Understanding the guidance of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (Hady) is the cornerstone of a Muslim’s life, serving not just as simple instructions, but as the integrated path to happiness and salvation. It is authentically reported that the Prophet ﷺ himself emphasized that “the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad,” which raises fundamental questions about what this guidance entails and why following it is an absolute necessity.
It is authentically reported that when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ delivered a sermon, he would begin by praising Allah and sending prayers upon Himself, then say: “To proceed, the best speech is the Book of Allah, the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad, the worst of matters are newly invented ones, every newly invented matter is an innovation (bid’ah), and every innovation is a misguidance.”
What is Prophetic Guidance (Hady)?
The term Hady (الهَدْي) refers to a person’s way, path, and biography. Therefore, “the best guidance” means the best of all paths: the path, biography, and religion of Muhammad ﷺ. This encompasses everything the Prophet ﷺ commanded or did, forbade, or chose, whether he was consistent in the action or not, as long as it is established as a model to be followed.
This is the path that Allah Almighty has commanded us to follow, promising the greatest reward to those who submit, obey, and follow the Prophet ﷺ. Allah says: ﴾And whatever the Messenger has given you – take it; and what he has forbidden you – refrain from.﴿ [Al-Hashr: 7]. This is a binding command for everyone who believes in Allah and what He has revealed.
“the best guidance” means the best of all paths: the path, biography, and religion of Muhammad ﷺ
There is also the term Huda (الهُدَى), which refers to the guidance with which Allah guides His servants through the Prophet ﷺ. This is referenced in the verse: ﴾And indeed, [O Muhammad], you guide to a straight path.﴿ [Ash-Shura: 52].
Allah promises this divine guidance (Huda) to those who conform to the Prophet’s guidance (Hady) and adhere to his Sunnah, saying: ﴾…and if you obey him, you will be guided.﴿ [An-Nur: 54]. The effect of this emulation is the achievement of happiness in both this life and the hereafter. Allah states: ﴾There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.﴿ [Al-Ahzab: 21].
Since happiness is the ultimate goal for every human, the only path to achieving it is by adhering to the Prophet’s guidance. The greatest purpose for which he was sent was to guide people to happiness in their lives, their livelihood, and their afterlife, a reality embodied in his established laws and traditions (Sunnah).
Ibn al-Qayyim states in his book Zad al-Ma’ad:
“There is no path to happiness and success, neither in this world nor in the hereafter, except at the hands of the Messengers… The good in actions, words, and morals is nothing but their guidance and what they brought. They are the prevailing standard against which all actions, words, and morals are weighed. By following them, the people of guidance are distinguished from the people of misguidance.”
He adds:
“If happiness in both realms is tied to the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ, then it is obligatory for everyone who cares for his own soul and loves its salvation and happiness to know enough of his guidance, biography, and affairs to be removed from the ranks of the ignorant and be counted among his followers, his party, and his faction…”
The Essence of Worship: Sincerity and Adherence
The importance of following the Prophet’s guidance is manifest in it being an integral part of the religion. No faith is correct and no Islam is sound except with two conditions:
- The deed must be done sincerely for Allah alone.
- The deed must be in accordance with the noble Prophetic guidance.
Only with these two conditions is an action considered a valid “righteous deed,” for which a person is rewarded, as mentioned in the verse: ﴾So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord – let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone.﴿ [Al-Kahf: 110].
Ibn Taymiyyah established this principle, saying:
“Acts of worship are based on the Sharia and following, not on whims and innovation. Islam is built upon two foundations: first, that we worship Allah alone, associating no partner with Him, and second, that we worship Him with what He legislated on the tongue of His Messenger ﷺ, not with whims and innovations.”
The modern scholar Muhammad al-Ghazali, in the introduction to his book Fiqh As-Seerah, powerfully articulated the true meaning of following the Prophet’s guidance:
“Muhammad ﷺ is not a story to be recited at his birthday, as people now do… The bond of a Muslim to his noble Messenger ﷺ is stronger and deeper than these fabricated connections falsely attributed to the religion… Indeed, the Muslim in whose conscience the Messenger ﷺ does not live, and whose insight does not follow him in his actions and thoughts, will never be benefited by moving his tongue with a thousand prayers a day.”
Islam is built upon two foundations: first, that we worship Allah alone, associating no partner with Him, and second, that we worship Him with what He legislated on the tongue of His Messenger ﷺ
How to Know the Prophet’s Guidance: 5 Practical Pillars
True knowledge of the Prophet’s guidance is the definitive proof of sincere love for him. This practical knowledge is achieved through several key pillars:
1. Grasping the Core of His Message (Tawhid):
One must understand that the Prophet ﷺ came with the message of Tawhid—the absolute Oneness of God—and to single out all worship for Allah alone, while rejecting all false deities. He came to teach and distinguish between a Muslim and a disbeliever, a believer and a hypocrite.
2. Achieving Complete Obedience to Him:
This involves believing his reports, obeying his commands by acting upon them, and heeding his prohibitions by abstaining from them.
3. Adhering to and Judging by His Sunnah:
Following his Sunnah is one of the greatest obligations. It is a right of the Prophet ﷺ and a requirement of the testimony that “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” Allah says: ﴾But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission.﴿ [An-Nisa: 65].
4. Cementing Conviction by Knowing the Proofs of His Prophethood:
Knowing the miracles and proofs of his prophethood is crucial for building trust in him and his message. The Prophet ﷺ himself would show his companions these proofs even after faith was firm in their hearts. During the Battle of the Trench, when he struck a rock and announced the future conquests of Persia and Yemen, he was reinforcing their certainty. When he miraculously fed the entire army from a single small sheep invited by Jabir, he was planting deeper conviction.
5. Living His Biography by Studying It:
This includes knowing the details of his life: his lineage, his mission, his battles, and his daily guidance in all affairs. The most comprehensive resource for this is Ibn al-Qayyim’s Zad al-Ma’ad, a masterful book that combines jurisprudence, creed, and practical biography to detail “the guidance of the best of servants.”
Conclusion
In closing, knowing the guidance of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is not merely about acquiring cultural knowledge or memorizing information. It is the spirit that flows through the being of a Muslim, an insight that illuminates their path, and a methodology for life that translates into practice. It is the indispensable necessity for anyone who wishes to realize the true meaning of servitude to God, win His love and pleasure, and attain true happiness in this world and the next.
By Idris Ahmad
