Question:
When the virtues of people of Yemen are mentioned, some say that those people who possess such virtues do not exist in our time. Rather, those virtues are only for those who were there at the time of the Messenger of Allah sallalahu alayhi wasallam.
Answer:
The Shaykh responded by saying ,
“Allah has preferred his creation over others and this is the Wisdom which return back to Allah.The virtues of the creations over some of others;this is from Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala for a wisdom that Allah knows.And Allah has virtued some of the Prophets (alayhimussalaam) over others as Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says:
وَلَقَدْ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَ النَّبِيِّينَ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ
“And indeed, We have preferred some of the Prophets above others” (Suratul Israa 55)
Likewise, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala preferred places over others ,Madinah and Makkah are better than other places.Also,Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has preferred the black stone (Hajar Al Aswad) in Kaba over the rest of the stones.Likewise,other places as like Muzdalifah and Arafah (are preferred over other places.). However, the greatest virtue and greatest of affairs is the one whom Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has given emaan ,having emaan upon Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala and The Last Day . Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says :
وَبَشِّرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
“and give glad tidings to the believers.” (Surah Yunus 87)
and He says :
إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ
” Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah are those who fear Him most” (Suratul Hujuraat 13)
So,it is not permissible for one to disagree with Allah subhanahu wata’ala in those things which Allah has preferred and has given virtue and fadhal to over others. It’s not for the muslim to come with any form of disagreement or dislike in himself.
Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says :
وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلَا مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمْرًا أَن يَكُونَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ
“It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision” (Suratul Ahzaab 36)
So, Allah subhanahu wa tala is not to be questioned with regards to these affairs and no doubt, those who work righteous actions and are from the people of emaan from the people of Yemen that they have the same virtue of those at the (described) time of the Messenger of Allah sallalahu alayhi wasallam. Those virtues are upon them but we do not mean that they are similar to them completely because the Sahabaa ridhwanullahi alayhim ajma’een have a level which no one can reach, rather those virtues apply to them also. The virtues of those who have come after the Sahabaa in our times and also in later or before this time who work righteous deeds,then applies to them the same virtue.Also,people who do kufr regardless of whatever background they be from ,apply to them the acts of kufr.Look at the son of Nuh alayhatussalaam.His son died upon kufr so he said :
رَبِّ إِنَّ ابْنِي مِنْ أَهْلِي
“O my Lord! Verily, my son is of my family!” (Surah Hud 45)
Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala said :
إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ ۖ إِنَّهُ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَالِحٍ
” Surely, he is not of your family; verily, his work is unrighteous” (Surah Hud 46)
also,there are other virtues which Allah and His Messenger have mentioned for other people like Salman radhiallahu anhu .The Messenger of Allah sallalahu alayhi wasallam said that if the emaan was in suraiyya (highest star in the sky) then men from faaris (persia) would have reached it (ref Jami Tirmidhi 3570 – hasan) .So it is a virtue for these people. It is not permissible for one to disagree with these virtues which Allah subhanahu watala has given virtue to.Also,it is not permissible for the one who is given these virtues to become boastful about that virtue which Allah has given him.Allah says :
يَمُنُّونَ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ أَسْلَمُوا ۖ قُل لَّا تَمُنُّوا عَلَيَّ إِسْلَامَكُم ۖ بَلِ اللَّهُ يَمُنُّ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ هَدَاكُمْ لِلْإِيمَانِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ
“They regard as favour to you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) that they have embraced Islam. Say: “Count not your Islam as a favour to me. Nay, but Allah has conferred a favour upon you that He has guided you to the Faith if you indeed are true.” (Suratul Hujuraat 17)
Also,if this was not the case and if everything were equal meaning if the gold and the silver were the same and the lowly cheap things be similar to the high quality things then there would be lack of wisdom in that.Rather Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala from His Wisdom has preferred these over others.And it may be found in people of yemen to have more jealousy (gheerah) for the religion of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala over people who are not from yemen.Origin (of the matter) is Ahlul yemen have been given this virtue.
Answered by : Shaykh Abu Ishaaq Al Qaisee