Allah tells us: The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves, and his wives are their mothers (33:6). Allah chose them to be close to His Chosen Servant, decreed that they be revered and made them mothers of everyone who believes in Him.
What great mothers they are! The stronger your iman is, the stronger you feel that the Prophet’s wives are your mothers. Khadijah, Aishah, Hafsah, Sawdah, the two Zaynabs, Safiyyah, Umm Habibah, Umm Salamah, Maymunah, Juwayriyyah – they are all our mothers.
Even when Sayyidatuna Aishah showed her human side and smashed the pot containing food sent by one of her co-wives, all the Prophet ﷺ said was: “Your mother’s jealousy has got the better of her.” He described her as their mother, even though the men he was speaking to were older than her. May Allah allow us to love them for the sake of Allah and honour them for the sake of the Messenger of Allah.
On another occasion, they asked him: “We know how to give greetings of salam to you. But how do we bestow salawat (blessings) upon you?”
He told them to say (in one narration): “O Allah, bestow salawat upon Muhammad, Your servant and Messenger the Unlettered Prophet and upon his Family, his wives and his descendants.” They were asking to send salawat upon him, but he taught them to include his family, his wives and his descendants. We are taught to do this right in the middle of the salat, in order to strengthen our connection to them. These are the secrets of true love. Allah loves no one like He loves Muhammad ﷺ. There is no way to attain the love of Allah except through the love of Muhammad ﷺ . We must also love all those that he loves: his family, wives, companions and descendants, his fellow Prophets and everyone who will be under his banner.
Reflections from Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)
(taken from a class in Ihya Ulum al-Din)