7. Humility Towards Servants And Slaves

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah ~ that the Prophet ~ said : • ·1 ~, ;.l\ >1 \., ?··, ,-. '\.U < U ~ ~ ~ : l 0u• ,,o...ow;_,. ~~l>- J ~ . ,.- ' , r:sj;.i i..s'~i 111n• ' ., ., ,, ' ' ,,, ((~~j ~? J~ - ~~ 'u--~~~I ji ~ ji ,~i , , "If the servant of one of you brings his food and he does not want to make him sit and eat with him, then let him offer him a morsel or two, because he has prepared it and served it." Narrated by AI-Bukhaaree, 2418 and 5144; Muslim, 1663. We ask Allaah ~ to make us among those who humble themselves before His might. And Allaah knows best. divided into two categories: those which are blameworthy and those which are praiseworthy.

Arrogance, vanity, showing off and thinking too highly of oneself are blameworthy; joy and energy are praiseworthy."[5GJ Another remedy for arrogance is for a person to realize that on the Day of Resurrection he will be gathered in a small form like an ant which will be trampled underfoot. Arrogant people are hated by other people just as they are hated by Allaah; people love humble, tolerant and gentle people, and they hate those who are harsh and cruel to people. Another remedy is to remember that he and urine came out of the same place; that he began as a despised drop of sperm and he will end up as a rotten corpse, and that in between he is a vessel for faeces. So what does he have to feel so proud and arrogant about?! Humility At the Conquest of Makkah, after the Prophet :I had become victorious over the Quraysh, one man stood in front of him.

The man was so afraid that his whole body was shivering and his teeth rattled. The man was scared because he knew that the Prophet ~ had power to do anything he wanted with him. But what did the Messenger of Allaah ~ do? He did not punish him, he did not harm him; rather he said to the man: (56) Tafseer AI-Qurtubi, 10/260. "Be at ease, verily Iam not a king, Iam only the son of a woman from amongst the Quraysh who used to eat dried meat."1 571 This was the way of the humble Prophet ~ in all things.

When people praised him too much or exaggerate in their respect or fear of him, he would tell them: "Do not praise me as the Christians praised 'Eesaa binMaryam, I am only a servant, so say: the servant of Allaah, and His Messenger." 1ss1 Here is the best of all creation; the one with the highest status with Allaah, the leader of mankind in this world and on the Day of Resurrection and the one for whom the doors of Paradise will open: yet he was very humble in his ways! Why? Because being humble is what Allaah loves!' Narrated Abu Hurayrah ~ : "Jibreel ~\ sat towards the Prophet ~ and then looked into the sky; and all of a sudden an angel was descending. Then Jibreel told him (the Prophet ~ ), 'This angel has never descended since he was created before now. When he descended he said, 'O Muhammad!

Your Lord sent me to you (to ask you) whether you wish to be a King or Servant-Messenger? Jibreel ~\ then said, 'Humble yourself before your Lord 0 Muhammad!' The Prophet ~ then said: [57] lbn Maajah [58] Bukhaaree 'N o, rat.her S ervant-M essenge1:,,,, Aaishah ~ narrated that the Prophet ~ used to say: ~I ~ ~ ~t; ~ I J5~ ~ J51 111 59 'I eat as a slave eats, and I sit as a slave sits. 1 1 What is Humility? Humility is the quality of not thinking that you are better than other people; it is the quality of being humble. It also means showing the humble attitude of mind and having modesty. It is the absence of boasting and raising oneself over others.

Likewise, when a person, word or an action is described as being humble, it means having or showing a low or modest opinion of one's own importance and the absence of pride in the heart and arrogance in the action. Humility or being humble comes from the heart and it is one of its actions. When humility is present in the heart, then the heart is soft, it is gentle, it is tranquil and it will submit to its Lord. So when the heart is humble, all of the limbs and body parts will follow it in that humility until it is reflected in the speech. An-Nu'maan bin Basheer ~ narrated that : "I heard the Messenger of Allaah :i saying: ~I "...

In the body there is a morsel of flesh which, if it is sound (59) Bayhaqee 97 and rectified, then all of the body is sound and good and if it is corrupt, then the whole of the body is corrupt. Indeed it is the heart." (601 So if the heart is submissive, the eyes, ears, head, face, and the rest of the limbs are submissive; the same goes for everything that comes from them, including speech. Due to this, the Prophet ~ used to say in the Rukoo' (bowing) of his Prayer: "My sight, hearing, mind, and bone are subservient to You." r61l; and in another narration he said: ''And whatever is carried upon my feet." 162 1 Are you humble? Have you ever asked yourself this question? The status of the humble people before Allaah is indeed great.

The traits of humility are many. Allaah links it with faith and made it a characteristic of His chosen servants. 0 J1 j01 ~~~~ / ~ l:{\~" ~ ~ Z,~1 [60] Bukhaaree [61] Muslim [62] Ahmad "And the slaves of the Most Gracious (Allaah) are those who walk on the earth in humility and sedateness, and when the foolish (people) address them (with bad words) they reply back with mild words of gentleness." (AI-Furqan (25): 63) Then Allaah says that the humble hurry to do good deeds in order to satisfy Him: "Verily they used to hasten towards good deeds, and they used to supplicate to Us in hope and fear. And they were humble towards Us.'' [AI-Anbiyaa' (21): 90] Also, Allaah says that the humble are the believers who have the noblest worship, which they preserve: "Indeed the Believers are successful, those who are humble in their Prayer." [AI-Mu'minoon (23): 1-2]; and they are the ones that have been given beneficial knowledge: "Verily those who were given knowledge before it (the Qur'aan), when it is recited to them, they fall upon their faces in prostration, and they say, "Glorified is our Lord! Indeed the Promise of our Lord has been fulfilled." And they fall upon their faces weeping, and it (the Qur'aan) increases them in humility." [Al-lsraa' (17): 107-109] The believer should show humility in every kind of situation; the most important of them are discussed as follows : Humility before Allaah ~ and His Prophet ~ Being humble before Allaah is to be in total servitude to Him and to submit to Him. This is the worship ['lbaadah] that Allaah demands from all of us.

It means having the highest degree of submission to Allaah by having the highest degree of love of Him. This is why Muslims are called the slaves of Allaah. It is only a heart that is full of humility that will accept Allaah to be the greatest of all and the most beloved above all else. To be humble before Alla ah and His Prophet ~ is not to consider oneself ahead of them in all of one's affairs. Allaah ~ says: "O you who believe!

Do not put yourselves forward before Allaah and His Messenger, and fear Allaah. Verily! Allaah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing." [AI-Hujuraat (49): 1] It is also not humility to express displeasure with the decisions of Allaah and His Prophet ~ as this opposes total submission. ~(~J ~ ~ .ili ,4?~~ ~\ ~ ;_; ~) ~ Ui ~ "It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allaah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed in a plain error." [AI-Ahzaab (33}: 36] To be humble before the Prophet ~ means not to raise one's voice above his own by showing disbelief, disrespect or neglect to his true sayings, acti.ons or acts approved by him [i. e. his Sunnah]. Allaah ~ says: "O you who believe!

Raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor speak aloud to him in talk as you speak aloud to one another, lest your deeds may be rendered fruitless while you perceive not." [AI-Hujuraat (49): 2] Here's an example of such humility: 'Once, Allaah's Messenger ~ saw a person wearing a gold signet ring in his hand. He pulled it off and threw it away, saying: "One of you is wishing live coal from Hell, and putting it on 101 his hand." It was said to the person after Allaah's Messenger ~ had left: 'Take your gold ring and derive benefit out of it, whereupon he said: 'No, by Allaah, I would never take it when Allaah's Messenger ~ has thrown it away.'1 63 l Humility with Parents Allaah ~ enjoins us to be humble and dutiful in the relationship with our parents He mentions it alongside making the acts of worship only for Him. / ,.,,.> ,., . .,,,. c:v / ,..,., , ,. ,,1 / .> ,,,. _ -:;; .,...,>>,., ,. ~ ~~ ~l ~4J~_, ~l ~l \J~ 0 '1~ ;J t1 ~ ~ G)( ]I t;.D ~11 2_c;. 1:~1 #G o ~~ {i' (~1 j~ ~~ ~~ ~Q~ r ~J ~3 J~ q i ~ "And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him and that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour. And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: "My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small." [Al-lsraa' (17): 23-24] Humility to one's parents is in fact part of being humble to [63) Muslim Allaah and His Commands.

Therefore, it should be of great importance to us. The Prophet :i; said: "There are three people to whom Allaah has forbidden Paradise: one who is addicted to wine, an undutiful son, and a cuckold who agrees to his womenfolk's adultery." IG4J Humility in Self Of foremost attention is that the believer must attain humility in his worship of His Creator. It is a sign of one's love for Allaah, sincerity of purpose and a key to success. For example, when it comes to the most important action of our lives - Salaah; Allaah ~ says: ~SJ.~'.;. rt~ ~ ~ ~Jr o 0fa; I1 ~ ~~ "Successful indeed are the believers. Those who offer their Salaah (prayers) with all solemnity and full submissiveness." [AI-Mu'minoon (23): 1-2] And Uthman bin Affaan ~ related: I heard Allaah's Messenger :i; saying: ~ -~~ !~ ~~ ~~ ;LS;I ,,,. ,,.. ? -;;; .,., ,, ,,,. ;;; J, J ;. ~ q o~LD ~l5 \/! , ~~~j ~ _,..:..>-j [64] Ahmad "When the time for a prescribed prayer comes, if any Muslim performs ablution well and offers his prayer with humility and bowing, it will be an expiation for his past sins, so long as he has not committed a major sin; and this applies to for all times." 1651 Humility is also important in other aspects of worsh ip such as in Du'aa' (prayer) and Dhikr (remembrance of Allaah) .

Allaah ~ says : "Supplicate to your Lord with humility and in secret ... " [Al- 'A'raaf (7): 55] and "And remember your Lord within yourself, humbly and with fear and without loudness in words in the mornings and in the hours before sunset and be not among those who are neglectful.'' [AI-A'raaf (7): 205] The believer must also have humility in mutual dealings and show [65] Muslim 04 good character to all people. And dress humbly. Allaah ~ says: "Verily, the most honourable of you with Allaah is the most pious." [Al-Fath (49): 13] Allaah 's Messenger :i said: "Verily! Allaah has revealed to me that you should humble to one another in order that no one should boast over another nor treat anyone unjustly." [661 Pride, arrogance and being boastful are not traits that should be found in a believer.

The Prophet :i said: ,~~~~ t;~_, ti~~\ ~ ~ 0~f l; ~\ 0p) ,~\) ~ f; T_, f1 t ~f '~ ~(;_, ~ ~j; Ot ,,,. o, o _ ct v ,; O, ct O? ';:;i ~\ a o "" \ ' "LO? , , ' JI,;. -., ~' .iJ ., ,,,. .,.., ~~~~ !'i Y :- ~ ~ ·}(f'- J1 ~41 ~ .&1 ._µ 0~i J}:;1 ~i 'r:~ .,,. / ? / / ~:0 ((~\~\ Allaah, Most High, has removed from you the pride of the Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic period) and its boasting in ancestors. [66] Muslim 105 One is only a pious believer or a miserable sinner. You are sons of Aadam, and Aadam came from dust. Let the people cease to boast about their ancestors. They are merely fuel in Hellfire (Jahannam); or they will certainly be of less account with Allaah than the beetle which rolls dung with its nose." [571 Fruits of Humility The fruit of true humility is in the heart and not on the limbs.

One of the pious predecessors said, "Seek refuge from the hypocritical humility." They said, 'And what is hypocritical humility?' He said, "When you see the body humbled, but the heart is not humbled." And 'Umar ~ looked at a youth who was lowering his head, so he said to him, "What is this! Raise your head, since the outward humility does not increase what is in the heart." (Az-Zuhd) Here is an example of true humility: "When the Verse of the Qur'aan that says: 0 'Do you then wonder at this recital (the Qur'aan) and you laugh at it and weep not.' [An-Najm (53): 59-60] was revealed, the Companions residing in the Suffah, (the courtyard of the Prophet's mosque) wept until tears began to trickle down their cheeks." When the Prophet ~ heard their weeping, he wept with them and his weeping made us weep. Then he said : ((4'.iJ\ (67] Abu Dawood "The person who weeps in humility to Allaah will not enter Hell." !GsJ lbn AI-Qayyim ...ii l v"-J narrated: "Indeed a servant commits a sin by which he enters Paradise; and another does a good deed by which he enters the Fire. The one, who committed the sin, constantly thinks about it; which causes him to fear it, regret it, weep over it and feel ashamed in front of his Lord due to it. So this sin is beneficial to him than doing many acts of obedience, since it has caused him to have humility-which leads to the servant's happiness, success and becomes the cause for him entering Paradise.

As for the doer of good, then he does not consider this good a favour from his Lord upon him. Rather, he becomes arrogant and amazed with himself, saying: I have achieved such and such. So this further increases him in self adulation, pride and arrogance - such that this becomes the cause for his destruction." An Excellent Abode Finally, Allaah has prepared for the humble what the proud and arrogant ones will never attain. Paradise. What an excellent abode.

In it, they shall possess all what their hearts desire and unhappiness will never touch them. The proud and arrogant will taste the evil outcome of their action in the pain and distress of Hell-fire. Narrated Abu Hurayrah ~ : "The Prophet ~ said: 0_.,~~\ P~ :oi; ..:Jw ,~lj )JI ~\l> (68] Bayhaqee "Paradise and Hell quarreled in the presence of their Lord. Paradise said, 'O Lord! What is wrong with me that only the poor and humble people enter me?' Hell (Fire) said, 'I have been favoured with the arrogant (and proud) people.' So Allaah said to Paradise, 'You are My Mercy,' and said to Hell, 'you are My Punishment which I inflict upon whom I wish, and I shall fill both of you."'[69 l(Bukhaaree) And who are these people of Paradise?

Narrated Haritha bin Wahb ~: The Prophet ~ said: "Shall I inform you about the people of Paradise? They comprise every obscure unimportant humble person, and if he takes Allaah's Oath that he will do that thing, Allaah will fulfill his oath (by doing that). Shall I inform you about the (69) Bukhaaree people of the Fire? They comprise every cruel, violent, proud and conceited person." 17o1 So, ask yourself again : are you humble; do you possess the t raits of those who are humble before Allaah and do you desire t o one of the people of Paradise? We ask Allaah to rid us all of arrogance and make us humble. [70] Bukhaaree 109 A day and a night will not come, except that AI-Laat and 22 A person from people who lived before you was called to account 50 Allaah has obligated five prayers.

Whoever excellently performs their 55 Allaah, Most High, has removed from you the pride of the Jahiliyyah 85 Among the signs of the Hour are: knowledge will be reduced, 48 Among those people before you, a man would be seized and held in a 64 And no one humbles himself before Allaah but Allaah will raise him 73 And whatever is carried upon my feet 79 Arrogance means rejecting the truth and looking down on people 70 At the end of time there will be earthquakes, slander, 48 Be at ease, verily I am not a king, I am only the son of a woman from 77 Do not praise me as the Christians praised 'Eesaa bin Maryam, I am 77 Do you know who is poor 46 Do you make me one to be called upon along with Allaah? Say 33 Every child is born upon the fitrah (i.e. /slaam), but his parents 19 'He who does not thank the people does not thank Allaah 43 He who obeys me has obeyed Allaah and he who disobeys me 42 He who orders you with disobedience to Allaah - among the rulers 44 How can I enjoy life when the bearer of the horn (or trumpet) 47 I created all My Servants upon the true Religion 18 I eat as a slave eats, and I sit as a slave sits 77 I have been ordered to fight the people until they say: 'There is 26 I have been sent, I and the Hour being like these two 47 If a person had a stream outside his door and he bathed in it five times 56 If the servant of one of you brings his food and he does not want to make 76 In the body there is a morsel of flesh which, if it is sound and rectified 78 May the servant of the Deenaar perish, and may the servant of the 34 Might is My garment and pride is My cloak; whoever seeks to compete 69 My sight, hearing, mind, and bone are subservient to You 78 Never is a believer stricken with a discomfort, an illness, an anxiety 65 No one who has an atom's-weight of arrogance in his heart will enter 68 No, rather Servant-Messenger 77 0 Abu Umayr, what happened to the nughayr (a small bird that he kept 75 (O Allaah)! Without You, we would not have been guided, nor would 75 On the Day of Resurrection, the arrogant will be gathered like ants in 70 One of you is wishing live coal from Hell, and putting it on his hand 81 Paradise and Hell quarreled in the presence of their Lord. Paradise 86 Say: Hasbuna Allaah wa ni'am al-wakeel, 'ala Allaah 47 Shall I inform you about the people of Paradise? They comprise every 87 The first matter that the slave will be brought to account for on 54 The Hour will not be established until tribes from my Um mah 23 The Hour will only come upon the most evil of people 48 The likeness of the man who observes the limits prescribed by Allaah 60 The Muslim must hear and obey in hard and easy things and 44 The person who weeps in humility to Allaah will not enter Hell 85 The prayer 54 The religion is naseehah (sincere advice)." (Ad-Deen' Naseehah) 10 The righteous people will vanish, the best first, then the next 49 The thing that I fear for you the most is minor Shirk' 32 The time between the five prayers, two consecutive Friday prayers, and 56 There are three people to whom Allaah has forbidden Paradise 82 There is no obedience to any creature in disobedience to the Creator 44 There is no obedience to anyone in disobedience to Allaah, verily 42 Verily obedience is in that which is correct 44 Verily the most truthful speech is the Word of Allaah and the best 8 Verily!

Allaah has revealed to me that you should humble to one 84 Wealth does not decrease because of charity, and Allaah increases His 73 What I fear for you most is minor Shirk 34 When the time for a prescribed prayer comes, if any Muslim performs 83 While a man was walking on a road, he became very thirsty 50 While three persons were walking, rain began to fall and they 39 Whilst a man was letting his garment drag out of pride, he was swallowed · 74 Whilst a man was walking in a garment admiring himself with his hair 74 Whilst a man was walking, dragging his garment with pride, with his 71 Whoever amongst you sees an evil, he must change it with his hand; if 59 Whoever dies claiming that Allaah has a rival, will enter Hell 17 Whoever dies whilst calling upon other than Allaah enters the Fire 31 Whoever lets his garment drag along the ground out of pride, Allaah 69 Whoever of you sees wrong being committed, let him rectify it with his 60 Whoever swears by other than Allaah, then he has indeed 32 Whoever will be called to account (about his deeds on the Day of 51 Whosoever dies whilst making Du'aa' (invocation, supplication) 27 (Yes) There is a reward for serving any animate (living being) 51 You are going to people of a (Divine) Book. First of all invite them to 57 You will surely follow the ways (Sunan) of those who came before 23 111