Allah's statement,
[يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ
الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَـتٍ وَاللَّهُ
بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ]
(Allah will exalt in degrees those of you who believe, and those who have been
granted knowledge. And Allah is Well-Acquainted with what you do.) means, do
not think that if one of you makes room for his brother, or rises up when he is
commanded to do so, that this will diminish his right or honor. Rather, this
will increase his virtue and status with Allah, and Allah the Exalted will
never make his good deed be lost. To the contrary, He will reward him for it in
this life and the Hereafter. Surely, he who humbles himself by and before the
command of his Lord, then Allah will elevate his status and make him known by
his good behavior. the statement of Allah the Exalted,
[يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ
الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَـتٍ وَاللَّهُ
بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ]
m(Allah will exalt in degree those of you who believe, and those who have been
granted knowledge. And Allah is Well--Acquainted with what you do.) meaning,
surely, Allah is Aware of those who deserve this reward and those who are not
worthy of it. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu At-Tufayl `Amir bin Wathilah said
that Nafi` bin `Abdul--Harith met `Umar bin Al-Khattab in the area of `Usfan.
`Umar appointed Abu At-Tufayl to be the governor of Makkah. `Umar asked him,
"Whom did you appoint as your deputy for the valley people (that is, Makkah).''
`Amir said, "I appointed Ibn Abza, one of our freed slaves, as my deputy.''
`Umar said, "You made a freed slave their governor in your absence'' He said,
"O Leader of the faithful! He has memorized Allah's Book and has knowledge of
regulations of inheritance, along with being a proficient judge.'' `Umar said,
"Surely, your Prophet has said,
«إِنَّ اللهَ يَرْفَعُ
بِهذَا الْكِتَابِ قَوْمًا وَيَضَعُ بِهِ آخَرِين»
(Verily, Allah elevates some people and degrades others, on account of this
Book.)'' Muslim collected this Hadith.
[يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ
ءَامَنُواْ إِذَا نَـجَيْتُمُ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدِّمُواْ بَيْنَ يَدَىْ نَجْوَكُمْ
صَدَقَةً ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَأَطْهَرُ فَإِن لَّمْ تَجِدُواْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ
غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ - أَءَشْفَقْتُمْ أَن تُقَدِّمُواْ بَيْنَ يَدَىْ نَجْوَكُمْ
صَدَقَـتٍ فَإِذْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُواْ وَتَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَأَقِيمُواْ
الصَّلوةَ وَءَاتُواْ الزَّكَوةَ وَأَطِيعُواْ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَاللَّهُ
خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ ]
(12. O you who believe! When you (want to) consult the Messenger in private,
spend something in charity before your private consultation. That will be
better and purer for you. But if you find not (the means for it), then verily,
Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (13. Are you afraid of spending in
charity before your private consultation (with him) If then you do it not, and
Allah has forgiven you, then perform Salah and give Zakah and obey Allah and
His Messenger. And Allah is All-Aware of what you do.)