Protected Pearls

Al-Kirizi (a poet) once said:

‘And do not walk upon the earth except in humbleness, For how many people underneath it are more exalted than you! If you are in glory, goodness and strength, Then how many have died that were more stronger than you.’

Allah said in the Quran:

Turn not thy cheek in scorn toward folk, nor walk with pertness in the land. Lo! Allah loveth not each braggart boaster. Be modest in thy bearing and subdue thy voice. Lo! the harshest of all voices is the voice of the ass. [Quran 31: 18-19]

‘Umar ibn al-Khattab said:

‘If a man humbles himself to Allah, then Allah will raise him and say to him, ‘Rise up, may Allah raise you!’ because he sees himself to be insignificant whilst he is great in the eyes of people. But if a slave is arrogant and transgresses, then Allah casts him away saying, ‘Be lowly, may Allah lower you!’ because he sees himself to be great whilst he is insignificant in the eyes of people.’

And Abu Hatim (Ibn Hibban) said:

‘The most virtuous person is the one who is humble despite being of high rank, who is ascetic despite having the capabilities and who forgives despite having power. A person doesn’t abandon humbleness except that he is at the door of arrogance and a person is never arrogant towards others except that he is someone who’s become amazed at his own self. I have never seen anybody prove arrogant over others except that Allah punishes him by subjecting him to humiliation under those who are above him.’

Taken from "Rawdhat al-’Uqala" with some modifications