71 – Chapter on Humility and Lowering One’s Wing to the Believers

Allah the Exalted says, “And lower your wing to those believers who follow you” (ash-Shuʿarāʾ 26:215).

He also says, “O you who believe! Should any of you turn back from his religion, Allah will bring forth a people whom He loves and who love Him—humble toward the believers, stern toward the disbelievers” (al-Māʾidah 5:54).

And He says, “O mankind! We created you from a male and a female and made you into peoples and tribes so that you might know one another. The most honored of you in Allah’s sight is the most God-fearing” (al-Ḥujurāt 49:13).

And He says, “So do not pronounce yourselves pure; He knows best who is truly God-fearing” (an-Najm 53:32).

And He says, “The companions of the Heights will call out to men whom they recognize by their marks, saying, ‘Of what benefit were your gatherings and the pride you used to display? Are these the ones you swore Allah would never show mercy to? Enter Paradise; no fear shall be upon you, nor shall you grieve’” (al-Aʿrāf 7:48-49).

[Commentary]

Imam an-Nawawī—may Allah have mercy on him—entitles this chapter in Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn: “Humility and Lowering One’s Wing to the Believers.”

Humility is the opposite of self-exaltation. It means that a person does not elevate himself above others because of knowledge, lineage, wealth, prestige, leadership, office, or anything else. Rather, he must lower his wing to the believers—treat them with gentleness and deference—just as the noblest of creation and the one of highest rank with Allah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, used to do. He was so humble that a young girl could take him by the hand and lead him wherever she wished, and he would see to her need.