and among the Emigrants and the Ansār who are not from Quraysh are those who are better than most of Quraysh. Likewise, among those outside Banū Hāshim, whether from Quraysh or elsewhere, are those who are better than most of Banū Hāshim. As the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“The best generation is the generation among whom I was sent, then those who follow them, then those who follow them.”

Among the later generations are people better than many of those in the second and third generations. Nevertheless, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not single out the second and third generations for any particular religious ruling. Likewise, he did not single out the Arabs for any particular religious ruling. Indeed, he did not even distinguish some of his Companions with a ruling that did not apply to the rest of his community. Rather, he spoke of the Companions’ excellence because of the merit they possessed. Similarly, he did not single out the earliest forerunners for a particular ruling, but spoke of their excellence on account of the deeds that distinguished them. This has no connection with lineage.

The point here is that he was sent to all of humankind and the jinn. He did not single out the Arabs, to the exclusion of other peoples, for particular religious rulings. He did, however, distinguish Quraysh by stipulating that leadership should be vested in them, and Banū Hāshim by prohibiting them from receiving zakat. Since Quraysh were superior as a people, leadership had to be vested in the best group whenever possible. Leadership is not something held by every one of them; rather, only one person holds it.

As for the prohibition on receiving charity, he prohibited it for himself and his household to complete their purification and ward off suspicion concerning himself. Likewise, he left no inheritance, so his heirs receive neither a dirham nor a dinar;