Humility
﴿وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ ۚ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْـٔـُولًا
وَلَا تَمْشِ فِى الْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا ۖ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَخْرِقَ الْأَرْضَ وَلَن تَبْلُغَ الْجِبَالَ طُولًا ﴾
And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing,
and the sight, and the heart will all be questioned. And do not walk on the earth arrogantly. Surely you can neither crack the earth nor stretch
to the height of the mountains. [17:36-37]
Allah f is mentioning some injunctions in the first verse. This verse informs us that we should try and mind our own business. However, if we are for some reason or another involved in any matter, then before we take any action on what we hear, we need to be certain that what we have heard is true.
We cannot go on assumptions and hearsay. We live in an era where news travels extremely fast. People sitting on one side of the world can get a message sent over to others across the globe instantly.
Misinformation is so rampant, yet unfortunately we do not follow the Islamic concept, which is to investigate and make sure that the information being passed on to us is correct.
Moreover, we should not pass information on or pass judgement regarding others. We must not take hearsay, make judgements or spread false rumours regarding them as this is contrary to the teachings of Islam which teaches us to investigate.
Even if there is a fault in an individual or a group of people, it is our duty to protect them and conceal their faults, because the Prophet g said:
« مَنْ سَتَرَ مُسْلِمًا سَتَرَهُ اللهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ »
Whoever shields (or hides the misdeeds of) a Muslim,
Allah will shield him in this world and the Hereafter. [1]
After mentioning the injunctions in the above verse, Allah f mentions the three faculties in detail.
He mentions ‘hearing’, ‘sight’ and ‘the heart.’ All the things we hear in respect of false rumours or anything that we are not supposed to listen to, such as malicious talk or backbiting of a person, are a form of engaging in sin and we will be questioned about this on the Day of Judgement.
Similarly, we will be questioned in the Hereafter about what we saw in this world. Allah f has given us sight to see the beauty and the wonders of this earth. If we misuse this blessing and look at things we are not supposed to look at, we will, without a shadow of doubt, be held accountable for it.
The thoughts we have, the time we spend pursuing them will also need to be answered for on the Day of Judgement.
We should always entertain good thoughts about people. We should seek protection in Allah f when evil thoughts creep into our minds. It is our moral duty to think good of our brothers and sisters in Islam. The Qur’ān states:
﴿ اَلْیَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَىٰٓ أَفْوَ ٰهِهِمْ وَتُكَلِّمُنَآ أَیْدِیهِمْ وَتَشْهَدُ أَرْجُلُهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ یَكْسِبُونَ ﴾
This Day We will seal their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their feet will bear witness about what they used to earn. [36:65]
In the following verse of Sūrat Al-Isrā’, Allah f says:
﴿ وَلَا تَمْشِ فِى الْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا ۖ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَخْرِقَ الْأَرْضَ وَلَن تَبْلُغَ الْجِبَالَ طُولًا ﴾
And do not walk on the earth arrogantly. Surely you can neither crack the earth
nor stretch to the height of the mountains. [17:37]
Allah f is reminding us to be humble. This verse is a warning and reminder for those who walk the earth with pride and arrogance that they will gain nothing but the wrath of their Creator.
Arrogance will prevent us from reaching the peak of the mountain; we are insignificant beings in comparison to the earth and mountains in height and might and they are nothing before Allah f.
How dare we then show haughtiness and arrogance in front of the Mightiest of Beings? Allah f is the One with Grandeur and Might. He is Absolute.
The Prophet g said,
« وَمَا تَوَاضَعَ أَحَدٌ لِلَّهِ إِلَّا رَفَعَه »
No one will humble himself for Allah’s sake
except that He raises his status. [2]
I have personally witnessed this, namely people who have humbled themselves in front of Allah f and in turn Allah f has elevated their status to extents that we cannot comprehend.
Whoever humbles himself and thinks of himself as nothing has grasped the reality that we are exactly that – nothing. Who knows what will happen to us on the Day of Judgement?
We are nothing, in addition to being worthless, and Allah f elevates our status not only in this world, but also in the Hereafter if we become humble.
We must not forget the fate of the arrogant person; Allah f will disgrace him in this world and his punishment in the Hereafter will be extremely severe.
May Allah f enable us to have true humility and elevate our status in this world and the Hereafter. The Prophet g taught us the following supplication:
اجْعَلْنِي فِي عَيْنِي صَغْيرًا وَّفِي أَعْيُنِ النَّاسِ كَبِيرًا
Make me think in myself as lowly (someone who is nothing)
and make me honourable in the eyes of the people. [3]
[1] Muslim, 6578.
[2] Muslim, 6592.
[3] Al Dahlwī, ‘Abd Al-Ḥaq, Lam‘āt Al-Tanqīḥ fī Sharḥ Mishkāt Al-Maṣābīḥ, 8:358.
“
“The best among you (Muslims) are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him)
