His statement, “Then the older,” means the one greater in age. Thus, a twenty-year-old is given precedence over a fifteen-year-old if they are equal in the matters mentioned previously, due to the Prophet’s statement, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, in the hadith of Malik ibn al-Huwayrith: “…then let the eldest among you lead you in prayer.” (1) This applies when they are equal in recitation and knowledge of the sunnah.

It is also based on his statement, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him: “If they are equal in knowledge of the sunnah, then the one who emigrated earliest; and if they are equal in emigration, then the one who accepted Islam earliest—or, he said, the eldest.” (2) The author did not mention precedence based on earlier emigration or earlier acceptance of Islam, but it should be mentioned. Thus, we say: if they are equal in knowledge of the sunnah, then the one who emigrated earliest takes precedence. That is, if two men are Muslims but live in lands of disbelief, and one of them emigrated earlier to the lands of Islam, then the one who emigrated first is given precedence, because he preceded the other in goodness and is more likely to know the Sacred Law than one who remained behind in the lands of disbelief. If they are equal in emigration, then the one who accepted Islam earlier takes precedence, because the earlier Muslim is more likely to know Allah’s Law and is also more virtuous.

His statement, “Then the more noble”: the author’s ترتيب is as follows: the best reciter, then the one more knowledgeable in jurisprudence, then the older, and then, in the fourth rank, the more noble—that is, the one of nobler lineage. Thus, a Qurayshi is given precedence over one from another Arab tribe, and a Hashimi is given precedence over a Qurayshi who is not from Banu Hashim. The one of nobler lineage is therefore given precedence over others, but only after the three preceding ranks. In other words, if they are equal in recitation, in jurisprudence according to the author’s view, and in age, then the one of nobler lineage is given precedence.

The evidence is what is narrated from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, that he said: “Give Quraysh precedence, and do not precede them.” (3) However, this hadith may be answered in two ways: