In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

To know who the Messenger is:

It is that you love him more than yourself, your family and wealth.  It is obligatory upon the students of knowledge to know that everyone else loved for the sake of Allaah; but Allaah is not loved (for the sake of anyone else).  Everyone else who is loved, starting with the Messenger first and foremost, then such a (person) is to be loved for the sake of Allaah.  And for that reason if loving the Messenger (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) is not (done) for the sake of Allaah, such as (loving him only) due to kinship or that he is a genius, (this) will not benefit (a person).  This love did not benefit Abu Taalib and it will not benefit those orientalists who held him in high esteem because he is a genius in history and not that he is a Messenger of Allaah.  It is obligatory upon the students of knowledge to be conscious of this.   [Abridged: Sharh Thalaatha Al-Usool: page: 22]