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*Riyad al-Salihin* (The Meadows of the Righteous) from the words of the Master of the Messengers, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

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Chapter: Respecting Scholars, Elders, and People of Virtue, Giving Them Precedence over Others, Elevating Their Assemblies, and Making Their Status Manifest.

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On the authority of Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, used to join two men from those slain at Uhud in a single grave cloth,

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and then he would ask, "Which of them had taken more of the Qur'an?" When one was pointed out to him, he would place him first in the niche (*lahd*) of the grave.

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Narrated by al-Bukhari.

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The *lahd* is a niche carved into the Qiblah-facing wall of the grave in which the deceased is placed.

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Among the benefits of this hadith:

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Both the lateral niche (*lahd*) and the trench (*shaqq*) are permissible in graves, as both were practiced during the era of the Prophet, peace be upon him.

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However, the lateral niche (*lahd*) is superior.

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The permissibility of burying two or three men in a single grave in cases of need or necessity.

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Giving precedence to the people of knowledge and virtue applies both during their lives and after their deaths.

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On the authority of Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

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"I saw in a dream that I was using a tooth-stick (*siwak*), when two men came to me, one older than the other.

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I offered the tooth-stick to the younger one, but it was said to me, 'Give precedence to the older one!' So I handed it to the older of the two."

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Narrated by Muslim with a connected chain, and by al-Bukhari as a suspended (*mu'allaq*) narration.

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Among the benefits of this hadith:

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The recommendation of using the tooth-stick (*siwak*), as it is an emphasized Sunnah of the Prophet.

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It purifies the mouth and pleases the Lord, especially before ablution, prayer, and the recitation of the Qur'an.

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Giving precedence to the eldest applies specifically to handing the tooth-stick and speaking, whether the gathering is seated in order or not.

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As for other matters, precedence is given to those on the right, proceeding sequentially.

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The permissibility of using another person's tooth-stick with their permission.

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The dreams of Prophets are true.

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They are infallible divine revelation.

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Therefore, whatever occurs in them carries legislative authority.

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On the authority of Abu Musa, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:

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The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

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"Verily, part of glorifying Allah Almighty is:

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honoring the elderly Muslim,

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honoring the bearer of the Qur'an who neither exceeds its bounds nor neglects it,

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and honoring the just ruler."

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Narrated by Abu Dawud.

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"The elderly" (*dhu al-shaybah*) refers to the one whose hair has turned gray and who has grown old in Islam.

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"The bearer of the Qur'an" means its reciter and memorizer.

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"The one who exceeds its bounds" (*al-ghali*) is the one who goes to extremes through unjustified rigidity.

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"The one who neglects it" (*al-jafi*) is the one who abandons acting upon it and forsakes its recitation.

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"The just" (*al-muqsit*) means the equitable.

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Among the benefits of this hadith:

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The recommendation of honoring the elderly Muslim,

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and the one who has grown old in Islam,

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and respecting them in gatherings,

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in recognition of their virtue and precedence in faith,

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as well as treating them with gentleness and compassion.

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Honoring the reciter of the Qur'an who understands its fiqh and acts upon it,

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who strictly adheres to its limits,

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and who recites it during the hours of the night and the extremes of the day.

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Honoring the just leader.

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Extremism in religious practice is ruinous,

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in whose barren deserts good deeds are severed and lost.

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Neglecting the Qur'an is a sin

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from which one must repent.

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The religion of Allah is a middle path between the extremist and the neglectful.

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Honoring the righteous, reformist servants of Allah

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bestows majesty and reverence upon whoever does so seeking Allah's reward.

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On the authority of 'Amr ibn Shu'ayb, from his father, from his grandfather, may Allah be pleased with them, who said:

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The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

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"He is not one of us who does not show mercy to our young

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and recognize the honor of our elders."

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Narrated by Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi.

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In the narration of Abu Dawud: "and recognize the right of our elders."

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Among the benefits of this hadith:

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The recommendation of showing mercy to children,

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and showing compassion, gentleness, and kindness toward them.

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The recommendation of respecting and revering elders.

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The Islamic community is like a solid, compact structure;

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it shows compassion to the young and respects the old,

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because each of them holds a place in that wall

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whose construction was perfected by the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.

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One must recognize the right of scholars and revere them,

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for in the hadith of 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit recorded by Ahmad,

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there is an addition with a good (*hasan*) chain of transmission:

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"and recognizes [the right of] our scholar."

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On the authority of Maymun ibn Abi Shabib, may Allah have mercy on him:

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A beggar passed by 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her,

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so she gave him a crust of bread.

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Then a man wearing decent clothing and of dignified appearance passed by her,

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so she had him seated and served a meal. When asked about that,

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she said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

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"Treat people according to their status."

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Narrated by Abu Dawud.

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However, Abu Dawud noted that Maymun did not meet 'A'ishah.

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Muslim cited it in the introduction of his *Sahih* as a suspended (*mu'allaq*) report,

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stating: It was mentioned on the authority of 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her,

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who said: "The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, commanded us

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to treat people according to their status."

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Al-Hakim Abu 'Abdullah mentioned it in his book

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*Ma'rifat 'Ulum al-Hadith*,

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and said: "It is an authentic (*sahih*) hadith."

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A "crust" (*kisrah*) means a piece of bread.

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"Appearance" (*hay'ah*) means a respectable and goodly condition.

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"Their status" (*manazilahum*) means their ranks and positions.

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Among the benefits of this hadith:

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Taking into account the ranks and standing of people,

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and giving every rightful person their due right,

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so that the generous is honored,

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the noble is dignified,

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and the slips of honorable people are pardoned.

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The permissibility of giving even a small thing in charity.

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Citing Prophetic hadith as evidence

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is a definitive proof in Islamic law,

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and it is far more eloquent than merely stating a ruling without proof.

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On the authority of Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, who said:

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'Uyaynah ibn Hisn arrived [in Medina]

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and stayed with his nephew, al-Hurr ibn Qays,

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who was among the men whom 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, drew close to him.

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The reciters of the Qur'an were the companions of 'Umar's council and consultative assembly,

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whether they were middle-aged or young.

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So 'Uyaynah said to his nephew:

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"O my nephew, you have standing with this leader,

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so seek permission for me to enter upon him."

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Al-Hurr requested permission for him,

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and 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, granted it to him.

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When he entered,

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he said:

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"Watch out, O Ibn al-Khattab!

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For, by Allah, you do not give us plenty,

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nor do you judge between us with justice!"

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Thereupon, 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, became so angry

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that he was about to punish him.

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But al-Hurr said to him:

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"O Commander of the Believers!

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Verily, Allah Almighty said to His Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him:

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﴾Take what is given freely, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorant.﴿

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And this man is indeed among the ignorant."

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By Allah, 'Umar did not transgress that verse when al-Hurr recited it to him,

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for he strictly adhered to the Book of Allah Almighty.

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Narrated by al-Bukhari.

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On the authority of Abu Sa'id,

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Samurah ibn Jundub, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:

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"I was a young boy during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

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and I used to memorize [hadiths] from him;

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nothing prevented me from speaking

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except that there were men present here who were older than me."

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Agreed upon.

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"Older than me" (*asanna minni*) means more advanced in age.

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Among the benefits of this hadith:

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The discouragement of narrating the Sunnah

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when there is someone present who is more entitled to speak,

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owing to greater knowledge, memorization, or seniority in age.

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The permissibility of young boys attending the assemblies of elders and gatherings of knowledge.

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A youth can acquire and retain knowledge during his childhood.

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Respecting and venerating elders.

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The Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, recognized the honor of their elders,

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knowing that they would remain upon goodness

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as long as knowledge came to them through their seniors.

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On the authority of Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:

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The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

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"No youth honors an elderly person on account of their age

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but that Allah appoints for him someone to honor him when he reaches that age."

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Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, who said:

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"This is a *gharib* (unfamiliar) hadith."

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"Appoints" (*qayyada*) means decrees and ordains.

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Among the benefits of this hadith:

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The recommendation of honoring elderly Muslims on account of their age.

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Recompense corresponds to the nature of the deed.

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As you treat others, so shall you be treated.

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A good deed is never lost with Allah.

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*Riyad al-Salihin*.