Excellence in this world is by lineage, and in the Hereafter it is by piety
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Noble Shaykh! How do you reconcile the saying of Allah, Mighty and Majestic: [Surah al-Hujurat: 13] with what is established that the Arab lineage is superior to the non-Arab lineage, and likewise the superiority of Quraysh over the rest of the Arabs? How do we reconcile this? And may Allah reward you with good.
I say: There is no contradiction.For the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (People are like the ores of gold and silver),And he (peace and blessings be upon him) informed that: (The best of people in Islam are the best of them in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance). Accordingly, the noblest of the people from Quraysh are those among them most mindful of Allah, and the noblest of the people from Tamim are those among them most mindful of Allah, and so on.
As for lineage, lineage is a separate matter. The Arab lineage is superior to the non-Arab lineage, without doubt.And as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: (Indeed, Allah chose Kinanah from the descendants of Isma'il, and He chose Quraysh from Kinanah, and He chose the Banu Hashim from Quraysh, and He chose me from the Banu Hashim). Here, the choice means that the best among people are from these groups. But with Allah, the noblest are those most mindful of Him, even if they are from the preferred lineage.
Meaning: In terms of lineage, Quraysh was preferred over the other Arabs, but with Allah, the noblest are those most mindful of Him.
Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you
إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْI say: There is no contradiction.For the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (People are like the ores of gold and silver),And he (peace and blessings be upon him) informed that: (The best of people in Islam are the best of them in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance). Accordingly, the noblest of the people from Quraysh are those among them most mindful of Allah, and the noblest of the people from Tamim are those among them most mindful of Allah, and so on.
As for lineage, lineage is a separate matter. The Arab lineage is superior to the non-Arab lineage, without doubt.And as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: (Indeed, Allah chose Kinanah from the descendants of Isma'il, and He chose Quraysh from Kinanah, and He chose the Banu Hashim from Quraysh, and He chose me from the Banu Hashim). Here, the choice means that the best among people are from these groups. But with Allah, the noblest are those most mindful of Him, even if they are from the preferred lineage.
Meaning: In terms of lineage, Quraysh was preferred over the other Arabs, but with Allah, the noblest are those most mindful of Him.