What is the meaning of al-fadil and al-mufaddal, and which of the two is better?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, and may prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah. Your Eminence, what is the meaning of al-fadil and al-mufaddal, and which of the two is better?
The Shaykh : It is known that al-mufaddal is the one whose excellence is surpassed by another, and al-fadil is the one in whom there is excellence. So, if one says "al-fadil and al-mufaddal," then al-fadil here means "better." But if one says "al-fadil" without mentioning al-mufaddal, then al-fadil may be one who has someone better than him. The ranks are three: the best (afdal), the better (fadil), and the less excellent (mufaddal). If one says "the best," it means that there must be something less excellent. For example, a man who wants to devote himself to seeking knowledge or to pray voluntary prayers. There is no doubt that voluntary prayers have excellence, but seeking knowledge is far better than them. Another person wants to give charity to a poor man who has some sufficiency, and another wants to give charity to a poor man who has no sufficiency at all. The better one is the second, and both have excellence. However, something may occur to the less excellent that makes it better than the better. For example, reciting the Qur'an is among the best dhikr, and the Qur'an is the best dhikr. If a man is reciting and hears the mu'adhdhin calling the adhan, is it better for him to continue his recitation or to respond to the mu'adhdhin? Here we say it is better to respond to the mu'adhdhin. Even though the Qur'an is better than dhikr, dhikr in its place is better than reciting the Qur'an, because reciting the Qur'an is not restricted to a time; you can recite whenever you wish. But responding to the mu'adhdhin is tied to the adhan. Likewise, the dhikr of the five obligatory prayers after the fard: if someone says, "I want to recite the Qur'an from the moment I say the taslim," is it better for me to recite the Qur'an or to say the prescribed dhikr? What is the answer? The prescribed dhikr. In fact, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 479a Some scholars said: If a person recites the Qur'an while in ruku' or sujud, his prayer is invalid because he did something prohibited. And you see now that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Even though the Qur'an is among the best dhikr.
In summary, the answer is that we say: deeds have ranks, some better than others, but something may occur to the less excellent that makes it better than the better.
The Shaykh : It is known that al-mufaddal is the one whose excellence is surpassed by another, and al-fadil is the one in whom there is excellence. So, if one says "al-fadil and al-mufaddal," then al-fadil here means "better." But if one says "al-fadil" without mentioning al-mufaddal, then al-fadil may be one who has someone better than him. The ranks are three: the best (afdal), the better (fadil), and the less excellent (mufaddal). If one says "the best," it means that there must be something less excellent. For example, a man who wants to devote himself to seeking knowledge or to pray voluntary prayers. There is no doubt that voluntary prayers have excellence, but seeking knowledge is far better than them. Another person wants to give charity to a poor man who has some sufficiency, and another wants to give charity to a poor man who has no sufficiency at all. The better one is the second, and both have excellence. However, something may occur to the less excellent that makes it better than the better. For example, reciting the Qur'an is among the best dhikr, and the Qur'an is the best dhikr. If a man is reciting and hears the mu'adhdhin calling the adhan, is it better for him to continue his recitation or to respond to the mu'adhdhin? Here we say it is better to respond to the mu'adhdhin. Even though the Qur'an is better than dhikr, dhikr in its place is better than reciting the Qur'an, because reciting the Qur'an is not restricted to a time; you can recite whenever you wish. But responding to the mu'adhdhin is tied to the adhan. Likewise, the dhikr of the five obligatory prayers after the fard: if someone says, "I want to recite the Qur'an from the moment I say the taslim," is it better for me to recite the Qur'an or to say the prescribed dhikr? What is the answer? The prescribed dhikr. In fact, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
And see that I have been forbidden to recite the Qur'an in the state of bowing and prostration.
ألا وإني نهيت أن أقرا القرآن راكعا أوساجداI was prohibited—meaning my Lord prohibited me—from reciting the Qur'an while in ruku' or sujud.
إني نهيت - يعني نهاني ربي - أن أقرا القرآن راكعا أوساجداIn summary, the answer is that we say: deeds have ranks, some better than others, but something may occur to the less excellent that makes it better than the better.