WOULD YOU HAVE A BULLET FOR HIM?

[KeligiiJabhad]

WOULD YOU TAKE A BULLET FOR HIM?

By Ibrahim Babelli
Writer - KSA

In 1993, I watched the newly-released movie Dave. The storyline of the movie was about someone who had an uncanny resemblance to the US president. He found himself forced to replace the real president in an attempt by White House staff to avoid a potentially explosive scandal.
I found the movie slightly amusing, but there was one scene, actually two, that I always remember. Dave, the imposter in the movie, had the following conversation with Duane, the secret service agent:

Dave: You know, I've always wondered about you guys. You know, about how you're trained to take a bullet for the president.

Duane: What about it?

Dave: Is that really true? I mean, would you let yourself be killed to save his life?

Duane: Certainly.

Dave: So, now that means you'd get killed for me too.

Duane did not answer this question immediately, but it was so obvious that he felt its weight. Later on, when Duane discovered the real character of Dave he finally answered the question: "I would have taken a bullet for you."

I wondered then: Who would I take a bullet for? Later, I discussed this same question with a close friend. We both agreed that this person must be someone we hold dear, whose life we regard as more important than our own, and for whom we would sacrifice anything, including our own life. We agreed that we would take a bullet for our fathers, but I would not take a bullet for the father of my friend and he would not take a bullet for my father.

I immediately remembered what Duane said to Dave at the end of the movie when I saw that many of my non-Muslim colleagues did not understand why Muslims become so angry when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is ridiculed, insulted or belittled.

Muslims would sacrifice their own lives for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). That was my answer.
`Umar ibn Al-Khattab told the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) once: "O Allah's Messenger! You are dearer to me than everything except my own self." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "No, by Him in Whose Hand my soul is, (you will not have complete faith) till I am dearer to you than your own self." Then `Umar said to him [having reflected upon the matter], "However, now, by Allah, you are dearer to me than my own self." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Now, O `Umar, (you are a believer)." (Al-Bukhari)

I cannot be absolutely certain of the exact mental arguments that `Umar entertained before he gave his final answer, but I am almost sure that he asked himself the following question, "Would I sacrifice myself to save the Prophet?" And his entire self, mind and soul, answered emphatically, "Yes!" The Companions of the Prophet held him dear to the point that they would rather suffer the most horrible deaths than wish upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) the slightest pain. When Khubayb, a Companion of the Prophet was captured and was about to be executed, his executioners asked him, "Would you want Muhammad to be in your place?" He answered, "I would suffer being hacked to death to spare the Prophet the prick of a thorn while he is in his home." He, Khubayb, was indeed hacked to death, but did not waver in his love for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

Muslims may differ on a lot of things, but they all agree on their absolute and unwavering love for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Muslims cannot take a bullet for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) now, since no bullet can hit him physically in his grave, but they – if forced to - would sacrifice anything for his sake at any time to protect his sanctity from that which might negatively affect it.

Is this an extreme reaction to a trivial offence? After all, derogatory and outright offensive stereotypes are commonplace these days. But nobody reacts the same way Muslims do when their Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is, for example, offensively portrayed in the media. The reason is that no offense is trivial in the eyes of Muslims when it is directed against Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his sanctity is much more valuable to them than the life of the US president is to his secret service agents.

I would take a bullet for Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). You know why? Because Almighty Allah says,
(Now has come unto you a Messenger from amongst yourselves: it grieves him that you should perish; Ardently anxious is he over you; to the Believers is he most kind and merciful.) (At-Tawbah 9:128)
________________________________________
Ibrahim Babelli is a research scientist. He published several books, papers and reports. He worked as a director and executive director in several campus publications in Prude University.


Source: IslamOnline.net

[KeligiiJabhad]

"I would suffer being hacked to death to spare the Prophet the prick of a thorn while he is in his home."

[BlackVelvet]

`Umar ibn Al-Khattab told the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) once: "O Allah's Messenger! You are dearer to me than everything except my own self." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "No, by Him in Whose Hand my soul is, (you will not have complete faith) till I am dearer to you than your own self." Then `Umar said to him [having reflected upon the matter], "However, now, by Allah, you are dearer to me than my own self." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Now, O `Umar, (you are a believer)." (Al-Bukhari)

Okay since it seems to be a competition. Should the prophet mean more to you than your mother?

[AhlulbaytSoldier]

Execution is better for us than to see the prophet pbuh or one of his ahlulbayt suffering from the smallest wound.

[Somalian_Boqor]

`Umar ibn Al-Khattab told the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) once: "O Allah's Messenger! You are dearer to me than everything except my own self." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "No, by Him in Whose Hand my soul is, (you will not have complete faith) till I am dearer to you than your own self." Then `Umar said to him [having reflected upon the matter], "However, now, by Allah, you are dearer to me than my own self." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Now, O `Umar, (you are a believer)." (Al-Bukhari)

Okay since it seems to be a competition. Should the prophet mean more to you than your mother?

BlackVelvet of course abaayo. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is only second to Allah.

[ciyaal_warta]

1-Muhammed Sala ALLAHU caleyhi wa salam
2- my mother

[SultanOrder]

`Umar ibn Al-Khattab told the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) once: "O Allah's Messenger! You are dearer to me than everything except my own self." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "No, by Him in Whose Hand my soul is, (you will not have complete faith) till I am dearer to you than your own self." Then `Umar said to him [having reflected upon the matter], "However, now, by Allah, you are dearer to me than my own self." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Now, O `Umar, (you are a believer)." (Al-Bukhari)

Okay since it seems to be a competition. Should the prophet mean more to you than your mother?

It is not 'should he' but rather 'he does' mean more to us than any save Allah.

[BlackVelvet]

I can not say with 100% conviction that I would stand in the way of a fired gun for anyone. That is why I didn't join the secret service but I would that hope that it doesn't make me less of a Muslim because of it.

Horta I am surprised by that haddith. I thought being a Muslim was about believing in the prophet and praying for him and his family like we do everyday so there is love and respect involved but I did not know that you have to love the prophet more than you love yourself. Not that it's something you can truly measure in the first place but it just seems an odd requirement.

[grandpakhalif]

BV Allah commands muslims to love the prophet

[BlackVelvet]

If you are a Muslim you will naturally love the prophet.

[SultanOrder]

Bv don't be surprised by the vigourous and enthusiastic replies of "Yes" by us, when in reality most us muslims do not even follow the simple prohibitions and sunnah's of whom they attest their undying love for.

As for the hadith, we can reasonably deduce that their are varrying levels of Iman that are reached by a believer. One is to love the rasul more than those whom you care for most, which you can see is a very great level of Iman that was brought by Umar Ibn Al-Khattab. When Umar said that he loved the rasul scw over his own parents (which a felial society you know there is nothing greater than their parents), he was saying it because he believed that he had brought the "greatest" level of Iman to the rasul scw (and I say he believed he was bring the greatest because the sahaba loved nothing more than to bring that which was most beloved to Allah and his rasul scw) and it was a way to comfort the rasul scw. Seeing and knowing most certainly Umar's intention, the Rasul scw wanted nothing more than to complete the Iman of Umar ibn Al Khattab so he informed him what complete and whole Iman the highest and most excellent level was, and that is most assuredly to Love completely and truly Allah and the Rasul over every creation and your own self. And that is the most noblest rank in the eyes of Allah because Allah himself loves nothing more than his Rasul scw.
The proof of their Iman, can be seen in so many cases, but one that I recall is how during the battle of Uhud the sahab would jump and sacrifice their own bodies so that the arrows of Qu'raish would not harm the Rasul scw.

I hope that clears some part, and puts it in it's right place. I know my own self, and though I love sincerely the rasul, my Iman is far from being complete and whole. Insha'allah I hope that Allah makes me among those whose Iman makes complete, and I hope the same for all aspiring muslims. Amin

But don't take my word for it, consult a sheikh, I'm just a kid after all ayeeyo.

[KeligiiJabhad]

`Umar ibn Al-Khattab told the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) once: "O Allah's Messenger! You are dearer to me than everything except my own self." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "No, by Him in Whose Hand my soul is, (you will not have complete faith) till I am dearer to you than your own self." Then `Umar said to him [having reflected upon the matter], "However, now, by Allah, you are dearer to me than my own self." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Now, O `Umar, (you are a believer)." (Al-Bukhari)

Okay since it seems to be a competition. Should the prophet mean more to you than your mother?

Love for the Prophet Muhammad is a measure of one's iman (faith and inner conviction) and our iman is completed and perfected only when our love for the Prophet exceeds our love for everything else in this world, including our own lives. The Holy Qur'an says:
"The Prophet is preferable for the believers even to their own selves..." (33:6)

This is a definitional sentence which tells us what it takes to be a believer: preferring the Prophet even to one's own life. In confirmation of this the Prophet is reported in Hadith to have said:

"None of you becomes a believer until I am dearer to him than his children, his parents and all mankind." (as reported by Bukhari and Muslim) Some versions add: "his life, his wealth and his family"

So the answer is "Yes"!

[XaliimoFarax]

The more you read and learn about the prophet (saw) the more you will love him. You can not expect to love someone when you do not know them completely.

Learning the seerah of the prophet (saw) will help you to learn to love him and hence increase your imeen inshallah. The prophet (saw)’s manner, character and his love for his ummah will touch you’re heart and in return you will love him. What were his last words “my umma my umma”. Such a noble man!

[KeligiiJabhad]

The more you read and learn about the prophet (saw) the more you will love him. You can not expect to love someone when you do not know them completely.

Learning the seerah of the prophet (saw) will help you to learn to love him and hence increase your imeen inshallah. The prophet (saw)’s manner, character and his love for his ummah will touch you’re heart and in return you will love him. What were his last words “my umma my umma”. Such a noble man!

Well said XaliimoFarax. I've had the chance to read the Prophet's Seerah several times, and every time I read, I felt as though I was with the Prophet (SAW), and that has tremendously changed my heart, and-- all Praise be to Allah [SWT]--the love I have for the Prophet (SAW) has been growing since then.