Humility- Good Manners from Quran & Hadith 1

1.    Quotes from Quran and Hadith

وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا ‎﴿٦٣﴾

And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace, (63)

Allah ordered the prophet to humble

وَاخْفِضْ جَنَاحَكَ لِمَنِ اتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ‎﴿٢١٥﴾ الشعراء

And lower your wing to those who follow you of the believers.

عن عياض بن حمار رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : «إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى أَوْحَى إلَيَّ: أَنْ تَوَاضَعُوا، حَتَّى لَا يَبْغِيَ أَحَدٌ عَلَى أَحَدٍ، وَلَا يَفْخَرَ أَحَدٌ عَلَى أَحَدٍ (مسلم)

“Allah, the Most High has revealed to me that you (people) should be humble, so that no one transgresses another, or boasts to the other.” Related by Muslim.

2.    Signs of Humility

Humility in Arabic comes from word Wad’a which means put something down. By being humble, one puts his own ego down.

Below are some signs of humility with examples.

1. Reluctance for the Limelight: A team member who shares insights without seeking attention.
2. Discomfort with Praise: A student who humbly attributes success to hard work and blessings.
3. Willingness to Confess Mistakes: A manager openly acknowledging errors and seeking solutions.
4. Ease in Apologizing: A friend who apologizes sincerely for unintentional hurt.
5. Ability to Learn from Anyone: A CEO eager to learn from diverse perspectives within the organization.

3.    Virtues of Humility

The blessings of humility are manifold. Allah loves those who are humble, and the Prophet, peace be upon him, assured us that those who possess gentleness and humility are safeguarded from Hellfire. One of the most remarkable paradoxes of humility is that it elevates the individual. Allah raises the one who humbles themselves for His sake. True humility garners respect and admiration from others. The more humble we are, the more dignified we become in the eyes of Allah and people, regardless of our own perception of our worthiness.

4.    How to achieve humility

To achieve humility, we can undertake several practical steps.

• Studying the detriments of arrogance reminds us of its destructive nature. Monitoring our hearts helps us identify feelings of superiority and work towards rectifying them.
• Engaging in private acts of worship, especially during the night, cultivates humility.
• We should never disdain any lawful chore or routine task, for even the greatest of individuals, like the Prophet, peace be upon him, undertook such responsibilities.
• Finally, associating with the less privileged and engaging in work that uplifts marginalized communities fosters humility. By understanding their struggles, we foster genuine humility.