Consider the Qur’anic guidance on virtuous social conduct,
righteous living:
‘Believers, no one group of men should
jeer at another, who may after all be better than them; no one group of women
should jeer at another, who may after all be better than them; do not speak ill
of one another; do not use offensive nicknames for one another….’
‘Believers, avoid making too many
assumptions– some assumptions are sinful– and do not spy on one another or
speak ill of people behind their backs…’
‘People, We created you all from a single man and a single woman, and made you into races and tribes so that you should recognize one another. In God’s eyes, the most honoured of you are the ones most mindful of Him: God is all knowing, all aware’. (Holy Qur’an, 49: 12-14)
God’s religion prescribes for all humans a
pure life of humility and modesty; not of arrogance and vanity. According to the Holy Qur’an, Allah (swt), the Lord Almighty, knows the true worth of every person, and the thoughts they harbour in their hearts. God Almighty does not like mischief-makers, nor Satanic impulses to manifest in interpersonal relations. For the selfish emotions- be it arrogance, boastfulness, snobbery or vanity- betray a vain disregard of the real and contempt for people.
The Holy
Prophet (sa) said: ‘Allah (swt) has inspired me that you should be humble so
that no one despises anyone, and no one oppresses anyone’. For a devout Muslim,
Faith entails a life of deep self- esteem and awareness, of being just and upright
in interpersonal relations- neither showing-off, nor betraying contempt for
others: one should treat fellow beings with respect and good will; we should promote
peace, reconciliation, social unity and foster fraternity- indeed we should behave
like brothers and well-wishers of one another, promoting trust and amity, collective
good and welfare.
Recently, someone asked Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam
International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of
Mauritius about the true meaning of ‘humility’. Responding to this question,
Hazrat Saheb (aba) states:
‘I give my own understanding concerning humility.
A person who embodies humility will make the effort to
listen to and accept others. The greater the acceptance of others, the more
that person will be held in high esteem, and the more that person will be listened
to.
One word spoken in humility has the significance of a thousand words.
Humility is found in a vast ocean of still waters which run
very deep. At the bottom lies self-esteem. At first, going within the ocean is
like journeying into an unknown area of immense darkness. But, just as
exploration can lead to buried treasures, one searching his or her inner world
can find jewels buried in the depths. And the jewel buried deepest which shines
the brightest and gives the most light is humility. At the darkest moments, its
rays penetrate. It removes fear and insecurity and opens up the self to
universal truth.’
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