What we will have left is humility

Bismillaah… 

There are many characteristics for us to strive to have. One of the most important, at least in my opinion, is to be humble. Many muslims today suffer, are displeased, miserable, depressed, just because we’re not humble. It’s so easy to say that one is humble, but to truly be that, is far more difficult. I see and hear so many muslims saying, of course I am humble, or grateful, or patient. And I do that too, often. But when it really comes to show, we’re not. We expect more “from life”, we complain, we envy.. the list can be made long.

When it comes to humility there are two kinds that both are important, and that should be a part of a muslims behaviour. First of all, we humble ourselves to out Creator, azza wa jall. We serve Allaah, bow down to Him, pray to Him, call upon Him, worship Him the way He and His Messenger has told and showed us how to.  

 

َدۡ أَفۡلَحَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ (١) ٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ فِى صَلَاتِہِمۡ خَـٰشِعُونَ (٢) وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ عَنِ ٱللَّغۡوِ مُعۡرِضُونَ (٣) وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ لِلزَّكَوٰةِ فَـٰعِلُونَ 

 

 Successful indeed are the believers. Those who offer their Salât (prayers) with all solemnity and full submissiveness. And those who turn away from Al-Laghw (dirty, false, evil vain talk, falsehood, and all that Allâh has forbidden). And those who pay the Zakât.  [Surah al-Muminoon 23: 1-4]

 

 ٱدۡعُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ تَضَرُّعً۬ا وَخُفۡيَةً‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُعۡتَدِينَ (٥٥) وَلَا تُفۡسِدُواْ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ بَعۡدَ إِصۡلَـٰحِهَا وَٱدۡعُوهُ خَوۡفً۬ا وَطَمَعًا‌ۚ إِنَّ رَحۡمَتَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ

Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret. He likes not the aggressors. And do not do mischief on the earth, after it has been set in order, and invoke Him with fear and hope; Surely, Allâh’s Mercy is (ever) near unto the good-doers.  [Surah Al-Araf 7:55-56]

 

This, to humble one self in front of Allaah, is something that can be written about in lengths. SubhanAllaah it is such a significant part of how we should be, how our relation to Allaah, our Creator, should be.

The second category of humility, is to be humble towards the creation. To be modest and humble towards other human beings. Personally I have a big problem with people who have a “holier than thou” attitude, and even if they speak good, I can’t relate to what they say and I can’t benefit from what they say either. Mostly because their attitude and behaviour are so far from how a muslim should be, so what they say simply comes out as a part of hypocrisy. Now, am I free from this? No not at all. But I really do wish to be humble. Humble towards Allaah, and towards His creation.  

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “God has revealed to me that you must be humble, so that no one oppresses another and boasts over another.” – Sunan of Abu-Dawood, Hadith 2294 

We muslims often say, we live and die for Allaah’s sake. All we do is only for pleasing Allaah. My life is to worship and serve Allaah. I am always aware that Allaah is watching me and act accordingly. And yes… this is how it should be. But rarely is. Just look around in the world, and we see that isn’t the case. We muslims are very good at talking, me included! And oh no, I am not saying there isn’t people who actually live like this to the fullest, who are mohsin, who have reached the level of ihsan. I have muslim sisters in my life, that I could easy point at and say they are mohsin, they live and die for Allaah, their life is to worship, serve and please Allaah. But the thing is, they themselves would never say that. Because they are so humble, mashaAllaah tabarakAllaah. I wish so much one day to become like them. 

I think (yeah I think a lot today) that a good way of becoming humble, is to see and acknowledge our arrogance, and stop it. Find ways to our thoughts and our doings that is arrogant or leads to arrogance. And when or if we manage to eliminate our arrogance, what we will have left is humility.