UAE Friday sermon: Follow the Prophet in word and action to demonstrate your faith

Worshippers will be told that Prophet Mohammed liked cleanliness, kindness and tolerance

The secret to God's love, mercy and forgiveness lies in emulating the Prophet's best attributes, the sermon will tell worshippers.

The Quran quotes Prophet Mohammed as saying “If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” (Al Imran: 31). 

By following the Sunna – the traditional teachings based on the words or actions of the Prophet – a Muslim demonstrates his love for him and the strength of his faith.

God ordered Muslims to follow the Prophet's example, saying "there has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often." (Al-Ahzab: 21).

Prayer was one of the Prophet’s favourite acts of worship. It was so dear to his heart that he once said “my comfort has been provided in prayer”.

He would perform the mandatory prayers and the additional voluntary prayers known as Nawafil.

The Prophet also enjoyed fasting as a demonstration of commitment to his faith. Other than during Ramadan, Prophet Mohammed would fast every Monday and Thursday because, during those days, good deeds are said to be raised and presented to God.

Reciting Quran and contemplating its verses is another act of faith the Prophet would regularly perform.

He attributed special status to some verses that he would recite more often than others. These include Surat Al Fat’h, about which he said, “Tonight a Sura has been revealed to me, and it is dearer to me than that on which the sun rises (i.e. the world)”

Other than reciting Quran, he also loved to hear it and was known to ask others to recite Quran so he could listen. This act helps the listener understand the meaning of the verses and it is also said to be the greatest form of Dhikr – remembering God.

The Prophet liked to remember God at all times, not only in times of need.

He loved well-mannered people and once said “the most beloved to me among you is the one who has the best character and manners”.

He said that those who attended to the needs of others were dearer to him than visiting a mosque in Madinah for a month.

Being honest and a trustworthy is another quality that the Prophet appreciated.

The sermon will tell worshippers that pardoning and tolerance were also part of the Prophet’s character.

It is said the angel Jibril (Gabriel) once asked him to choose between either punishing the disbelievers who caused him harm or keeping the door of repentance and mercy open for them.

The Prophet said, “Rather, the door of repentance and mercy.”

He pardoned them and then invoked Allah for them.