Some Believe That Muslims Worship Muhammad صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم. Is This True?

Muslims do not worship Prophet Muhammad صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم in any way. We believe that he was the last Messenger, the leader of all the Prophets, send by Almighty Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ like all His other Prophets and Messengers عَلَیْھِمْ السَّلَام. However, some people mistakenly assume that Muslims worship Prophet Muhammad صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم.

Prophet Muhammad صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم, like Jesus عَلَیْھِمْ السَّلَام, never claimed a divine status. He called people to worship Almighty Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ alone. Prophet Muhammad صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم always referred to himself as “Allah’s servant and messenger.”

Prophet Muhammad صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم was chosen to be Almighty Allah’s عَزَّوَجَلَّ final messenger and to communicate His message to us, not only in words, but also in deeds as a living example of its practical application. Muslims love and respect him because of his impeccable and upright moral character and because he perfectly conveyed the truth form Almighty Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and because he is the beloved, chosen and loved by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, the Most Wise – which indeed is the pure monotheism of Islam.

Muslims strive to follow the ideal and great example of the Beloved Prophet Muhammad صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم, but do not worship him in any way. Islam teaches Muslims to love and respect all of Almighty Allah’s Prophets and Messengers عَلَیْھِمْ السَّلَام. However, respecting and loving them does not mean worshiping them. There is a distinct difference between respect and worship. Muslims know that all worship must be directed to Almighty Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ alone.

In fact, the worship of Prophet Muhammad صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم – or anyone else – along with, or instead of, Almighty Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ is considered an unpardonable sin in Islam. Even if a person claims to be a Muslim but worships anything other than Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, it invalidates one claim to Islam. The Declaration of faith makes it clear that Muslims must worship Almighty Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ alone.