Abu Hurairah relates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “… when I forbid you from doing anything, totally abstain from doing the same, and when I prescribe anything for you, carry it out according to your capacity.”
(Bukhari, Muslim)
Following the teachings of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be to him, in letter and spirit, is part of our Iman. It is so vital a part of our faith that one’s place in the Paradise depends on whether or not he followed the Prophetic teachings.
In another hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah, the Blessed Messenger makes it crystal clear: “All my followers will go to heaven, except those who defied me. He was asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, who will be such persons?’ The Messenger of Allah elucidated: ‘One who obeys me will enter Paradise and the one who disobeys me defies me (i.e. will not enter Paradise).” Such is the importance of obedience to the Messenger of Allah in the life of a believer. The Qur’ān also enjoins the believer to obey the Messenger of Allah as well as Allah.
Here the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) commands the believer to totally abstain from whatever he has forbidden and carry out whatever he has prescribed. The nature of the instruction is obligatory and not optional. The believer has no option but to follow the commandment. The teaching is still fresh for the believers today and for those who would come until the Day of Judgement.