1334 – ʿIyād ibn Ḥimār (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Allah the Exalted has revealed to me that you must be humble, so that no one wrongs another and no one boasts over another.” Recorded by Muslim (1).

Vocabulary
• tawāḍaʿū: tawāḍuʿ (humility, self-abasement, submissiveness); the opposite of arrogance.
• al-baghī: from baghā yabghī; wrongdoing and aggression.
• yafkhara: fakhr ʿalā ghayrihi yafkhuru fakhran; to vaunt one’s qualities and take pride in one’s merits and virtues.

Lessons derived from the ḥadīth

1. Humility means yielding and submitting to the truth—both in one’s relationship with the Lord and in one’s dealings with people. In this sense it is broader than khushūʿ, which is due to Allah alone.
2. If people adorn themselves with this noble trait, no one will act arrogantly toward another, for humility is the antithesis of pride; nor will anyone oppress another, for the humble person sees no superiority that would lead him to look down on or harm others. Aggression and pride arise only in those who deem themselves above others and imagine they possess a distinction that entitles them to haughtiness and injustice.
3. Numerous scriptural texts praise humility and those who practice it. Allah says, “And lower your wing to those who follow you of the believers” (26:215); and He says, “So do not pronounce yourselves pure; He knows best who is truly God-fearing” (53:32); and He says, “Humble toward the believers” (5:54).