥ, 48:13)
And true belief in him ﷺ cannot be achieved without knowing him properly and understanding his message in depth.
Indeed, the Messenger ﷺ was a perfect role model in various fields of life, and among the most significant of these are:
1 – His Character at Home:
The Mother of the Believers, ʿĀ’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her, described the character of the Prophet ﷺ when she said:
“كان خُلُقُهُ القرآنَ”
“His character was the Qur’an.” (Narrated by Muslim)
This means that all of his actions ﷺ were a practical embodiment of the noble character described in the Qur’an. Allah the Almighty said:
“وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ”
“And indeed, you are of a great moral character.” (Surah Al-Qalam, 68:4)
This lofty character was most clearly seen in his home — with his wives and daughters. He ﷺ used the kindest words and the gentlest expressions with them. He would play with them, show affection, bring joy to their hearts, and treat them with justice and fairness.
ʿĀ’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said:
“كانَ رسولُ اللَّهِ صلَّى اللَّهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ إذا أرادَ سفرًا أقرعَ بينَ نسائِهِ، فأيتهنَّ خرجَ سهمُها خرجَ بِها رسولُ اللَّهِ صلَّى اللَّهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ معهُ”
“When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ intended to travel, he would draw lots among his wives, and whichever one’s name was drawn, he would take her with him.” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī and Muslim)
She also said:
“كانَ بشرًا منَ البشرِ، يَفْلي ثوبَهُ، ويَحلُبُ شاتَهُ، ويَخدِمُ نفسَهُ”
“He was a human being like any other; he would remove lice from his clothes, milk his goat, and serve himself.” (Narrated by Aḥmad and Ibn Ḥibbān)
Despite being the Prophet of the Ummah and its leader, he ﷺ did these things to teach his nation that no matter how high a person’s status or name may be, they should not act arrogantly or oppressively, but rather maintain humility and patience.
The books of Seerah (biography) are filled with such noble qualities that defined the Prophet’s ﷺ character within his household and among his family.
2 – His Character with People:
The Prophet ﷺ displayed the highest level of moral excellence with his companions (may Allah be pleased with them all). He never acted superior to any of them. He would greet them with a cheerful, smiling face, speak to them in a calm and respectful tone, and share in their joys and sorrows.
He treated all his companions equally to such an extent that each of them would feel as if the Prophet ﷺ favored him over others due to the kindness and gentleness shown to him.
Moreover, the Prophet ﷺ would consult his companions in matters of daʿwah (inviting to Islam) and in times of war — without any distinction between Arabs and non-Arabs. For example, he followed the suggestion of Salman al-Fārsī (a Persian) to dig the trench during the Battle of the Confederates (Ghazwat al-Aḥzāb), and he appointed Bilāl (may Allah be pleased with him) — an Abyssinian — as his personal Mu’adhdhin (caller to prayer).
Leaders, officials, businessmen, scholars, employees, and the general public must all reflect on this noble character of the Prophet ﷺ. They should adopt it permanently in their interactions with others. They should neither be arrogant toward Allah’s servants nor wrong them, deceive them, or make their affairs difficult.
Following the Messenger of Allah ﷺ means emulating all of his actions, so that people may live in mutual trust, hearts may grow closer, hatred and animosity may disappear, and love and harmony may prevail in the society.
3 – His Character with Children:
The Prophetic biography provides numerous examples of the Prophet’s ﷺ kindness, mercy, and affection toward children. He would play with them, joke with them, and never became angry or harsh toward them — so much so that all children loved him.
ʿĀ’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said:
“كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يؤتى بالصبيان فيدعو لهم، فأُتي بصبي فبال على ثوبه، فدعا بماء فأتبعه إياه ولم يغسله”
“The Prophet ﷺ used to have children brought to him so that he would supplicate for them. One day, a child urinated on his garment, so he called for water and sprinkled it over the area, without washing it.”
— (Narrated by al-Bukhārī)
He ﷺ would also playfully call Zaynab, the daughter of Umm Salamah, saying:
“يا زوينب…”
“O little Zaynab…” (a gentle and affectionate diminutive form of her name)
When one of these children was harmed or suffered, the Prophet ﷺ would be emotionally affected — even weep out of compassion. Saʿd ibn ʿUbādah (may Allah be pleased with him) once saw the Prophet’s ﷺ eyes overflowing with tears and asked:
“يا رسول الله، ما هذا؟ “هذه رحمة جعلها الله في قلوب عباده، وإنما يرحم الله من عباده الرحماء”
“O Messenger of Allah, what is this (tears)?” The Prophet ﷺ replied: “This is mercy which Allah has placed in the hearts of His servants, and Allah only shows mercy to those of His servants who are merciful.” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī)
4 – His Character with His Enemies:
The Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ treatment of his enemies, especially when he had the upper hand, amazed the world. Never in history was a conqueror more merciful than he was, despite the harm, torture, and exile inflicted upon him.
When Makkah was conquered and the Quraysh — who had opposed and persecuted him for years — came under his control, the Prophet ﷺ addressed them:
“يا معشر قريش ما ترون أني فاعل بكم؟ قالوا: خيرًا أخ كريم وابن أخ كريم، قال: اذهبوا فأنتم الطلقاء” (سيرة ابن هشام).
“O people of Quraysh, what do you think I will do to you?” They replied: “Good. You are a noble brother, the son of a noble brother.” The Prophet ﷺ then said: “Go, for you are free.” (Sīrah Ibn Hishām)
And when he went to Ṭā’if in hope of support, the tribe of Thaqīf rejected him, had him pelted with stones by their children, and injured his feet. Then, the Angel of the Mountains came and offered to crush them, but the Prophet ﷺ replied:
“بل أرجو أن يُخرج الله من أصلابهم من يعبد الله وحده لا يشرك به شيئًا”
“Rather, I hope that Allah will bring forth from their descendants people who will worship Allah alone and not associate anything with Him.” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī and Muslim)
The World’s Need for This Character Today:
In today’s turbulent world, we are in desperate need of this noble character. Mercy has been replaced with brutality, virtue with vice, sincerity with hypocrisy. These moral failures are tools of destruction ravaging the world.
The tragicscenes we witness daily — killings, displacement, deprivation, and poverty — are the direct result of a lack of the moral values brought by the Messenger of this Ummah ﷺ.
“لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ”
“Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example…” (Surah al-Aḥzāb, 33:21)
THE SECOND SERMON
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the noblest of Messengers, our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and upon his family and companions altogether.
To proceed:
(إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ)
“Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.” — (Surah al-Baqarah, 2:156)
A Sincere Condolence:
With hearts wrung by grief, eyes struggling with tears and sorrow, and souls firmly believing in the decree and destiny of Allah, we received the news of the passing of our noble elder and esteemed scholar, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rasheed Hadiyyatullah, the President of the Supreme Council of Sharia in Nigeria, on the evening of Monday, April 28, 2025 (corresponding to 29th Shawwal 1446 AH).
The Janazah (funeral) prayer was held for him at noon on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at the campus of Shaykh Ibn Baz College of Sharia in Iwo, Osun State. May Allah envelope him in the showers of His forgiveness, rivers of His pleasure, and downpours of His mercy. May all his contributions to Islam and the Muslims be placed in the scale of his good deeds.
The deceased — your loss and ours alike — was a beacon of knowledge, a standard of guidance, and a pillar of da‘wah and Sharia in the blessed land of Nigeria. With his patience, wisdom, insight, truthfulness, and sincerity, he became a unique example of righteous leadership, beneficial knowledge, and fruitful work. He was a man who lived for knowledge, led the Ummah with wisdom, and raised the banner of Sharia in Nigeria with strength, light, and clarity. He was an imam in fiqh, a model of piety, and a tower in leadership, da‘wah, and education.
We ask Allah to grant him righteous successors in his family, institutions, and projects, and to continue the reward of his knowledge and deeds for him — as long as students continue learning, seekers continue to be guided, and generations continue to drink from his wellspring.
May Allah magnify your reward, beautify your consolation, forgive your deceased, and make al-Firdaws al-A‘lā his final abode.
A Warning Against Rumors and Defamation:
O servants of Allah, in the past week, there has been a widely spread rumor across Facebook and public conversations concerning Alhaj Owokomago in Yewa land — that he used to help some Muslims perform Hajj every year in exchange for taking their ihrām garments.
Now, the truth has been revealed: this is a fabricated lie, created to distort the image of Islam and Muslims. This is one of the recurring habits of the enemies of Allah and His religion. How often have they fabricated such lies? The case of the niqāb (veil) and Boko Haram are not far from such smear campaigns.
Allah the Most High says:
“يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطْفِئُوا نُورَ ٱللَّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَٱللَّهُ مُتِمُّ نُورِهِۦ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ”
“They want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light — even though the disbelievers hate it.” — (Surah as-Saff, 61:8)
Supplication:
اللَّهُمَّ آمِنَّا فِي أَوْطَانِنَا، وَاحْفَظْ إِخْوَانَنَا الْمُجَاهِدِينَ فِي كُلِّ بُقْعَةٍ، وَكُنْ مَعَهُمْ وَلَا تَكُنْ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَفَرِّجْ عَنِ الْمُعْتَقَلِينَ مِنْهُمْ بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ
O Allah, grant us security in our lands. Protect our mujahideen brothers in every part of the world. Be with them, not against them. And relieve the distress of those imprisoned among them, by Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful.