اِنَّ   اَکۡرَ مَکُمۡ    عِنۡدَ   اللّٰہِ   اَ تۡقٰکُمۡ  ؕ

Translation from Kanz-ul-Iman: Undoubtedly, the most respected among you in the sight of Allah is he who is more pious.

It has become obvious that before Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, respect and excellence do not depend on wealth, worldly rank and dignity, but the favourite people of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ are those who are pious and abstinent. Mentioning the glory of the pious people, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has stated in the Holy Quran:

اِنۡ    اَوۡ لِیَآ ؤُ ہٗۤ    اِلَّا  الۡمُتَّقُوۡنَ

Translation from Kanz-ul-Iman: Its guardians are the pious ones only.

(Part 9, Surah Al-Anfaal, verse 34)

i.e. those who adopt piety are the friends of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. Undoubtedly each of us will wish to get the pleasure of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, so the method of attaining its sainthood is to attain piety, as stated in the Holy Quran.

Importance of piety and the blessed Ahadees

Let’s listen to two blessed sayings of Beloved Mustafa صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم regarding the excellence of piety:

1.         Your Lord has stated: I deserve that everyone should have My fear and the one who has My fear, so My Glory is this that I will forgive him.

(Sunan Daarimi, vol. 2, pp. 392, Hadees 2724)

2.         The excellence of knowledge is greater than the excellence of worship and the best act of your religion is piety.

(Tabarani Awsat, vol. 3, pp. 92, Hadees 396)