Are Sayyids Superior to Non-Sayyid Muslims in Islam?
Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Question
The place where I live considers a caste (sayyids) to be greater than other castes. Are sayyids superior to normal non-sayyid Muslims?
Answer
I pray you are well.
The Prophetic House
A sayyid is a descendant of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace). They have a special place in Islam, due to their connection to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). Because of this, they have been respected and honoured in all Muslim cultures.
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) warned the Muslims about mistreating them, “I warn you about Allah regarding my household.” [Muslim]
Honouring them is honouring their noble ancestor (Allah bless him and give him peace), due to him being the best of humanity.
Based on this, his descendants have the potential to be of the best of humanity if they adopt his way and apply the teachings of Islam. If one of them is not righteous, he still deserves kind treatment because of his connection to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), but he should consider the words of that same ancestor: “Whoever’s deeds slow him down his lineage won’t speed him up.” [Muslim]
Castes Are Not Recognised In Islam
The caste system that has its roots in Hinduism is not recognised in Islam. All people are equal in the sight of God, with the only distinguishing trait being Godfearingness. The better one’s deeds are, the better they are. But deeds aside, all people have an equal potential to surpass others.
Note that the above discussion about the descendants of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) also applies here. It is possible for someone who is not a sayyid to be better than any sayyid, such as is the case with Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (Allah be pleased with him), who surpassed every one of the umma, excluding the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) and the Prophet Jesus (Allah bless him and give him peace) if one were to categorise him as part of this umma when he eventually returns.
Practically, the status of Sayyid, or anyone from Quraysh, really, only comes into play in marriage. That is, someone from Quraysh may reject a proposal for his daughter from someone who is not from Quraysh. There are other considerations in the matter, though.
In summary, we respect the family of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) out of our reverence for him. This does not mean that an individual of them is automatically superior to a non-sayyid. That is dependent on their deeds and rank with Allah.
May Allah make us of those who honour the Messenger of Allah and all those connected to him (peace and blessings on them all).
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History, he moved to Damascus in 2007, where, for 18 months, he studied with many erudite scholars. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Quranic recital, and he was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.
