The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) – Volume III — Page 40
Seal of the Prophets - Volume III 40 ْ اَنْزِلُوْا النَّاس َ مَنَازِلَھُم “O Ye Muslims! It is incumbent that you give due regard to the well known ranks of people in your mutual affairs and deal with them in accordance to their circumstances and rank. ” 1 The purport of this Ḥadīth is that those people who acquire some religious or worldly greatness or rank in everyday affairs, it is a part of Islāmic morality to grant due regard to the rank of such people and deal with them with due respect. For example, there is an occurrence from the life of the Holy Prophet sa when Sa‘d bin Mu‘ādh Anṣārī ra , who was the chieftain of the Aus tribe, arrived to pass a verdict in the matter of a Jewish tribe, the Banū Quraiẓah. When the Holy Prophet sa noticed him arriving, he said to his companions: ْ قُوْمُوْا اِلی ٰ سَیِّدِكُم “Stand in the honour and veneration of your chief. ” 2 Similarly, it is found from the Holy Qur’ān that when God the Exalted sent Prophet Moses as to Pharaoh with His message, He emphatically instructed Moses as that since Pharaoh possessed a rank in the country, speak to him in a gentle and respectful manner. 3 Complete Equality in Judicial Affairs However, comparatively, in judicial and legal rights, the Holy Prophet sa states the following in magnificent words indeed: اِنَّمَا ھَلَك َ مَن ْ كَان َ قَبْلَكُم ْ اَنَّھُم ْ كَانُوْا یُقِیْمُوْن َ الْحَد َّ عَلَی الْوَضِیْع ِ وَیَتْرُكُوْن َ الشَّرِیْفَ. وَالَّذِی ْ نَفْسِی ْ بِیَدِه ٖ لَو ْ فَاطِمَة ُ فَعَلَت ْ ذٰلِك َ لَقَطَعْت ُ یَدَھَا 1 Sunanu Abī Dawūd, Kitābul-Adab, Bābu Fī Tanzīlin-Nāsi Manāzilahum, Ḥadīth No. 4842 2 Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Isti’zān, Bābu Qaulin-Nabiyyi sa Qūmū Ilā Sayyidikum, Ḥadīth No. 6262 3 Ṭā Hā (20:45)