Principle of Devoting to Worship

part 1

It has been reported by some wives of the holy prophet that sometimes he used to get busy in talking with us, and we too talked to him. Whenever the time for prayer approached, it seemed as if he was not supposed to recognize us and we were also not supposed to identify him. He neglected all other things due to his devotion toward God, the Almighty.

The Holy Prophet's devotion to Worship

The holy  prophet  accessed  to  the peak  degree  in worshipping God, the Almighty, he touched the heights and became   entitled   to   Divine's   appreciation.   God,   the Almighty, affirms:

“Then he drew near, and then he bowed, so he was the measure of two bows or closer still”‌.

The honorable prophet was the lord of all the people in worshipping and serving his God. Imam 'Ali in this regard said:

He  was  a  messenger  of  beauties  with  regard  to worshipping and serving God, the Almighty; he thought the worship as the best source and he used to worship truthfully and devotedly. He used to get engaged in worshipping God as he loved to remain in this state and he did not want to leave it. Sometimes he used to say his prayers such an extent as his feet got hurt and impaired, or sometimes he used to shed tears extensively because of his devoutness to God, that he went to coma. He was asked: “Why do you oblige yourself to such a degree despite of having such an excellent position and brilliant record before God.”‌ At this, he said:

“Should I not become a thankful servant and devotee to God, the Almighty?”‌

It has been narrated through some of traditions that honorable prophet used to worship and devote himself to God, the Almighty after descending of a revelation, and particularly he got engaged in worshiping until his feet were impaired, yet he was devoted to worshipping and serving his truthful God, as he saw these sufferings nothing for the sake of his adored one.

The Late Imam (R.A) in this regard says as following:

“Seal of the prophets; the holy prophet of Islam, suffered hardships and undertook uprising for the sake of truth to such an extent as his feet became impaired”‌ The   holy   messenger   became   liberate   of   any engagements for worshipping and serving his God. The worldly pomp and shows, and deceptive beauties were presented to him yet he preferred to become a devotee to the truthful God. Imam 'Ali (A.S) the commander of faithful said:

“The worldly pomp and shows were presented to him and he could select among them, yet he reused to accept it”‌.

The Sunnis and Shiite sources have reported that the servant and great devotee to God said:

“A huge amount of gold equivalent to Batha valley of Mecca was offered to me. I responded in following way: O, my Lord! No, I wanted to quench my hungriness a day while on other day I intended to remain hungry (for three days or likes of it). If my hungriness was quenched I would praise you and express my thanks, and if I remained hungry I would call you and remember you”‌He was someone with whose existence the both of cosmos came in to existence, yet he used to observe the worship  of  God  as  the  most  precious  asset,  and  he perceived to stand in the need of Allah for insufficiencies relating to existence and spiritual deficiencies through his worship. He saw himself in the need of Allah in all aspects and he was proud of it, and he said in this regard as following:

“Insufficiency (being in the need of Allah) is a source of pride for me”‌ “Someone who showed his disengagements to material world, and made the core of his heart and nucleus of his mind devoted to self-sufficient one (God Almighty), and believed in substantial insufficiency of the creatures, and understood that none  of  these  creatures  has  nothing  by  their  own  self. Furthermore, he observed that there existed no power, esteem or kingdom except of the truthful holy God, the Almighty. He heard and received this message by the core of his heart from source of the spiritual dominion and kingdom of heaven. O, men! You are they who stand in need of Allah, and Allah is He who is self-sufficient, the praised One. At this stage, a man can become sufficient of both of the worlds, and it seems as his heart becomes sufficient and he believes no significance for the kingdom of Sulayman. If the keys to treasures of the earth were presented to him he would neglect it. It has been reported through some of the Islamic traditions that Gabriel presented the keys to treasures of earth to the seal of the prophets (Prophet of Islam) from God, the Almighty, and honorable prophet showed his modesty and did not accept it, and ultimately he considered his insufficiency (need in Allah) as a source of pride.”‌

Source:

Behavior and Character of the Holy Prophet of Islam from Imam Khomeini's Viewpoint  

Written By: Mostafa Dilshad Tehrani 

Translator: Ali Shahbaz 

Other Links:

Principle of Observing' Limits and Boundaries' Set by God

Principle of Leading a Simple Life (part 1)