On the Obligation to Love and Revere the Messenger, the Prohibition of Exaggeration and Over-Praise in Extolling Him, and a Clarification of His Rank ﷺ

1 – The obligation to love and revere him ﷺ:
A servant must first love Allah, and that love is one of the greatest acts of worship. The Almighty says, “But those who believe are stronger in their love for Allah” (Q 2:165). He alone is the Lord who has graciously bestowed upon His servants every outward and inward blessing. After the love of Allah comes the love of His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ, for it was he who summoned people to Allah, made Him known, conveyed His law, and clarified His rulings. Every good the believers obtain in this world and the Hereafter comes through this Messenger, and no one will enter Paradise except by obeying and following him ﷺ. The Prophet said, “There are three qualities which, if found in a person, he will taste the sweetness of faith: that Allah and His Messenger are dearer to him than anything else; that he loves a person only for the sake of Allah; and that he loathes returning to disbelief after Allah has delivered him from it just as he loathes being cast into the Fire.” (1)