Allah Almighty says: {Say, “Are those who know equal to those who do not know?” It is only the people of understanding who will take heed.} [Surat az-Zumar: 9]
1) 'Those who know' are the scholars of the Shariah; they are the heirs of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), since scholars are the heirs of prophets. Venerating scholars is a means for venerating the Shariah, because they are its carriers. Therefore, honoring them is the same as honoring the Shariah.
2) The verse highlights the difference between the knowledgeable and the ignorant, as the knowledgeable is praised while the ignorant is dispraised.
348/1- Abu Mas‘ūd, ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amr al-Ansāri al-Badri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The one who leads people in prayer is the most versed of them in Allah’s Book. If they are equally versed in reciting it, then the one who is the most knowledgeable about the Sunnah. If they are equal regarding the Sunnah, then the earliest one to emigrate. If they emigrated at the same time, then the oldest of them. No man is to lead another in prayer where the latter has authority or sit in his special place in his house without his permission.” [Narrated by Muslim]
According to another narration of Muslim, he said: “then the earliest one to embrace Islam” instead of “then the oldest of them.”
In another version of the Hadīth, he said: “A man who is well versed in the Book of Allah and the earliest to memorize it should lead the prayer. If they (all those present) are equal in this respect, then the man who made Hijrah (emigration) first. If they are equal in that respect too, then the oldest of them should lead the prayer.”
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His special place: the place of honor, such as the center seat.
1) A knowledgeable Muslim is more deserving of assuming religious tasks, such as leading the prayer. Thus, the one who is more knowledgeable of the Book of Allah should be given precedence for assuming that role, then the one who is more knowledgeable of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).
2) The greatest field of knowledge is knowledge of the Book of Allah (Glorified and Exalted) and knowledge of the Prophet’s Sunnah. So, a believer has to assign good care to these two fundamentals: the Qur’an and the Sunnah, and to dispense thereby with whatever else.
349/2- He also reported: “The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) would pass his hands over our shoulders as we align for prayer and say: ‘Stand in straight rows and do not differ among yourselves, or else your hearts will suffer discord. Let those be nearest to me who are mature and endowed with understanding, then those who are nearest to them in these respects and then those who are nearest to them.’” [Narrated by Muslim]
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1) It is obligatory to straighten the rows, fill the gaps, and align the shoulders and feet during the prayer.
2) The imam (who leads the prayer) should be keen to check the rows and straighten them by means of words and action, in compliance with the practice of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).
3) It is encouraged to let the mature and the people of virtue and wisdom be in the nearest row to the imam.
350/3 - ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Let those who are mature and have good understanding be near me, then those who are next to them (saying it three times), and beware of the tumult of the markets.” [Narrated by Muslim]
Tumult of the markets: what occurs therein of crowding, arguing, disputing, and raised voices.
1) Mosques have their preserved right; it is impermissible for the worshipers to quarrel or raise their voices inside mosques since this eliminates the required Khushū‘ (humble sumission to Allah).
2) It is urged to let the wise and mature people stand right behind the imam then those next to them in that respect.
Some people understand from the Hadīth that it is forbidden for boys to stand right behind the imam, which is incorrect. There is a difference between saying, ‘none but the mature should be near to me,’ and the statement of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him): ‘Let those who are mature be near to me.’ The second statement urges those who are mature and wise to step forward and be nearest to the imam, and this is the one reported in the Hadīth, whereas the first means that he forbids those who are not adults or wise to be nearest to the imam. Accordingly, it is impermissible to prevent boys from standing in the first rows unless they cause trouble, because the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) did not forbid boys from standing right behind the imam, but rather, he urged the mature men to stand near to the imam. So contemplate the difference in meaning.
Those who ban boys from joining the first rows have fallen into several evils, some of which are:
1) They prevent them from enjoying their rights, since boys, even little ones, have rights.
2) They make little boys dislike mosques, which may lead to their aversion to mosques and hating those who dismiss them.
3) If boys are dismissed from the first rows, they will be placed in the last rows where they will have the chance to engage in play and cause disturbance.
351/4- Abu Yahya, and it was also said (that his nickname was) Abu Muhammad, Sahl ibn Hathmah al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “‘Abdullah ibn Sahl and Muhayyisah ibn Mas‘ūd went to Khaybar during the period of the truce (after its conquest) and they separated to perform their duties. When Muhayyisah returned to ‘Abdullah ibn Sahl, he found him murdered, drenched in his blood. So he buried him and returned to Madinah. Then ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Sahl, Huwayyisah and Muhayyisah, the two sons of Mas‘ūd, went to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and to tell him about the case of their (murdered) friend. ‘Abdur-Rahmān, who was the youngest of them all, started talking. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Let those older than you speak first.‘ So he stopped talking and the other two spoke. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Will you take an oath whereby you will have the right to receive the blood money of your murdered man?’” And mentioned the rest of the Hadīth. [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
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1) Muslims are urged to let those who are older start the speech, being one of the etiquettes to which the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) guided us.
2) Learning about the prophetic etiquettes is one of the most important duties in the life of the believer.
352/5- Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) would bury two men of those killed in the battle of Uhud in one grave and say: “Which of them learned more of the Qur’an?” If either of them was pointed out to him, he would place him first in the Lahd (grave). [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
Lahd: a niche dug in the side wall of the grave wherein the deceased is placed.
1) It is permissible to dig 'Lahd' or 'Shaqq' in graves to place the deceased therein. 'Lahd' is a niche that is dug in the side wall of the grave, whereas 'Shaqq' is a trench that is dug at the bottom in the middle of the grave. They are both permissible types of graves as both were used during the time of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), yet 'Lahd' is better.
2) It is permissible to bury two or three men in a single grave if there is a need or necessity.
3) People of knowledge and virtue should be given precedence over others in their lives and after their death, owing to the honor of knowledge they carry in their hearts.
353/6 - Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “I saw in my dream that I was using a Siwāk (tooth-cleaning twig) when two men came to me, one of them older than the other. I gave the Siwāk to the younger one, but I was told to give it to the older one first, so I did.” [Narrated by Muslim with its full chain of narration and by Al-Bukhāri with its chain of narration partially omitted]
1) Age is given special consideration; those that are older should be the first to be given something from among those that are present.
2) When there are people sitting on the right and left, one should start by the right side.
354/7- Abu Mūsa (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “It is out of glorification of Allah Almighty to honor the gray-haired (old) Muslim, and the bearer of the Qur’an who neither exaggerates concerning it nor neglects it, and to honor the just ruler.” [Hasan (sound) Hadīth narrated by Abu Dāwūd]
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1) It is recommended to honor those who have a special virtue or are older in age and show to them respect in gatherings, in acknowledgment of their excellence and precedence in virtue.
2) Exaggeration is destructive, whereas avoidance is alienation and negligence. Thus, moderation is the fairest approach.
3) The religion of Allah is a middle course between exaggeration and negligence. Whoever adheres to the prophetic Sunnah, the guidance of the Companions and the earlier generations of Muslims with regard to his words, deeds, and attitudes is guided to moderation.
355/8- ‘Amr ibn Shu‘ayb related from his father that his grandfather reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “He does not belong to us who does not show mercy to the young among us and honor the old among us.” [Sahīh (authentic) Hadīth, narrated by Abu Dāwūd and Al-Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hasan Sahīh (sound and authentic)]
According to the narration by Abu Dāwūd: “... and does not recognize the right of our old.”
Does not belong to us: does not follow our guidance and way.
1) It is recommended to honor the elderly and show reverence to them, and to be merciful to the young, for by doing so matters are perfected.
2) The believers complete one another in the Muslim community.
356/9- Maymūn ibn Abi Shabīb (may Allah have mercy upon him) reported that a beggar passed by ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) whom she gave a small piece of bread. Then another man who was well-dressed asked her for charity and she invited him to sit down and served him food. When she was asked about the reason for the difference in treatment, she said: “The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) instructed us: ‘Treat people according to their status.’” [Narrated by Abu Dāwūd, but he said that Maymūn was not a contemporary of ‘Ā’ishah] [4]
It was cited by Muslim at the beginning of his Sahīh without mentioning its Isnād. He narrated it in this wording: “It was reported that ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) ordered us to treat people according to their status.’” The Hadīth was also cited by Al-Hākim Abu ‘Abdullah in his book Ma‘rifat ‘Ulūm al-Hadīth, and he said: It is a Sahīh (authentic) Hadīth.
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1) Muslims are urged to consider the ranks and positions of people without committing injustice or oppression, rather they should act in accordance with justice. As such, the one with a high status should not be underestimated, nor should the one with a low status be placed above his due rank.
2) Variance in people’s ranks is a divine norm decreed by Allah Almighty in the essence of the creation, and the call to deem all people equal in all respects is an ignorant call that is devoid of rightly-guided knowledge and correct understanding.
357/10- ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported: ‘Uyaynah ibn Hisn came to Madinah and stayed with his nephew Al-Hurr ibn Qays who was among the people close to ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). The Qur’anic reciters, old or young, had the privilege of joining ‘Umar’s council and he used to consult them. ‘Uyaynah said to Al-Hurr: “My nephew! You are privileged in the sight of this ruler. So, seek permission for me to sit with him?” Al-Hurr asked ‘Umar and he granted permission. When ‘Uyaynah came into the presence of ‘Umar, he addressed him thus: “O son of Al-Khattāb! By Allah, you neither bestow much on us nor deal with us justly.” ‘Umar got so angry that he was about to hit him. Thereupon, Al-Hurr said: “O Commander of the Believers! Allah Almighty said to His Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him): {Be gracious, enjoin what is right and turn away from those who are ignorant.} Indeed, this one is from the ignorants.” By Allah! ‘Umar stood committed to the verse when Al-Hurr recited it, as he always adhered strictly to the Book of Allah Almighty. [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
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1) Everyone should be addressed according to his status; a commander or a leader should not be addressed in the same way as laymen.
2) The virtue of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) is highlighted through his reverence of the verses of Allah. When he heard the verse of pardoning and turning away from the ignorant, he immediately complied and pardoned the man. So, is there anyone to follow the example of Al-Fārūq (may Allah be pleased with him)?
358/11- Abu Sa‘īd, Samurah ibn Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “I was a boy during the time of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and I used to memorize some of what he said. Nothing prevented me from narrating (what I learned) except that there were men here who were older than me.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) It is disliked for one to present some valuable information when there is among the present those who are older and more knowledgeable.
2) Youngsters should be raised on the principle of respecting and venerating those who are old so that they would be polite as they grow up.
3) The juniors among the Companions of Allah’s Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) acknowledged the honor of their seniors. They knew that they were on the right way as long as they received knowledge from their seniors.
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Blessing lies with their seniors.” [Narrated by Al-Hākim on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father)]
This is a prophetic approach that should be adopted in all aspects of life, whether those related to knowledge or practice. A person with seniority in knowledge and age should be given precedence over those below him in knowledge and age. The only reason why we are suffering from instability and confusion nowadays is that we have deviated from that great methodology, and leadership has been assumed by juniors instead of seniors. May Allah be pleased with Al-Fārūq ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb as he said: “I know when would people be good and when they would be evil: when Fiqh is communicated by a young man, the old will disdain to follow him, but when it is communicated by a senior, the young will follow him, so both of them are guided.” [Narrated by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr in his book Jāmi‘ Bayān al-‘Ilm wa Fadhlih]
359/12- Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “No youth honors an elderly person for his old age except that Allah will appoint someone to honor him in his old age.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi who said that it is Gharīb (strange) Hadīth] [5]
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1) It is recommended to honor the elderly Muslims given their old age and early faith. They should be honored for those two reasons.
2) Recompense is of the same type of action, and good deeds do not go to waste, even if little.
3) Muslims are urged to learn the prophetic Islamic etiquettes, like honoring the elderly.