The Seerah: Your Key to Productivity
Many of us underestimate the importance of studying the Seerah in our daily lives. So, let’s find out about the amazing blessings of the Seerah of the Prophet ﷺ. Discover how you can get the best out of yourself and make the Seerah part of your daily study routine!
Allah ar-Rahmaan says: O Prophet! Verily, We have sent you as witness and a bringer of good tidings and a warner. [Qur’an, 33:45]
Definition of Seerah
The word Seerah means a path one takes from one place to another, a path a person takes during his or her lifetime. It includes attitudes, behavior, reactions, and biography.
Ask yourself these questions: How much time do I spend reading about the life of the prophet ﷺ and His companions? How strong am I connected to my history as a Muslim? How strong is my Muslim identity?
Eight Reasons Why You Should Study the Seerah
- Study the Seerah to learn the history of Islam! The life of the Prophet ﷺ isn’t just a biography; it’s the history of Islam, your Deen. In his Seerah you will find situations that help you in everything you need to know in your daily life. Ali bin Hussain ibn Ali bin Abi Talib would say: We were taught the Seerah of Rasoolullah ﷺ like we were taught a surah from the Qur’an.
- Study the Seerah to get love in your heart, not just from your lips. Loving the prophet ﷺ is an act of Ibadah– worship— and everything you do to develop this love will be a source of reward for you! The more you know him, the more you’ll be impressed with his personality and the more you’ll love him. Allah -‘azza wa jal- commanded us in the Qur’an to follow the example of a person with such an inspirational character: Certainly you have in the Messenger of Allah an excellent exemplar for him who hopes in Allah and the latter day and remembers Allah much. [Qur’an, 33:21]
Around the clock, there will be minaret calling to prayer and mentioning the name of the prophet Muhammad ﷺ because Muslims are now worldwide! In every minute of the day, there will be a Mu’addhin saying, Ashhadu an La ilaha illallah, Ashhadu ana Muhamamadar-rasoolullah.
- Study the Seerah to understand the Qur’an. Without the complete knowledge of the Seerahwe could not understand the Book of Allah. Ayaat (verses) in the Qur’an about the Akhirah are independent of the circumstances. But then there are some Ayaat that are dealing with events in the time of the prophet; in order to fully grasp the meanings of these Ayaat you need the Seerah. Plus, certain commands in the Qur’an are further applied in the life of the Prophet for us to find out how to practice them, for example how to perform wudu in detail!
- Study the Seerah to better worship Allah. You’re not doing this to entertain yourself. This is Ibadah.There is ‘ajr—reward— in studying this. You’re worshipping Allah by studying the life of His prophet ﷺ. Allah ‘azza wa jal says: Say if you do love Allah then follow me (i.e. Muhammad ﷺ) Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. [Quran, 3: 31]
- Study the Seerah to develop a Muslim identity. A famous Russian historian said: To destroy a people, you must sever their roots.That’s exactly what’s happening with us, especially the youth in the West. We’re suffering from a serious identity crisis. We’re practicing Islam, doing our prayers, fasting, etc., but the actual identity itself is often lost. How else can we explain that most of our children have more in common with a television personality or a famous athlete than with the companions of the prophet ﷺ?
So, what are the steps to developing your Muslim identity? First of all, you develop an identity by having an attachment to history. Your history is your umbilical cord, your lifeline. You’re an extension of an Ummah. Secondly, you develop an identity by being part of the worldwide Muslim Ummah and caring about it.
You need to learn about your Muslim brothers and sisters all over the world. What happens in one part of the world should concern every Muslim in other parts of the world. We don’t want our roots to be severed. We want our roots to be deep. Studying the life of the Prophet ﷺ is the most important thing!
Study the Seerah to defend the honor of the Prophet. The best way to defend the Prophet is to practice his Sunnah! How can you if you don’t know how he would deal with situations?
6. Study the Seerah to discover the testimony of his prophethood. What is the greatest miracle of the prophet Muhammad ﷺ? If you said the Qur’an, you’re right. And he had many more miracles.
Just studying his life in itself is evidence of his prophethood. Rasoolullah was illiterate, but he presented the world with the greatest book ever produced. There’s no way to explain the Seerah except to admit that he was a Nabi from Allah. It’s impossible for a person to achieve what the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ achieved without being assisted by Allah through revelation.
7. Study the Seerah to raise your hope and lift your Imaan. Studying the torture and turmoil that the companions and the prophet endured helps you during your times of trouble. It gives you hope that as long as you stay in the truth there’s always hope in the end.
Seerah is there to raise your Imaan! Allah reminds the prophet in the Qur’an of the stories of the prophets of the past— He does this to increase his Imaan and the same applies to you! Allah says: And all we relate to you of the accounts of the messengers is to strengthen your heart therewith; and in this has come to you the truth and an admonition, and a reminder to the believers. [Qur’an, 11:120]
8. Study the Seerah to bring comfort to your heart. Each person enjoys what his or heart is conditioned to enjoy. If you’re all about following your desires you’ll only listen to and follow that and nothing else is important. If you’re all about following the revelation then this is what your heart is inclined to, and this is what comforts you and brings peace to your heart. The heart takes consolation and peace from its conditioning!
Let’s end with this beautiful Ayah: Allah says, For, Believers are those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a tremor in their hearts, and when they hear His signs rehearsed, find their faith strengthened, and put (all) their trust in their Lord. [Qur’an, 8:2) May we be one of those, Aameen!
Homework:
Plan studying the Seerah in your daily study-routine. You can do this by reading a new Hadith daily and reading books describing the lives of the prophet and the Sahaaba. One of my personal favorites is: The Companions of the Prophet, Volumes I and II, by Abdul Wahid Hamid— True Imaan-boosters!
A classic for the Seerah is: Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtum (The Sealed Nectar) by Shaykh Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarkpuri.
Praying you will benefit,
Khawlah bint Yayha (United Kingdom)
