By Tijani Sheriff Abiodun (Abu Haneef Al-Atharee)
As the deaf can hear and the blind can see, ours is a pathetic society where we (as Muslims) by our own ignorance have been deceived. Many are Muslims who have taken some personalities as their heroes only because they have done things not done before as they claim and that is why they choose to emulate them given no regards to the belief, character and morals possessed by their respected heroes.
However, not all heroes are nobles and not all nobles are heroes. Today in our society, majority of the Muslims now see celebrities, entertainers, footballers and the likes as their noble heroes trying to emulate their ways of living. What can be tagged credible to the mentioned claim is the case of a Muslim who is blessed with a baby and named such baby after a comedian or what are we to say of a Muslim who wants his/her child to be like Neymar only because he is the highest paid footballer, we have indeed missed our track. Also it is disheartening when a Muslim goes against the injunctions of Allah and His Prophet (peace be upon him) as many Muslims observe prayer not at their stated time, many engage in gambling only to show their love for these so called heroes after it is clearly stated in the Quraan that sacrificing on stones and altars, divination by arrows and gamblng are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful. In addition, it calls to tears when Muslims attach success to gambling and Allah has warned us to desist from it to be successful.
Muslims today worship heroes, celebrities, entertainers, comedians after it is well known that "to worship any but Allah is shirk (associating partners with Allah)." To worsen the situation, many of us today wear and hang their portraits in our houses, shops, cars and even on our body. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said in an authentic narration that "angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or picture." (Muslim).
Furthermore, it is an acknowledged fact that “when a problem is known, it is half solved”. Islam is a complete religion sent to human being through a beloved, trustworthy, unimpeachable man of integrity, man of remarkable discipline, a man who electrifies his surroundings with an inimitable sense of worship, a renowned scholar and cerebral intellectual, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Indeed, with the above adjectives with which he is qualified, it will be known that he is truly a noble hero whom Allah loves.
Allah says in Quran 33:56:
“indeed, Allah and his Angels shower blessings on the Prophet. O you who believe, ask blessings on him and salute him with a worthy salutation."
If I may ask, why will you not take after the Prophet (peace be upon him) if truly you love Allah?
In another verse of the glorious Quraan, Allah says:
“Say (O beloved prophet to mankind): if you love Allah, then follow me; and Allah is forgiving, merciful." (Quran 3:31).
As the nobility and service of the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) cannot be divorced from Islam, they are also heroes who attained the love of Allah. From them we have Abu Bakr Siddeeq and Abu Hafs ‘Umar, likewise Uthman and ‘Aliy the lofty one and all other companions (may Allah be pleased with them all).
Take a glance too at the personality of Abdullahi Ibn Abass (may Allah be pleased with him) whom the scholars of Islam regard as a person of immense knowledge such that he is called 'Scholar of the Ummah'. By the age of ten, he had completely memorized the Quraan.
What about our mother Umm Abdillah ‘Aaisha (may Allah be pleased with her) who memorized innumerable narrations from the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Now the reader must have been able to distinguish who the noble heroes are. A Muslim would rather follow the example of our noble Prophet (peace be upon him) and his Companions - may Allaah be pleased with them all.
The Prophet and the Companions are heroes of the Muslims, they are of course villains to the unbelievers. And the land corrupters people celebrate as heroes today are villains to the right-thinking Muslims.
