Obey the Prophet, remember him, follow his example

Perfection of faith is dependent on love of the Prophet

Love of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the pillar of faith. It is a major requirement of Iman. This is mentioned in the Holy Qur'an: "Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you" (Ali `Imran, 31).
The celebration of the Holy Prophet's birth is motivated by this obligation to love the Prophet (peace be upon him), to obey him, to remember him, to follow his example, and to be proud of him as Allah is proud of him, since Allah has boasted about him in His Holy Book by saying: "Truly you are of a magnificent character" (al-Qalam, 4).
Love of the Prophet is what differentiates believers in the perfection of their Iman. In an authentic hadith related in Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet said: "None of you believes until he loves me more than he loves his children, his parents, and all of mankind."
Perfection of faith is dependent on love of the Prophet because Allah and His angels are constantly praising his honour, as is meant by the verse:"Allah and His angels are praying on the Prophet."
The divine order that immediately follows in the verse, "O Believers, pray on him.," makes it clear that the quality of being a believer is dependent on and manifested by praying on the Prophet. O Allah! Send peace and blessings on the Prophet, his family and his Companions.
We all love the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the personality whose greatness is acknowledged by Muslim and non-Muslim thinkers and scholars - a warm friend and a guide for his companions, a devoted and loving husband to his wives, a shady tree for his daughters, a leader of the Ummah (community), an exemplary politician and a reformist who transformed the most uncultured Bedouin into the most disciplined force of people known to history.
His message, which begins with the oneness of Allah, gives answers for all the problems we face today. But how many of us have actually explored the message he brought? Do we really know the message? The Qur'anic code of life sent to us though our beloved Messenger of Allah still remains untouched, only to be 'recited' when we are in trouble or a calamity afflicts us, or it becomes a part of the deluxe package that goes with the bride. How many of us consult his way in our practical lives whether it's a matter of celebration or woe?
We never see the Prophet telling a lie, deceiving a human or even an animal, breaking a pact or a promise. He forgives and prays for the humiliating tribal chiefs of Taif and the people who throw stones at him. He rejects social inequality and all sorts of racial supremacy and lays down in his final sermon, the basic charter of human rights: "An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action."
He sets best examples of justice and warns that the previous nations were destroyed because they only punished their weak and poor for crimes. He teaches us to be on our best behavior and to have 'akhlaaq' (manners) with our neighbors (Muslim or Non-Muslims) so much so that he once thought that they might get a share in inheritance (because of the stress Allah has put on their rights). He cries for Allah's forgiveness for us and stresses us to remain united and not be divided due to language, castes or sects.
Non-Muslim minorities are at peace under his rule. Justice is served irrespective of faith, status or personal affiliation. He lifts the status of a woman from the one who was buried alive at birth to a guarantee to get best rewards, may it be through serving and obeying one's mother, taking care of a wife or raising a daughter with love. He brings a message that puts rewards in charity and spending from what we love most, giving an orphan a home and helping a widow to survive.
No one has the right to question anybody's sincerity of 'love for the Prophet 'but we all need some serious self-evaluation. When we claim to be his followers, it automatically makes us his ambassadors and representatives in whatever roles and responsibilities we take. Do we consult the Prophet in different matters of our lives?
Let's follow the Prophet to prove that we love him. Let's celebrate him every day.