Humility: A Noble Quality of a Believer
Mufti Muhammad Anisur Rahman Rizvi
The true beauty of a person does not lie in their appearance, wealth or social status; rather, it lies in their character, conduct and moral qualities. Among these qualities, humility is a noble virtue that makes a person beloved by Allah and respected by others. Humility is the opposite of arrogance. It is not a sign of weakness; rather, it means submitting oneself before Allah while maintaining self-respect and behaving with kindness and courtesy toward others. Islam seeks to purify the human heart and develop people into individuals of noble character. Therefore, the Holy Quran and Sunnah place special emphasis on humility.
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran: “And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say words of peace.” (Surah Al-Furqan, Verse 63). In this verse, Allah Almighty identifies His beloved servants first through their humility. A true believer can never be arrogant, harsh or boastful. Every step they take reflects modesty, gentleness and self-restraint. Allah Almighty also says: “And do not turn your cheek away from people out of arrogance, nor walk upon the earth exultantly. Indeed, Allah does not like every self-deluded and boastful person.” (Surah Luqman, Verses 18–19).
Elsewhere, Allah instructs the Messenger of Allah (S.): “And lower your wing to those who follow you of the believers.” (Surah Ash-Shu’ara, Verse 215). This demonstrates that humility is not only required of ordinary people; it is an essential quality for leaders, teachers, scholars, preachers and people from every section of society.
The Messenger of Allah (S.) was a living example of humility. He was the greatest leader of all humanity, yet his life was marked by simplicity and humility. He would repair his shoes with his own hands, assist his family with household chores, visit the sick, sit beside the poor, greet children and willingly accept invitations from ordinary people. Power and status never made him arrogant.
He said: “Whoever humbles himself for the sake of Allah, Allah will raise him in status.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2588). In another hadith, he warned: “Whoever has an atom’s weight of arrogance in his heart will not enter Jannah.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 91). He also said: “Allah has revealed to me that you should be humble, so that no one boasts over another and no one oppresses another.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2865). These hadiths clearly demonstrate that humility is not merely a good moral quality; it is also one of the signs of complete faith and an important means of walking the path to Jannah.
The Companions (Ra.) were shining examples of humility. Even after attaining immense power and status, they considered themselves humble servants of Allah. Despite holding the highest position in the caliphate, they lived like ordinary people, remained concerned about the welfare of the public and considered themselves servants of the people. Their way of life remains an example for Muslim society even today.
In the present era, self-promotion, competition for status, the tendency to display oneself on social media and arrogance have increased alarmingly among people. Yet Islam teaches that true honour does not come from people’s praise; rather, it comes from the pleasure of Allah. A person who takes pride in their own achievements may be deprived of Allah’s mercy. Conversely, when a person remains humble, Allah establishes their honour in the hearts of people.
The benefits of humility are visible in every sphere of individual, family and social life. A humble person can easily earn people’s love and trust. Mutual respect increases within families, married life becomes happier, teacher-student relationships become stronger, and an atmosphere of harmony and brotherhood develops in society. A humble leader wins a place in the hearts of the people, a humble scholar earns people’s trust, and a humble businessperson becomes a symbol of honesty and reliability.
On the other hand, arrogance harms a person’s life in both this world and the Hereafter. Arrogance was what drove Iblis toward destruction. An arrogant person rejects the truth, looks down upon others and eventually loses people’s affection. Therefore, a believer should stay away from arrogance and always maintain the mindset of correcting their own mistakes.
To develop humility, we should remember the greatness of Allah and our own helplessness, regularly recite the Holy Quran and study hadith, follow the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (S.), spend time with the poor and helpless, engage in self-reflection and keep ourselves away from every cause of arrogance. We should remember that belittling others does not make anyone greater; rather, respecting others increases one’s own honour. Islam teaches us that the greater a person becomes, the more humble they should be. Humility brings a person closer to Allah, earns them a place in people’s hearts and guides them toward Jannah.
Let us all protect ourselves from arrogance, self-pride and self-promotion. Let us humble ourselves before Allah, treat people with kindness and follow the example of the Messenger of Allah (S.), making humility an inseparable part of our lives. Indeed, humility is the greatest beauty of a believer, the adornment of faith and one of the foundations of a life directed toward Jannah. May Allah Almighty grant us all the ability to become humble, gentle and people of noble character. Ameen.
