Abdullah ibn Umar reported: When we pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, on condition of listening and obeying, he said to us, “As much as you are able.”
(Bukhari and Muslim)
One of the fundamental principles in Islam is that along with obeying Allah Muslims should obey Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as well in what he has ordered and in what he has forbidden. It is through the Prophet ﷺ that Allah has sent the Qur’ān, and it is the Prophet who showed the believers how the Divine injunctions would be put into practice. So the Prophet ﷺ is the role model for the believers.
The Prophet ﷺ has clarified that obedience to any created being must not be in contrast with the obedience to Allah. Hazrat Ali relates that the Prophet ﷺ said, “There is no obedience to anyone if it is disobedience to Allah. Verily, obedience is only in good conduct.” In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ said, “There is no obedience to a created being if it is disobedience to Allah Almighty.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Obedience to the Prophet ﷺ is part of the Iman (faith) of believers and one of the preconditions of one’s entry into the Paradise. Abu Hurairah relates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Everyone from my nation will enter Paradise but those who refuse.” They (the Companions present there) said, “O Messenger of Allah, who will refuse?” The Prophet said, “Whoever obeys me enters Paradise, and whoever disobeys me has refused.” (Bukhari)