Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (4/209)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

The evidence is Allah’s saying:

“Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most God-fearing of you.” [Surah al-Hujurat 49:13]

The apparent meaning of this evidence is that the most God-fearing should take precedence over every one of those mentioned before him, because it is general in scope. However, using this evidence to establish that the most God-fearing occupies this rank is open to question. Rather, we say that the more God-fearing person takes precedence over one who is less God-fearing, because he is more likely to perform the prayer properly than one who is less God-fearing. It is well known that ensuring the proper performance of the prayer deserves greater consideration. A person who is less God-fearing may be negligent regarding ablution, avoiding impurity, or other such matters. For this reason, the more God-fearing person is more entitled than another on this basis.

The term “most God-fearing” is a comparative form derived from taqwa (reverent fear of Allah). Linguistically, taqwa means guarding oneself against what causes harm. In the Sacred Law, it means guarding oneself from Allah’s punishment by fulfilling His commands and avoiding His prohibitions, with knowledge and clear insight. It has also been said that taqwa is to abandon all sins, as the poet said:

Leave sins, both small and great—
For that is taqwa.
Walk as one crossing a land
Of thorns, wary of what he sees.
Never belittle a minor sin,
For mountains are made of pebbles.

However, the meaning we have mentioned is more comprehensive: guarding oneself from Allah’s punishment by fulfilling His commands and avoiding His prohibitions, with knowledge and clear insight.

Thus, according to the view adopted by the author, may Allah have mercy on him, the ranks are now six:

The one most proficient in recitation, then the one most knowledgeable in fiqh, then the eldest, then the one of nobler lineage, then the one who emigrated earliest, then the most God-fearing.

The correct view is that indicated by the authentic hadith, and they are five:

والدَّليلُ: قوله تعالى: ﴿إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ﴾ [الحجرات: ١٣] وظاهرُ هذا الدَّليلِ أنَّ الأتقى مُقدَّمٌ على كُلِّ واحدٍ ممَّنْ سَبَقَ، لأنَّه عامٌّ. ولكن؛ الاستدلالُ بهذا الدَّليلِ على أنَّ الأتقى في هذه المرتبة فيه نَظَرٌ، بل نقولُ: إنَّ الأتقى مُقدَّمٌ على مَن دونَه في التقوى، لأنه أقربُ إلى إتقانِ الصَّلاةِ مِن غير الأتقى، ومعلومٌ أنَّ إتقانَ الصَّلاةِ أَولى بالمُراعاةِ، وغير الأتقى رُبَّما يتهاون في الوُضُوءِ أو في اجتنابِ النَّجاسةِ، أو غير ذلك، فلذلك كان الأتقى أَولى مِن غيرِه لهذا المعنى. والأتقى اسمُ تفضيلٍ، مأخوذٌ مِن التقوى، والتقوى: اتقاءُ ما يَضرُّ، فهي في الشَّرعِ اتقاءُ عذابِ اللهِ بفِعْلِ أوامرِه واجتنابِ نواهيه. على علمٍ وبصيرةٍ وقيل: إن التقوى أنْ تَدَعَ الذُّنوبَ كُلَّها، كما قال الناظم: خَلِّ الذُّنَوبَ صغيرَهَا وكبيرَهَا ذاك التُّقى واعْمَلْ كماشٍ فوقَ أر ضِ الشَّوكِ يَحْذَرُ ما يَرَى لا تَحْقِرَنَّ صغيرةً إنَّ الجبالَ مِنَ الحَصَى لكن؛ المعنى الذي ذكرنا أعمُّ: وهو أنَّه اتقاءُ عذابِ اللهِ بفِعْلِ الأوامرِ واجتنابِ النَّواهي على علمٍ وبصيرةٍ. فالمراتبُ الآن ـ على ما ذهبَ إليه المؤلِّفُ ﵀ سِتٌّ: الأقرأُ، ثم الأَفْقَهُ، ثم الأَسَنُّ، ثم الأشرفُ، ثم الأقدمُ هِجرةً، ثم الأتقى. والصَّحيحُ: ما دَلَّ عليه الحديثُ الصحيحُ وهي خمسٌ: