Humility (Tawadu') in Islam

Humility (tawadu') is one of the most praised character traits in Islam and a natural consequence of true faith. When a person truly recognizes Allah's greatness and their own dependence upon Him, humility becomes the natural state of the heart. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "No one humbles himself for the sake of Allah except that Allah raises him" (Sahih Muslim). He was himself the greatest example of humility: despite being the most honored of creation, he mended his own shoes, milked his own goat, served his family, and sat with the poor and the enslaved without distinction.

Humility Before Allah

The foundation of all humility is the recognition of one's absolute dependence on Allah. The Quran describes the believers as those "who walk upon the earth in humility" (Quran 25:63). The very act of prostration (sujud) in prayer, placing the most dignified part of the body (the face) on the ground before Allah, is the physical embodiment of humility. The scholars note that the word 'abd (servant/slave), which Allah uses to describe His prophets at their highest moments ("Glorified is He who took His servant by night," Quran 17:1, referring to the Prophet's Isra), is the most honorable title precisely because it expresses complete humility before the Creator.

Humility Toward People

The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught: "Allah has revealed to me that you should be humble, so that no one boasts over another and no one oppresses another" (Sahih Muslim). Humility toward people means not considering oneself better than others, treating all people with respect regardless of their social status, accepting truth even from those younger or less learned than oneself, and being willing to admit mistakes. The Prophet said: "He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of arrogance will not enter Paradise." A man said: "What if a man likes his clothes and shoes to look good?" He said: "Allah is Beautiful and loves beauty. Arrogance means rejecting the truth and looking down on people" (Sahih Muslim).

Humility vs. Humiliation

Islamic humility is not weakness or self-degradation. The believer is humble before Allah and gentle with creation, but maintains dignity and does not accept injustice. Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "We were the most humiliated of peoples and Allah honored us through Islam. If we seek honor from anything other than what Allah honored us with, He will humiliate us." True humility is strength: the strength to submit to Allah, the strength to acknowledge one's limitations, and the strength to serve others without ego. It is the quality that makes a person beloved to Allah and to people, while arrogance creates distance from both.