The
Most Honored Person with Allah is the Most Pious
By
Sheikh Muhammahah Ibn Ibrahim Al-Tawaijri
In
the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;
All
the praise and Thanks is due to Allāh, the Lord of al-‘ālameen. I testify that
there is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, Sallallāhu
‘alayhi wasallam, is His Messenger
All people are the
descendants of one man and one woman; they may be a believer and kafir, black
and white, Arab and non-Arab, rich and poor, noble and ordinary. The
Most Honored Person with Allah is the Most Pious.
Islam indeed does not pay
attention to the differences in colour, race or lineage. All people hails from
Adam, and Adam was created from dust. The Most Honoured Person with Allah is
the Most Pious. However in Islam, the differentiation between people is based
on faith (eman) and piety (taqwa), by doing that which Allah has enjoined and
avoiding that which Allah has prohibited.
Allah says: “O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allaah is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa [i.e. he is one of the Muttaqun (the pious)]. Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, All aware”[Al-Hujurāt, 49:13]
Allah says: “O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allaah is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa [i.e. he is one of the Muttaqun (the pious)]. Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, All aware”[Al-Hujurāt, 49:13]
Islam regards all people as
equal as far as rights and duties are concerned. People are equal before the
law (syari’ah).
Allah says: “Whoever works righteousness — whether male or female — while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)” [Al-Nahl, 16:97]
Allah says: “Whoever works righteousness — whether male or female — while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)” [Al-Nahl, 16:97]
Faith, truthfulness and piety all lead to Paradise, which is the right of the one who acquires these attributes, even if he is one of the weakest or lowliest of people.
Allah says: “And whosoever believes in Allah and performs righteous good deeds, He will admit him into Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise) to dwell therein forever. Allah has indeed granted for him an excellent provision” [Al-Talaq, 65:11]
Kufr, arrogance and
oppression all lead to Hell, even if the one who does these things is one of
the richest or noblest of people.
Allah says: “But those who disbelieved (in the Oneness of Allah – Islamic Monotheism) and denied Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they will be the dwellers of the Fire, to dwell therein forever. And worst indeed is that destination” [Al-Taghabun, 64:10]
Allah says: “But those who disbelieved (in the Oneness of Allah – Islamic Monotheism) and denied Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they will be the dwellers of the Fire, to dwell therein forever. And worst indeed is that destination” [Al-Taghabun, 64:10]
The advisors
of the Messenger (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) included Muslim men of all
tribes, races and colours. Their hearts were filled with Tawhid and they were
brought together by their faith and piety – such as Abu Bakar As-Siddiq
(radiyallāhu’anhu) from Quraysh, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (radiyallāhu’anhu) from
Bani Hashim, Bilal bin Rabah (radiyallāhu’anhu) the Ethiopian, Suhayb bin Sinan
(radiyallāhu’anhu) the Roman, Salman (radiyallāhu’anhu) the Persian, rich men
like ‘Uthman bi 'Affan (radiyallāhu’anhu) and poor men like ‘Ammar bin Yasir
(radiyallāhu’anhu), people of means and poor people like Ahl al-Suffah, and
others.They believed in Allah and strove for His sake, until Allah and
His Messenger were pleased with them. They were the true believers.
Allah says:“Their
reward with their Lord is ‘Aden (Eden) Paradise (Gardens of Eternity),
underneath which rivers flow. They will abide therein forever, Allah will be
pleased with them, and they with Him. That is for him who fears his Lord”
[Al-Bayyinah, 98:8]
[Excerpted from Usul
al-Deen al-Islami by Shaikh Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Tuwaijri.]