The most incumbent upon you is the right of your mother...

The most incumbent upon you is the right of your mother, then the right of your father, then the right of your children, then the right of your brother, then the next nearest, then the next nearest — the most worthy, then the next most worthy.

Then there is the right of your master who favours you [by freeing you from slavery] , then the right of the slave whose favours reach you [by freeing him] , then the right of him who is kind to you, then the right of the muezzin (muadhdhin) who calls you to prayer, then the right of the imam who leads you in your prayer, then the right of your sitting companion (jalis), then the right of your neighbour (jar), then the right of your companion (sahib), then the right of your partner (sharik).

Then there is the right which your property has over you, then the right of him who has a debt he must pay back to you, then the right of him to whom you owe a debt, then the right of your associate (khalit), then the right of your adversary who has a claim against you, then the right of your adversary against whom you have a claim.

Then there is the right of him who asks you for advice (mustashir), then the right of him whom you ask for advice (mushir), then the right of him who asks your counsel (mustansih), then the right of him who counsels you (nasih). Then there is the right of him who is older than you, then the right of him who is younger than you, then the right of him who asks [something] from you, then the right of him from whom you ask [something].

Then there is the right of him who does wrong to you by word or deed, or him who makes you happy by word or deed intentionally or unintentionally. Then there is the right of the people of your creed [Muslims], then the right of the people [non-Muslims] under the protection [of Islam] (ahlu 'dh-dhimmah), then [all] other rights in the measure of the causes of the states and the occurrence of events.

Therefore blessed is he whom God aids to fulfil the rights which He has made incumbent upon him and whom He grants success therein and guides to the proper direction! * * * A. Rights Of God Over Oneself As for the greatest right of God over you, is that you worship Him without associating anything with Him. When you fulfil this [duty] with [utter] sincerity, He has undertaken to Himself to suffice you in the matters of this world and the next, and to preserve for you whatever you like of it.