Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.
Loving the family of the Prophet ﷺ, recognizing their virtues, and respecting their rights are part of the religion. However, the primary criterion by which people are distinguished before Allah is faith and piety, not lineage alone.
Allah Almighty says:
“Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.”
[Al-Hujurat 49:13]
The Prophet ﷺ also said:
“Indeed, my protector is Allah and the righteous believers.”
[Agreed upon]
Being related to the Prophet ﷺ is an honor and virtue, but lineage does not replace faith and righteous deeds. When noble lineage is combined with piety, a person possesses two virtues.
When the Muslims suffered from drought during the caliphate of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, ‘Umar asked al-‘Abbas, the uncle of the Prophet ﷺ, to supplicate to Allah for them. He said:
“O Allah, we used to ask You for rain through our Prophet, and You would grant us rain. Now we ask You through the uncle of our Prophet, so grant us rain.”
[Reported by al-Bukhari]
What is meant here is seeking Allah’s help through the supplication of a righteous person, not merely through his lineage or status.
Choosing al-‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, does not mean that he was superior to ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, or ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with them. Rather, ‘Umar chose him because of his righteousness and his close relationship to the Prophet ﷺ. This also showed respect for the status and rights of Ahl al-Bayt.
Muslims have sought rain through the supplication of righteous people even when others who were more virtuous were present. It is not a condition that the person making the supplication for rain must be the best person present.
The best of this Ummah after the Prophet ﷺ is Abu Bakr, then ‘Umar, then ‘Uthman, then ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with them all.
Therefore, choosing al-‘Abbas to make supplication cannot be used as evidence that he was superior to these senior Companions. Choosing someone to make du‘a does not mean that he is the best of all people.
Piety is the primary criterion for superiority before Allah, not lineage alone.
The family of the Prophet ﷺ possesses honor, virtue, and a right to love and respect. The virtue of those among them who combine noble lineage with piety is even greater.
As for ‘Umar seeking through al-‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, this meant asking al-‘Abbas to make du‘a, and it does not indicate that al-‘Abbas was superior to the senior Companions.
And Allah knows best.