, and Umar said to him, ‘O Messenger of Allah, you are dearer to me than everything except my own self.’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, replied, ‘No, by Him in Whose hand is my soul, not until I am dearer to you than your own self.’ Umar then said to him, ‘Now, by Allah, you are indeed dearer to me than my own self.’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Now, Umar.’”

Allah Most High has said:

“Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your spouses, your relatives, the wealth you have acquired, the trade whose decline you fear, and the homes you cherish are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger and striving in His cause, then wait until Allah brings about His command. Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.”

Allah Most High has also said:

“The Prophet has a greater claim on the believers than they have on themselves.”

In the two Sahīh collections, he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“I have a greater claim on every believer than he has on himself.”

This is because no one can escape Allah’s punishment or attain His mercy except through the Messenger: by believing in him, loving him, being loyal to him, and following him. It is through him that Allah saves a person from punishment in this world and the Hereafter, and it is he who leads that person to the good of this world and the Hereafter. The greatest and most beneficial blessing is therefore the blessing of faith, which can only be attained through him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He is more devoted to each person’s welfare, and more beneficial to him, than his own self and wealth. For it is through him that Allah brings a person out of darkness into light; there is no other way for him. As for his own self and his family, they cannot avail him at all against Allah.

He called creation to Allah by Allah’s permission, as Allah Most High says:

“Indeed, We have sent you