Letting Elders Enter First

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Letting Elders Enter First


Al-Kha??b Al-Baghd?d? has mentioned this heading and quotes the following general a??d?th. He then reports narrations from some of the Salaf about letting elders enter first.
From Ibn ?Abb?s, that the Prophet ? said:

Blessings are with your seniors.

Ibn ?ibb?n et al. Graded ?a??h by Al-Alb?n? and others. See Al-?a???ah no. 1778.
From Ibn ?Umar, from All?h’s Messenger ? that he said:

Jibr?l told me to give precedence to those who are older.

Recorded by Ab? Bakr Al-Sh?fi?? in Al-Faw??id, and graded authentic by Al-Alb?n? in Al-?a???ah no. 1555.
It is reported that M?lik b. Mighwal said:

I was once walking with ?al?ah b. Mu?arrif when we came to a narrow (entrance). He went in front of me, then said, “If I knew that you were older than me even by a day, I would have never preceded you.”

Al-Kha??b, Al-J?mi? li Akhl?q Al-R?w? #248.
It is reported from Al-Fa?l b. M?s? that he said:

?Abdull?h b. Al-Mub?rak and I once came to a bridge, so I said to him, “Go ahead”, and he said, “Go ahead.” So we calculated [the age difference], and it turned out I was two years older than him.

Op. cit. #249.
Al-Kha??b mentions after these and other narrations, “And if the elder gives precedence to someone more knowledgeable than himself, this is allowed, and it is good.”
He then reports that Al-?usayn b. Man??r said:

One day, I was with Ya?y? b. Ya?y? and Is??q (Ibn R?huwayh) visiting a sick person. When we all came to the door (next to each other), Is??q stepped back and said to Ya?y?, “Go ahead.” Ya?y? said to Is??q, “You go ahead.” He replied, “O Ab? Zakar?yah, you are older than me.” Ya?y? replied, “Yes, I am older than you, but you are more knowledgeable than me.” So Is??q went ahead.

Op. cit. #252.
More

1. The Behavior of The Seeker of Knowledge
2. I’m the Man [the youngster who puts himself forward]
3. Worse than not knowing
4. From the Etiquette of a Son with his Father
5. Some of the Best and Worst People in Society

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