In another narration, the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said to Sayyiduna Abu Dharr رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ: “You are not better than someone who is black or red, except that you may be greater than him in piety.” ^[1]

Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه states: “A dark-skinned believer is thousands of times superior to a light-skinned disbeliever. A dark-skinned believer is thousands of times better than light-skinned sinners. A righteous man is better than a sinner and the conscious one is better than the heedless. This narration is vast.”^[2]

Dear Islamic brothers! We learn from this that having a noble lineage, wealth, or fair or dark skin is not a cause of gaining virtue in Islam. Rather, the standard with which one becomes superior is piety. Piety is such a treasure, that the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would ask for it when supplicating to Allah Almighty.

Hence, Sayyiduna Ibn Masood رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ reports that the Beloved Prophet   صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would make the following Du’a: اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّي اَسْئَلُكَ الْهُدٰى وَالتُّقىٰ وَالْعَفَافَ وَالْغِنىٰ O Allah! I ask you for guidance, piety, chastity and richness.^[3]

Hakeem-ul-Ummah Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه states: “Guidance here means corrects beliefs; piety refers to good deeds; chastity means refraining from evil, and richness here means not being dependent upon creation; only upon Allah and His Messenger. Every goodness of the religion has been sought in this Du’a.^[4]

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                                                                 صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Dear Islamic brothers! Remember! Acquiring wealth or status is not a something great, rather it is a test. These things are given to many