“I said nothing to them except what You commanded me to say: ‘Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.’ I was a witness over them so long as I remained among them; but when You took me, You Yourself watched over them, and You are Witness over all things.” (Qur’an 5:117)

A man once said to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “Whatever Allah wills and you will.” He replied, “Have you made me a rival to Allah? Say instead, ‘Whatever Allah alone wills.’ ”

He also said, “Do not say, ‘Whatever Allah and Muhammad will,’ but say, ‘Whatever Allah wills, then whatever Muhammad wills.’ ”

When a young slave-girl chanted, “Among us is the Messenger of Allah who knows what tomorrow will bring,” he said, “Leave that. Say the words you were saying before.”

He said as well, “Do not over-praise me as the Christians over-praised the son of Mary. I am only a servant, so say: the servant of Allah and His Messenger.”

And when the Companions stood in rows behind him, he said, “Do not exalt me as the non-Arabs exalt one another.”

Anas reported, “There was no person dearer to them than the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.”