Humility

At a glance

Humility (التَّواضُع tawadu) is one of the most sublime traits of a true believer. Linguistically rooted in lowering and placing down, it signifies casting off self-importance, subduing the ego before Allah's majesty, and yielding fully to His divine guidance. In contrast to arrogance and vain self-admiration, the humble heart claims no exalted rank over others.

The Quran illustrates humility through rich metaphors of lowered wings, tenderness toward fellow believers, and prompt surrender to truth. While the explicit word does not appear in scripture, related notions of gentle submission, lowliness, and softheartedness recur throughout the text. It manifests in the believer's worship, social conduct, speech, and even everyday gait.

Ultimately, genuine humility is not outward weakness or false self-abasement; rather, it represents a balanced inner strength grounded in reverent awe of the Creator. Embracing this virtue unlocks divine love, brings serenity in community, and guarantees the ultimate reward of Paradise reserved for those who never seek haughtiness or corruption on earth.

Key verses

1. Al-Ma'idah 5:54: Describes true believers as tender, gentle, and humble toward one another while maintaining firm dignity against disbelievers.
2. Al-Ma'idah 5:83: Portrays the softheartedness of those who listen to divine truth, shedding tears in prompt acceptance and submission.
3. Al-Fath 48:29: Commends the companions of the Prophet for their mutual compassion and humility alongside firmness in facing opposition.
4. Ash-Shu'ara 26:215: Commands the Prophet to lower his wing of kindness and humble care to all believers who follow him.
5. Ali 'Imran 3:159: Highlights the Prophet's divine gift of gentleness and leniency, showing that harshness only drives hearts away.
6. An-Nur 24:61: Instructs believers to spread greetings of peace upon entering homes, fostering affection and removing social haughtiness.
7. Luqman 31:18: Records Luqman's counsel forbidding turning the cheek away in scorn or strutting through the earth with boastful pride.

Words to know

التواضع tawadu

Lowering oneself before Allah, recognizing personal limits, avoiding arrogance, and willingly yielding to the truth.

العجب 'ujb

Deep self-admiration and delight in personal virtues, which leads one to look down upon others.

Root: ع ج ب

الكبر kibr

The inner state of viewing oneself as superior to others, accompanied by rejecting truth and belittling people.

Root: ك ب ر

Degrees of humility

From the paper: «درجات التواضع»

Humility rises through three distinct degrees, beginning with total surrender to the religion. A believer submits inwardly and outwardly to prophetic command, leaving no room for hesitation or doubt, as reflected in An-Nisa 4:65 and Al-Ahzab 33:36. Scholars note that submission to religion requires neither challenging sacred texts with human logic, philosophy, or personal inclination, nor questioning the sufficiency of divine proofs. Entering into complete submission Al-Baqarah 2:208 means setting aside personal preferences once Allah and His Messenger have judged.

The second degree is humility before the truth itself. The humble person eagerly embraces truth regardless of who delivers it, whether friend, foe, elder, or youth Al-Hujurat 49:11. The Quran praises those who weep upon hearing truth and immediately yield Al-Ma'idah 5:82, Al-Ma'idah 5:83, and Al-Ma'idah 5:84, in contrast to the arrogant who reject it out of stubborn pride.

The third degree is humility toward creation. This entails lowering the wing of kindness Al-Hijr 15:88 and harboring no feelings of entitlement or superiority. Believers treat one another with utmost gentleness and warm brotherhood, while preserving principled strength against hostile opposition Al-Ma'idah 5:54 and Al-Fath 48:29. Whenever deference to people clashes with deference to truth, standing for divine truth must always take precedence.

Manifestations of humility

From the paper: «مظاهر التواضع»

Though anchored in the heart, humility displays concrete signs in everyday life. Its foremost expression is yielding without hesitation to divine guidance An-Nur 24:51, An-Nisa 4:61, and Al-Hajj 22:54, avoiding the stubborn obstinacy that characterized past transgressors Al-Ahqaf 46:20, Az-Zukhruf 43:23, Ash-Shu'ara 26:111, and Al-Baqarah 2:206.

Humility also manifests as gentle dealing with people Maryam 19:14, Ash-Shu'ara 26:215, Ali 'Imran 3:159, At-Tawbah 9:128, and Al-Kahf 18:28. A believer is approachable, cheerful, and patient, showing tenderness without crossing into spineless weakness Al-Mujadilah 58:22.

Lowering the wing of humility to parents is singled out as an urgent duty Al-Isra 17:23, Al-Isra 17:24, Maryam 19:14, and Maryam 19:15, demanding sincere deference and compassionate gratitude for their early sacrifices.

Another clear sign is spreading greetings of peace (salam) to everyone, young or old, stranger or acquaintance An-Nur 24:61, Yunus 10:10, Al-Ahzab 33:44, and An-Nisa 4:86. It clears malice, breaks pride, and fosters mutual love.

True humility requires abandoning boastfulness and aggression. The Quran contrasts the haughty garden owner with his humble, faithful companion Al-Kahf 18:34-36 to warn against arrogance, transgressing against others Yunus 10:23, or walking haughtily Al-Qasas 28:83, Al-Furqan 25:63, and Luqman 31:18.

Finally, humility shines in spending time with the poor, weak, and overlooked Al-An'am 6:52, as well as observing modest, balanced clothing without extravagant luxury or deliberate squalor An-Nahl 16:81, An-Nahl 16:5, and Al-A'raf 7:26.

Quranic models of humility

From the paper: «نماذج قرآنية في التواضع»

The Quran illustrates humility through the lives of prophets and righteous servants. Prophet Muhammad possessed every earthly badge of nobility, yet he mended his clothes, repaired his sandals, and greeted children Ali 'Imran 3:159 and An-Nisa 4:69. Ibrahim served guests personally, rushing in secret to prepare a roasted calf rather than leaving the work to servants Adh-Dhariyat 51:26-27.

Musa journeyed far to learn from al-Khidr Al-Kahf 18:66, exemplifying unmatched etiquette by asking permission, acknowledging his own need for guidance, and adopting the posture of a receptive pupil, just as he had earlier assisted two women in watering their flock without seeking reward Al-Qasas 28:23-24.

Isa proudly declared his servanthood to Allah, choosing gentle piety toward his mother over tyranny Maryam 19:30, An-Nisa 4:172, Maryam 19:32, and Maryam 19:33. Dawud, despite his royal sovereignty, worked as an armorer and ate from what his own hands produced Al-Anbiya 21:80.

Among the righteous, Luqman instructed his son to walk modestly, avoid insolence, and lower his voice Luqman 31:12, Luqman 31:18-19. Dhul-Qarnayn conquered lands and built mighty barriers, yet attributed all strength and victory to the mercy of his Lord rather than his own power Al-Kahf 18:87-88, Al-Kahf 18:95-96, and Al-Kahf 18:98.

Benefits of humility

From the paper: «فوائد التواضع»

Cultivating humility brings immense rewards in both worlds. The greatest of these blessings is gaining entrance into Paradise. The Quran explicitly clarifies that the eternal bliss of the hereafter is prepared solely for those who harbor no desire for haughtiness, power, or corruption upon the earth Al-Qasas 28:83. The humble are also called al-mukhbitin, the softhearted worshipers who receive joyful tidings of divine delight and everlasting reward Al-Hajj 22:34.

A further sublime fruit of humility is earning Allah's special love. In Al-Ma'idah 5:54, Allah describes the beloved community as humble and tender toward believers while maintaining noble firmness against disbelievers. His prophets were likewise commanded to lower their wings of warmth to the faithful Al-Hijr 15:88 and Ash-Shu'ara 26:215.

When Allah loves a servant for their humility, He eases their difficulties, directs their affairs toward goodness, and inclines the hearts of other believers to treat them with sincere warmth and affection At-Tawbah 9:72.

Takeaways

1. Accept Truth Without Bias

   Train your heart to accept valid truth and sound advice immediately, regardless of whether it comes from someone younger, less privileged, or even an opponent Al-Ma'idah 5:83.

2. Lower Your Wing to Parents

   Treat elderly parents with gentleness and deep compassion, remembering their early sacrifices and speaking to them with absolute honor Al-Isra 17:24.

3. Spread the Greeting of Peace

   Initiate salam to everyone you meet, whether known or unknown, to melt away social barriers, ego, and coldness An-Nur 24:61.

4. Adopt a Modest Gait

   Walk upon the earth with calm dignity, steering clear of boastful strutting, haughty body language, or loud self-aggrandizement Luqman 31:18.

Reflect

• How do you typically react when someone offers you correction or points out an error in your view?
• In what ways can you actively lower your wing of kindness to family members and peers this week?
• Are there any habits in your speech, clothing, or social presence that stem from a desire to impress others?

Go deeper

Linguistic meaning

Derived from the root w-d-', meaning lowering, placing down, or abasing something, from which comes humility as yielding and modest settling.

Technical meaning

Lowering the self in awe of Allah's majesty, knowing one's true measure, avoiding arrogance and boastfulness, and yielding fully to truth.

How it differs from related terms

العجب Self-Admiration

While humility involves recognizing personal limits, self-admiration ('ujb) is extreme delight in one's own virtues and advantages, which fosters a sense of superiority over others and acts as a leading gateway to arrogance.

الكبر Arrogance

Humility is the direct opposite of arrogance (kibr). Arrogance involves viewing oneself as superior to other people, looking down upon them with contempt, and willfully rejecting the truth.

Every verse in the paper

All 71 verses the research paper discusses, grouped under its own headings.

Degrees of humility «درجات التواضع»

Humility toward religion «أولًا: التواضع للدين»

4:65, 24:48-50, 24:51, 33:36, 27:60, 2:208

Humility toward the truth «ثانيًا: التواضع للحق»

5:83, 19:34, 20:9, 5:82, 5:84, 5:85, 49:11

Humility toward creation «ثالثًا: التواضع مع الخلق»

5:54, 48:29, 25:63, 9:123, 15:88, 56:3, 28:32

Manifestations of humility «مظاهر التواضع»

24:51, 33:36, 4:61, 22:54, 46:20, 43:23, 26:111, 2:206, 19:14, 26:215, 3:159, 17:24, 9:128, 18:28, 58:22, 48:29, 5:54, 17:23, 19:15, 24:61, 10:10, 33:44, 4:86, 18:34-36, 10:23, 28:83, 25:63, 31:18, 6:52, 16:81, 16:5, 7:26

Quranic models of humility «نماذج قرآنية في التواضع»

Humility of the prophets and messengers «أولًا: تواضع الأنبياء والرسل»

3:159, 4:69, 51:26-27, 18:66, 28:23-24, 19:30, 4:172, 19:32, 19:33, 21:80

Humility of the righteous «ثانيًا: تواضع الصالحين»

31:12, 31:18-19, 18:87-88, 18:95-96, 18:98

Benefits of humility «فوائد التواضع»

Entering Paradise «أولًا: دخول الجنة.»

28:83, 22:34

Allah's love for the humble «ثانيًا: محبة الله للمتواضع.»

5:54, 15:88, 26:215, 9:72

About this source

Volume

5

Research paper

«التواضع» (Humility)

Read the full paper (Arabic)

Encyclopedia of Thematic Tafsir of the Noble Quran, published by the Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

This study guide summarizes the Arabic research paper. For full scholarly detail, refer to the original. This preview has not been reviewed yet.

Related topics

• Arrogance الاستكبار
• Reverence الخشوع
• Humiliation الذل
• Delusion الغرور