What is our duty toward our Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions?

Question:
This questioner asks, saying: Honorable Shaykh, what is our duty toward our Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions?

Answer:
Our duty toward our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is to believe in him and affirm his truthfulness (peace and blessings be upon him), that he is the Messenger of Allah, that his message is universal for the two heavy creations, the jinn and mankind, and that he is the Seal of the Prophets with no prophet after him. He is our model and our guide to our Lord. Therefore, we must love him, loving him more than we love ourselves, our parents, our children, and all of humanity. We place the love of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) above the love of everyone else, after the love of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). First is the love of Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He), and this is worship. The love of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is among the rights of the Messenger that are obligatory upon us.
Then, following the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): following him in what he commanded, obeying him in what he commanded, believing in what he reported, avoiding what he forbade and warned against, and not worshipping Allah except by what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) prescribed. One does not worship through innovations and bid'ah (religious innovations). This is the one who believes in the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), placing his words above the words of everyone else, not placing the words of anyone above the words of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). This is the obligation. Yes. May Allah reward you with good.