The first is that you take a great amount of vigilant care...

The first is that you take a great amount of vigilant care (ghayrah) in regards to your family and maharim [those in a degree of consanguinity precluding marriage], secondly, you are generous, thirdly, you possess good character, fourthly, you are honest and last of all, you are brave.'" [^3] According to the Noble Qur’an, the criteria for value and virtue are not wealth, race, language, skin color or ethnicity.

Rather, the criteria are such things like God-wariness, fighting for God's cause, martyrdom, struggling for God's cause, migrating for the sake of religion, piety, purity and knowledge. The Most Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), the role model of the Islamic community, held those who possessed these excellent qualities in high esteem.

Those who preceded others in faith, migrating [ hijrah ] and fighting for God's cause [ jihad ], were given particular respect by him: When Ja'far ibn Abi Talib was emigrating to Ethiopia, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) escorted him some distance and prayed for him. When he returned after a number of years, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) got up and went to welcome him back and kissed him.

Since Ja'far's return took place after the victory of Khaybar, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said, "I don't know whether to be happy for the victory of Khaybar or for Ja'far's return."[^4] After the war of Dhat al-Salasil, which took place in the eighth year after the Prophet's migration, ‘Ali (peace be upon him) headed for Madinah along with his victorious troops.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) informed the people of the victory of the Muslims and along with the people of Madinah, travelled three miles outside of Madinah (to welcome them back). When ‘Ali (peace be upon him) saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), he got off the animal he was riding.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) also got off his steed out of respect for ‘Ali, kissed his forehead, dusted off his blessed face and said, "Thank God, O ‘Ali, that He has supported me with you and has strengthened me against the enemy by means of you."[^5] The first battle that took place between the Muslims and the disbelievers was the Battle of Badr.