Did the companions avoid stepping or stamping where Prophet walked?

Question: I am in Madinah and someone said here that Sahabah never ever stepped or stamped where our Prophet walked, out of love & respect. Please elaborate.

Answer:

Praise by to Allah!

The claim that Sahaabah never ever stepped or stamped where our Prophet (Sallalahu alahi wasalam) walked is nothing more than a lie and exaggeration. Many indulge in Ghulu (exaggeration) in loving the Prophet (Sallalahu alahi wasalam) which is prohibited. Even the love for Prophet (Sallalahu alahi wasalam) should be within the limits of Shariah and the real love is by obeying him.

One should note that this exaggeration comes from the waswaas or whispers of the Shaytaan, who intends thereby to make worship difficult for the Muslim so that he will give it up or his life difficult and make him fall into distress and grief. One must limit himself to that which is mentioned in sharee’ah without adding or taking away anything.

Prophet (Sallalahu alahi wasalam) commanded us not to exaggerate about him as the Christians had exaggerated about Jesus. He said: “Do not exaggerate about me as the Christians exaggerated about the son of Maryam. I am only a slave, so say, ‘The slave of Allaah and His Messenger.’” (Reported by al-Bukhaari)

This was never reported by Salaf

Moreover, we know that the Sahaabah were the people who loved the Prophet most. Was it reported that Abu Bakr, who was the closest of people to him and the one who loved him the most, did this? Was it reported that Umar, who ruled for twelve years, or Uthmaan, did this? Was it reported that Ali, his relative and foster son, jumped around trying to avoid stamping where Prophet walked? Was it reported that any of the Sahaabah did this? No, by Allaah! Is it because they were not aware of its importance, or did they not truly love the Prophet (Sallalahu alahi wasalam)? No one would say such a thing except one who has gone astray and is leading others astray.

Did any of the imaams – Abu Haneefah, Maalik, al-Shaafi’i, Ahmad, al-Hasan al-Basri, Ibn Seereen – do this or command others to do it or say that it was good? By Allaah, no! It was not even mentioned during the first and best three centuries. The Prophet (Sallalahu alahi wasalam) said in a saheeh hadeeth: “The best of mankind are my generation (or my century), then those who come after them, then those who come after them. Then there will come a people who will not care if their testimony comes before their oath or vice versa (i.e., they will not take such matter seriously).” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, Muslim and al-Tirmidhi).

How can it be that Sahaabah never ever stepped or stamped where our Prophet (Sallalahu alahi wasalam) walked?

This goes against commonsense & Logic

This claim is also repelled by human mind because it is impossible to avoid stamping the areas where Prophet (Sallalahu alahi wasalam) walked. He lived in Madinah for several years and he must have walked in nearly every area of his Masjid as well as areas close to his Masjid. Then how is it possible for Sahaabah to walk in those areas without stamping those areas? The only way to do this is never to visit Masjid-un-Nabawi or come close to Prophet (Sallalahu alahi wasalam)’s masjid or home.

On the contrary, there are endless evidences in the seerah & Ahadeeth that show sahabah walking around without worrying about disrepecting or violating the honor of Prophet (Sallalahu alahi wasalam). Abdullah ibn Umar was famous for copying Prophet (Sallalahu alahi wasalam) as it is. He used to sit where Prophet (Sallalahu alahi wasalam) sit, he walked where Prophet used to walk. Another example is during salah, Prophet (Sallalahu alahi wasalam) moved back and asked Abu Bakr to lead the prayer. So Abu Bakr stood in the place where Prophet stood. Another example could be that of Tawwaf during Umrah and Hajj where Prophet (Sallalahu alahi wasalam) must have walked nearly all areas. Does that mean we don’t do Tawwaf? There are numerous such examples.

Real love & respect is in obeying Prophet (Sallalahu alahi wasalam)

“Say (O Muhammad): ‘If you (really) love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Say: ‘Obey Allah and the Messenger.’ But if they turn away, then Allah does not like the disbelievers.” [Aal Imraan 3:31-32]

The first aayah explains that love is just a claim, but the proof of sincerity is following what the Prophet brought. The second aayah reaffirms the importance and necessity of obeying Allah and His Messenger. Hence Allah ended the aayah with a very stern warning in which those who refuse to obey are described as kaafirs, and Allah does not love the disbelievers. We ask Allaah to keep us safe from that. The Prophet Prophet (Sallalahu alahi wasalam) told us of the danger of not obeying him, and the danger of adding to what he brought.

We ask Allah to protect us from such bid’ah! Ameen

Wallahualam!