It was narrated on the authority of 'Ubayy ibn Ka’b, may Allaah be pleased with him, that in the times of the Messenger of Allaah The Almighty, peace and blessing be upon him, two men sat down to probe their line of descent. So, one of them boasted, “I am so-and-so, son of so-and-so…So, who are you, may you not have a mother?” (The last is a harmless Arabic phrase uttered in oral speech.)

The Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, (when he heard it) said: “In the times of Moosa (i.e. Moses), may Allaah exalt his mention, two men began to search each other’s forefathers. One of them said, ‘I am so-and-so, son of so-and-so,’ until he had counted the names of nine of his forefathers. He then asked, ‘Who are you, may you not have a mother?’ The second person said, ‘I am so-and-so, son of so-and-so, son of Islam.’ (That is, he gave his name, his father’s name, and said that they were sons of Islam, meaning, they were Muslims.)

Allaah The Almighty revealed to Moosa, may Allaah exalt his mention, of the two genealogists, the one who counted up to nine ancestors (should know that), all the nine of them were dwellers of Hell; and he is the tenth. And, you who have counted your ancestors to two, both of them are dwellers of Paradise and you are their third in Paradise.” (1) [Ahmad].

Amongst the lessons drawn from the above-mentioned Hadeeth:

1- Prohibition regarding boasting about forefathers, linage, wealth, tribe or the like of the worldly matters other than Islam. Prohibition of boasting about forefathers was also stated in the Hadeeth narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: "Those who boast about their forefathers should desist or they will be less significant before Allaah The Almighty than the beetle that rolls up the dung with its nose. Allaah The Almighty has taken away from you the arrogance of Jaahiliyyah (i.e. pre-Islamic era) and its pride in forefathers, so a person is either a pious believer or a doomed evildoer. All the people are the children of Adam, may Allaah exalt his mention, and Adam was created from dust." (2).

Al-Khattaabi, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: "People are divided into categories; pious believers and thus they are the best ones even if they do not have great linage, the other is doomed evildoers who are the worst ones even if they have great linage." End quote (3).

2- Virtue is not determined by forefathers, linage, wealth, high positions and the like of the worldly differences. The only correct criteria of preference and superiority is righteousness and fear from Allaah The Almighty in open and secret as He The Exalted says (what means): {Verily, the most honourable of you with Allaah is that (believer) who has At-Taqwai [i.e. one of the Muttaqun (pious - see V.2:2). Verily, Allaah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.} [Quran 49: 13]

Ibn Hajar, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: "This verse states that virtues are determined in the sight of Allaah The Almighty by piety i.e. that one obeys His commands and abstain from disobeying Him."  (4).

3- Muslim should not depend on his forefathers and linage and neglect fulfilling the commands of Allaah The Almighty and thus be like such arrogant person.

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(1)         Reported in Musnad of Imam Ahmad, may Allaah have mercy upon him, No (21178) and Al-Albaani deemed it Saheeh (authentic) Hadeeth. Refer to As-Silsilah As-Saheehah (3/265) No. 1270.  

(2)         Reported in Jaami‘ At-Tirmithi No. 3955 and Imam At-Tirmithi, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: It is a Hasan Gaghreeb (good and  stranger) Hadeeth and in Al-Jaami‘ As-Sagheer and its addition 1/962, No. 9613, and Al-Albaani deemed it Saheeh No. 5482 in Saheeh Al-Jaami‘.

(3)         ‘Awn Al-Ma‘bood by Al-Azeem Abaadi 14/16. 

(4)         Fat-h Al-Baari Sharh Saheeh Al-Bukhaari by Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalaani 6/527.

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