Prophet Muhammad’s humbleness
To be humble is to be
modest, self-effacing, unpretentious, and unostentatious; it involves showing a
low estimation of one’s own importance. It is the opposite of being arrogant,
proud, and haughty.
Many people are humble for various reasons - because they
truly suffer from low self-esteem, because they want to put on an air of piety,
or because they genuinely want to be good people. The Prophet’s humbleness was
the humbleness of a man who knew the greatness and mightiness of his Lord; of
one who was shy of his Lord; of one who glorified Allah in a manner that is befitting
of His Majesty. Thus knowing that Allah is the Greatest and that He is
All-Powerful, the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) understood that it was sheer folly
to be proud or to put on airs of superiority. No matter how proud some people
were of their status, no matter how much wealth rich people owned, no matter
how arrogant kings became because of their power - in reality they were all
weak and insignificant, they were all petty creatures, and they were all poor
and needy to Allah. How could the Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w) be in awe of titles, status, pride, power, and wealth when he
travelled with his soul to Allah and knew the reality of this life compared to
the Hereafter? As a result of his strong Faith in Allah, the Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w) ceased to be impressed by the things that other human beings became
impressed with. He became a true slave of his Lord, and he became humble
towards believers.
The Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w) would stand beside an elderly woman and help her; he would visit
sick people; he would show mercy and compassion to the poor; he paid attention
to the needs of the miserable and the forlorn; he consoled the weak; he played
with children; he joked with his family; he was easy-going and easily accessible
to others; he sat on dirt and slept on the ground; sand would be his bed, and
straw would be his pillow. He was pleased with what Allah decreed for him.
Status, fame, power, material possessions - none of these things mattered to
him.
The Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w) would always smile when looking at the faces of his Companions,
and he would say: “Verily, I am nothing more than a slave (of Allah); as such,
I eat as a slave eats, and I sit down as a slave sits down.” On one occasion, a man went to the Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w), and Was so much in awe of him that his body began to tremble.
Seeing the man’s condition, the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said: “Take it easy on yourself For
indeed, I am the son of a woman who would eat al-Qadeed (salted meat that was
first dried in the sun, i.e., she would eat simple food) in Makkah.”
The Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w) disliked being praised. He said to his Companions: “Do not
praise me in the same way that the Christians praised Eesa ibn Maryam. For
indeed, I am nothing more than the slave of Allah and His Messenger; therefore,
say (i.e., call me) the slave of Allah and His Messenger.” The Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w) would forbid people from standing up to meet him or from
standing above his head (as a means of honoring him). If he arrived at a
gathering, he would not ask someone to move, so that he could sit in a
prominent position in the gathering; instead, he would simply sit where there
was space, which usually meant beside the person who had arrived just before he
did.
Rather than sit in exclusive gatherings, the Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w) would intermingle among the general population of Muslims, as if
he were one of them - of the same rank and status. And he would accept other
people’s invitations; he would say: “If I were to be invited to a meal that
consisted only of the foot (of a sheep), I would accept the invitation; and if
I were to be given an arm (of a sheep) as a gift, would accept it.”
The Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w) loved poor people. It is related that he said: “O Allah, keep me
alive as a poor person, make me die as a poor person, and resurrect me among
the company of poor people.” The Prophet
Muhammad
(s.a.w) forbade Muslims from adopting the characteristic that is the
opposite of humbleness, namely, pride or arrogance; and he despised proud and
arrogant people. He said: “On the Day of Resurrection, the arrogant ones will
be resurrected as small ants (in size but not in actual appearance); humiliation
will cover and envelop them from all directions. ” To be arrogant means to vie
with Allah in greatness, majesty, and glory qualities that are specific to
Allah. In a Qudsee hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) related‘that Allah said: “Glory is my
robe, and greatness is my lower garment. If anyone vies with me in either of
these qualities, I will cast him into the Hellfire.“
All people felt a
great deal of sincere love for the Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w). And why wouldn’t they? After all, he was a sincere friend and
helper of the weak and poor. He would, for instance, walk alongside a young
servant-girl, going wherever she would take him in order to help her with an
errand. And he would visit Umm Aiman, , who was a freed slave.
When the ‘Amir ibn Sa‘sa‘ah delegation visited him, its members
said to the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w): “You are the best of use, and the noblest
among us. You are our chief, and the son of our chief.” The Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w) replied, “O people, say what you have come to say, or at least
say some of ' the things you, have said (without praising me excessively); and
do not allow the Devil (the Shaytan) to make you his helpers and followers.”
And the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) became
angry when a man said to him, “Whatever Allah wills (happens), and whatever you
will (happens).” The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said, “Woe upon you! Have you made me
an equal unto Allah! Instead, say,
‘Whatever Allah alone wills (happens).’ ”
What leader can claim to be as humble as the Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w)? He would run errands for his family; he would mend his own shoes;
he would sow patches on his clothing; he would sweep the floor of his home; he
would milk. his sheep; he would cut meat for his family; he would personally
serve food to his guests; he would be kind and generous to his guests, not just
with food, but also with his pleasant company; he would take turns riding and walking
with his travel companion; he would eat barley; he would sometimes walk
barefoot; he would sleep in the Masjid; he would ride behind another rider, so
that, while he sat in an uncomfortable position, his riding partner would sit
comfortably on a saddle; he would help the poor and weak; and, among a company
of travellers, he would linger in the rear of the group, so that he could help
those who were weak and who were unable to keep up with the others.
O Allah, send prayers
and salutations upon Your Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w) for as long as tongues utter his name, and for as long as he is spoken
about and remembered by both human beings and jinns.
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