And the one who seeks the countenance of his Lord, the Most High, is highest in rank, for he is the most God-fearing and thus the noblest of creation in Allah’s sight. As He Most High says:

“Indeed, the noblest of you in Allah’s sight is the most God-fearing among you.”

He Most High also says:

“But the most God-fearing will be spared it—he who gives his wealth to purify himself, not to repay anyone for a favour bestowed upon him, but only seeking the countenance of his Lord, the Most High.”

Parallel to what He, glorified be He, mentions concerning offspring is what He mentions concerning partners in His words:

“He presents you with an example drawn from yourselves: do you have, among those whom your right hands possess, any partners in what We have provided for you, so that you are equals in it, fearing them as you fear one another?”

He Most High is saying: If none of you has among his slaves a partner in what Allah has provided him with, such that he fears that slave as masters fear one another, how can you assign Me a partner who is My own slave? How can you make him a partner in the worship, fear and hope that belong exclusively to Me, so that you fear him as you fear Me?

It is well known that the ownership of one human being by another is incomplete ownership. A master owns only some of his slave’s services; he does not own his very person. This resembles a man’s entitlement to certain benefits from his wife and an employer’s entitlement to certain services from his employee.

For this reason,