A man came up to the Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu alayhi wassalam) and asked, “What do you say of a man who loves a certain group of people but cannot be of them?” To this Rasoolullah replied; “A person will be with whom he loves”

Anas (RA) said in relation to this hadith; “There was nothing which made us (sahaba’s) happier in this world than to hear this. O Allah, I bear witness that I love Rasoolullah, so that I am united with him on the Day of Judgment.” (Sahih Muslim)

Manifestation of aqeedah is the love of Allah and His Rasool more than everything else. The block of eman must be build on blocks of emotions. And if we can build the love of Allah’s messenger in the children’s hearts, by default they will love Allah; because manifestation of loving someone, is loving what they love.

Anas b. Malik reported: A tailor invited Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) to a meal which he had prepared. I went along with Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) to that feast. He presented to Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) barley bread and soup containing pumpkin, and sliced pieces of meat. I saw Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) going after the pumpkin around the dish, so I have always liked the pumpkin since that day. (Sahih Muslim; Number 5067)

Second narration: Allah’s ‘messenger (may peace be upon him) ate that pumpkin with relish. He (Anas) said: When I saw that I began to place it before him, and did not eat it (myself). It was since then that pumpkin was always my favourite (food). (Sahih Muslim, Number 5068)

Third narration: Anas b. Malik rdported that a tailor invited Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) to a feast. There has been an addition to this that Thabit said: I heard Anas saying that any meal that was prepared for me after that I tried that it should contain pumpkin. (Sahih Muslim, Number 5069)

How do we make Rasoolullah beloved to our children when they can’t see him or interact with him.

How do you make your children love Rasoolullah that is more than mere superficial; the kind that is deep, the kind that makes your heart beat faster, or makes your blood pressure rise, or makes the hair on your arms stand, or sleepless nights because you are missing his blessed companionship?

Consider the story of the two boys; one named Muadh b. ‘Amr b. Al-Jumuh, and the other Mu‘awwadh b. Al-‘Afra. Both made a similar inquiry to Abdur Rehman b. Auf during the battle of Badr, “show us Abu Jahal.” What was their business with a man of who committed atrocities in Mecca, a man who didn’t personally hurt them, a man who they didn’t even know what he looked like? What drove their strong desire to engage with Abu Jahal in a combat until either Abu Jahal was killed or themselves?

Their only motivational, driving force was that he used harm Rasoolullah in Mecca. It seems as though these children of Medina were learning the Mecci seerah of Rasoolullah; while Rasoolullah is still alive amongst them and living in Medina.

Even though the children cannot see or interact with Rasoolullah, we must make them feel a living representation of Rasoolullah. It is like how Abdullah b. Omar b. Ali said that his father heard Ali ibn Al-Hussain saying: “we used to know the seerah as we know the verses of the holy Quran;” Or how Ismail b. Mohammed b. Saad ibn abi Waqqas said “my father used to teach us seerah.”

Contemplate on the following challenge of understanding the Quran at an emotional level: to understand it as it was being revealed to the community surrounding you. Imagine you hear the adhan, and imagine that you are standing in company of sahabah while Rasoolullah is leading. He recites Surah Abasa, and you know that the person who made the adhan, who is perhaps standing directly behind Rasoolullah, is the very person that Allah is referring to in Surah Abasa.

We can never be with that group, but what do you say of the people who love a certain group of people but cannot be of them? Perhaps the statement of Rasoolullah is applicable here: “A person will be with whom he loves.”