Honouring And Respecting Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam

1.) Anas RadhiAllaahu Anhu reports that when Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam went to the Sahaabah RadhiAllaahu Anhum as they were sitting with Abu Bakr RadhiAllaahu Anhu and Umar RadhiAllaahu Anhu, none of them besides Abu Bakr RadhiAllaahu Anhu and Umar RadhiAllaahu Anhu would lift his gaze.
It was only the two of them who would look at him and he would look at them. They would smile with him and he would smile at them.
(This was because Abu Bakr RadhiAllaahu Anhu and Umar RadhiAllaahu Anhu were close enough to act informally with Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam).
(Tirmidhi no. 3668, Bazzaar no. 6894, Musnad Ahmad no. 12516)

2.) Usaamah ibn Shareek RadhiAllaahu Anhu says,
“We were sitting around Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam as if there were birds perched on our backs with no one uttering a word.
Some people then arrived and asked many questions, one of which was, ‘Which of Allaah’s bondsmen are most beloved to Him?’
Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam replied, 'Those whose character is the best.’”
(Al-M’ujamul Kabeer of Tabaraani vol. 1 page 181, Saheeh Ibn Hibbaan no. 486)

Another narration states that Ali RadhiAllaahu Anhu said, “When Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam spoke, his companions lowered their heads, as if there were birds on their heads.” (Shamaail-Tirmidhi no. 334)

3.) Anas RadhiAllaahu Anhu states that the Sahaabah RadhiAllaahu Anhum used to knock at the door of Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam with their nails.
(Shuabul-Imaan no. 8436)

4.) Abu Ayyoob RadhiAllaahu Anhu reports that Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam stayed at his house when Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam arrived in Madinah.
While Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam stayed in the lower storey of the house, Abu Ayyoob RadhiAllaahu Anhu (and his family) stayed on the upper storey. That morning and evening, the thought plagued Abu Ayyoob RadhiAllaahu Anhu that he was on the top of the house while Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam was beneath him, and he was therefore an impediment between Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam and revelation (from the heavens).

Abu Ayyoob RadhiAllaahu Anhu also did not sleep that night fearing that he may cause some dust to fall on Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam or that his movements may disturb Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam.

Early next morning, he went to Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam and said, “O Rasulullaah! My eyes and those of (my wife) Ummu Ayyoob were unable to close all night.”
“Why was that, O Abu Ayyoob?” enquired Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam.
Abu Ayyoob RadhiAllaahu Anhu  replied, “The thought occurred to me that since I am above and you below me, dust would fall on you if I moved and my movements would disturb you. I also feared that I was an impediment between you and revelation.”

Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam put him at ease saying, “Do not worry like that in future, O Abu Ayyoob. Should I not teach you some words that if you recite them ten times in the mornings and ten times in the evenings, you will be granted the reward of ten good deeds, ten sins will be erased from your record, you will be elevated ten stages (in Jannah) and on the Day of Qiyaamah you will have the reward of setting ten slaves free? You should recite,

لا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ لا شَرِيْكَ لَهُ

(Al-Mu’jamul-Kabeer of Tabaraani no. 3986)

Another narration states that Abu Ayyoob RadhiAllaahu Anhu said, "When Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam came to stay with me, I said, ‘May my parents be sacrificed for you! I do not like it that I be above you while you are below me.’
Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam said, ‘It is more convenient for us to be below because we would be swamped with visitors.’
One of our jugs happened to break and the water started to spill. Ummu Ayyoob and I stood with our blanket and used it to dry up the water, fearing that the water should not drop on Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam, thereby inconveniencing him.

We had nothing else to cover ourselves (and therefore spent the night without anything to cover ourselves). We used to prepare meals (and send to Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam) and when he sent back (what was extra), we specifically sought out the parts where his fingers touched and ate from there with the intention of attaining blessings.

One night when Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam sent back his dinner in which we had put garlic or onions, we did not see any traces of his fingers touching the food. When I mentioned our practice to Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam, adding that he sent back the food without eating it, he said, ‘I could get the smell of that tree (garlic or onion) and because I am a person who engages in closed conversation (with Allaah and the angels), I did not like the smell to stay with me. However, you people are at liberty to eat it.’”
(Al-Mu’jamul-Kabeer no. 3855, Mustadrak Haakim no. 5939 has reported a similar narration without the part concerning the food that was sent to Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam. Muslim no. 2053 has narrated a shortened version.) 

Another narration states that Abu Ayyoob RadhiAllaahu Anhu said, “O Rasulullaah! It is not proper for me to be above you. You should therefore move to the upper storey.” Rasulullaah SallAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam then had his luggage moved, which was very little.
(Musnad Ahmad no. 23570, Al-Mu’jamul-Kabeer no. 3878, Musnad Ibn Abi Shaibah no. 11)