The Meaning of the Seerah

It is an accepted fact that Muhammad (saw) came as the last and final Messenger and Prophet. Allah (swt) says:
"Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allah, and the last (end) of the Prophets, And Allah is all-aware of everything" [Qur'an, al-Ahzab 33:40]

However as Muslims we must never consider his life as just an attractive episode in the annals of history. Muhammad (saw) was our example. He (saw) is to be followed despite the current situation we are mired in. Allah (swt) states:
"And whatever the Messenger (Muhammad) gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you, abstain from it…" [Qur'an, al-Hashr 59:7]

While the Muslims world-wide are awakening to the reality of Islam’s truth and its necessity to exist in its entirety in our lives, we can still safely say that Islam remains divorced of our lives. No matter where we live, we certainly find ourselves engulfed in laws, rules and opinions that starkly conflict and contradict the Hukm Sharii from the creator. No matter what degree of piety a Muslim strives to maintain and how much he seeks to protect his family, today’s Muslim will inevitably be affected by the world-wide domination of Kufr. We are forced to submit to the control of Kufr over the Muslim lands and we are divided into a plethora of weak countries ruled over by the agents of the Kuffar.

We have come a long way from the time when we called for un-Islamic ideas like nationalism, secularism and realising that the "Quran & Sunnah" is our only solution. However, we need to ponder on the following:
--- It is true that our ideas are derived from the Quran such as propagating Islam, feeding the poor, performing Jihad. Yet it is evident that we are not looking at the Seerah of Muhammad (saw) in order to carry out our duties. For example, when it comes to carrying Islam to the world, we inadvertently adhere to the method of the missionaries; in feeding the poor we look the Red Cross; in performing Jihad we look at the examples of the Red Army, Irish Republican Army, and the Red Brigade. Even more humiliating is when we are presented as role models tailored after the values from Kufr.
--- In organising our societies we are told to subscribe to the ways of Adam Smith or George Washington. Similarly, we are told to follow the likes of Churchill, Gandhi, Jinnah, and Jamal ‘Abdul Nasser.

Sadly, we fail to realise that the only leader we should look up to is the Prophet (saw). In him (saw), we find an example of the one who recognised society in the way Allah (swt) commanded. In him (saw), we find the best example of a husband and a father.

In one incident Allah’s Messenger (saw) spoke of something and said: "It will happen when knowledge is no more." Ziyad ibn Labid said: "How will knowledge vanquish despite the fact we will be reciting the Quran and teaching its recitation to our children and our children will teach its recitation to their children up to the day of Resurrection?" Thereupon he (saw) said: "Ziyad, may your mother weep for you. I was of the opinion that you were one of those who have the greatest understanding of the Deen in Medina. Do these Jews and Christians not recite the Torah and the Bible but not act according to what is contained in them." (Tirmidhi)

The Muslim Ummah has to accept the fact that following the Seerah of Muhammad (saw) is part of the Aqeedah (creed) of Islam. If we do not fully adhere to the Seerah of Muhammad (saw), then upon what basis can we expect him (saw) to intercede on our behalf on the Day of Judgement?

This is especially important since we are living at a time of great awakening in the Muslim world.