Believing in the Prophets is the fourth pillar of faith in Islam. As obedient Muslims, we must do various deeds that show our faith in the Prophet. To easier to understand it, the following are 8 ways to believe in the Prophets and its verses that need to know:
1. Believe that the Prophet is the messenger of Allah
The first thing that we must do is believing that the Prophet is Allah’s chosen person that is sent for the human salvation. Allah said,
كُلٌّ ءَامَنَ بِاللهِ وَمَلاَئِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لاَ نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِ وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا
“Everyone believed to Allah, His angels, His books, and His Prophets (they said): ‘We do not differentiate between anyone (with another) and His Prophets’, and they said, “We hear and we obey…”” (QS. Al-Baqarah: 285)
2. Believe in the teachings that are brought
The faith in the Prophet can also be shown by believing that the teachings that are brought are Allah’s religion. Therefore, we must accept all of the Prophet’s teachings without sorting them out again.
Allah Ta’ala said,
شَرَعَ لَكُم مِّنَ الدِّينِ مَاوَصَّى بِهِ نُوحًا وَالَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ وَمَاوَصَّيْنَا بِهِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَى وَعِيسَى أَنْ أَقِيمُوا الدِّينَ وَلاَتَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ
“He has ordered to you about what religion that He has been inherited to Noah and what We have revealed to you and what We have inherited to Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, which is: Uphold the religion and do not divide about it….” (QS. Ash-Shuraa: 13)
يَآأَيُّهَا الرُّسُلُ كُلُوا مِنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَاعْمَلُوا صَالِحًا إِنِّي بِمَاتَعْمَلُونَ عَلِيمٌ {51} وَإِنَّ هَذِهِ أُمَّتُكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَأَنَا رَبُّكُمْ فَاتَّقُونَ {52}
“O Prophets, eat from good food, and do good deeds. Indeed, I am Omniscient what you are doing. Indeed, this (tawheed religion) is your religion, one religion and I am your God, then fear to Me.” (QS. Al-Mu’minun: 51-52)
3. Believe in all Prophets
We are obligated to believe in the Prophets that the names have been known or the names that we do not know, because indeed, the number of the Prophets is only Allah who knows for sure. Allah said,
Allah Ta’ala said,
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلاً مِّن قَبْلِكَ مِنْهُم مَّن قَصَصْنَا عَلَيْكَ وَمِنْهُم مَّن لَّمْ نَقْصُصْ عَلَيْكَ
“And indeed, We have sent some Prophets before you, among them are those who We have told to you and among them are (also) those who We do not tell to you.” (QS. Al-Mu’min: 78)
4. Pray like the Prophets’ prayers
In the Qur’an, it has been well known some Prophets’ prayers in facing every hardship. Therefore, we should also pray to Allah by using the prayer like the Prophets’ prayers.
عَنْ أَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ: أَنَّ رَسُوْلَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ دَعْوَةٌ مُسْتَجَابَةٌ يَدْعُو بِهَا وَأُرِيْدُ أَنْ أَخْتَبِئَ دَعْوَتِيْ شَفَاعَةً ِلأُمَّتِيْ فِي اْلآخِرَةِ (رواه البخاري و مسلم)
From Abu Hurairah Radhiyallahu ‘anhu (he said), “Indeed, the Prophet Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam has said, “Every Prophet has a mustajab prayer that he prays with that mustajab prayer, then I want to save my prayer as an intercession for my people in the afterlife.” [Hadith Bukhari (6304 -and this is the lafaz- and 7474) and Muslim (198 & 199)]
5. Always do salawat
People who believe in the Prophets will show the love to the Prophets by always doing salawat. This is also mentioned by Allah in His words.
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala said:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
“Indeed, Allah and His Angels do salawat to the Prophet. O believers, do salawat to the Prophet and say the honor greetings to him.” [Al-Ahzab: 56]
6. Emulate the Prophets’ akhlaq
The sign of one’s faith to the Prophet is also emulating the Prophets’ akhlaq. The Prophet said,
نما بعثت لأتمم مكارم الأخلاق
“Indeed, I was sent to perfect the pious akhlaq.” (Hadith Bukhari in the book of manners of Sahih Bukhari, Baihaqi in the book of Syu’bil Iman and Hakim)
7. Increase good deeds
لَمْ يَكُنِ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَصُومُ شَهْرًا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ، فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ يَصُومُ شَعْبَانَ كُلَّهُ ؛ وَكَانَ يَقُولُ: خُذُوا مِنَ العَمَلِ مَا تُطِيقُونَ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَمَلُّ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا ؛ وَأَحَبُّ الصَّلاَةِ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا دُووِمَ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنْ قَلَّتْ، وَكَانَ إِذَا صَلَّى صَلاَةً دَاوَمَ عَلَيْهَا
“The Prophet shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam never did more fasting in a month than his fasting in the Sha’ban month. He did the whole Sha’ban month fasting. He said, “Do the deeds that you are able to do it, because Allah will not be bored (in giving reward) until you are bored first (from doing the deeds).” And the prayer that the Prophet shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam loved the most was the prayer that was maintained the continuity even though it was a little. And if he had used to do the prayer (sunnah), He kept the continuity.” (Hadith Bukhari no. 1970 and Muslim no. 741)
8. Diligently reading the Qur’an
The Prophet also really likes people who are diligent in reading the Qur’an. Besides it is as a form of faith in the Prophet, it also becomes a reward.
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بن مسعود رضى الله عنه قَالَ : تَعَلَّمُوا هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ ، فَإِنَّكُمْ تُؤْجَرُونَ بِتِلاَوَتِهِ بِكُلِّ حَرْفٍ عَشْرَ حَسَنَاتٍ ، أَمَا إِنِّى لاَ أَقُولُ بِ الم وَلَكِنْ بِأَلِفٍ وَلاَمٍ وَمِيمٍ بِكُلِّ حَرْفٍ عَشْرُ حَسَنَاتٍ.
“Abdullah bin Mas’ud radhiyallahu ‘anhu said: “Learn this Qur’an, because indeed, you are rewarded by reading each letter 10 goodness, I am not saying that it is for الم, however, it is for Alif, Laam, Miim, each letter is 10 goodness.” (Astar the narration of Ad Darimi and mentioned in the book of Silsilah Al Ahadith Ash Shahihah, no. 660)
Those are the 8 ways to believe in the Prophets and its verses that we can actualize in daily life. Hopefully we are able to become more faith individuals to Allah and the Prophets. Aamiin.