Etiquette of Humility & the Warning Against Pride (At-Tawadu‘) in the Quran & Sunnah
Etiquette of Humility & the Warning Against Pride (At-Tawadu‘) in the Quran & Sunnah
Humility and pride in Islam (at-tawadu‘ wa al-kibr): the atom’s weight that bars Paradise, the revealed command to humble oneself, and pride defined as rejecting truth and despising people, from the Quran and authentic Sunnah.
Part 1: Humility in the Light of the Quran
1. “Do not turn your cheek away from people, nor walk in exultation.”
Allah says:
وَلَا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمْشِ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ
and do not turn your cheek away from people, and do not walk on the earth haughtily. Surely, Allah does not like anyone who is arrogant, proud; (Surah Luqman 31:18)
Luqman’s counsel to his son gathers the whole topic in one verse: the face, the walk, and the voice — pride shows in all three, and humility governs all three.
2. Do not walk upon the earth in arrogance.
Allah says:
وَلَا تَمْشِ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا ۖ إِنَّكَ لَن تَخْرِقَ ٱلْأَرْضَ وَلَن تَبْلُغَ ٱلْجِبَالَ طُولًا
Do not walk on the earth in haughty style. You can neither tear the earth apart, nor can you match the mountains in height. (Surah Al-Isra 17:37)
“You will never tear the earth apart, and you will never reach the mountains in height” — the verse answers pride with a plain look at the creature who carries it.
3. The Home of the Hereafter is for those who seek neither highness nor corruption.
Allah says:
تِلْكَ ٱلدَّارُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةُ نَجْعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا فَسَادًا ۚ وَٱلْعَـٰقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
As for that Ultimate Abode (the Hereafter), We assign it to those who do not intend haughtiness on earth nor mischief. And the (best) end is for the God-fearing. (Surah Al-Qasas 28:83)
The final abode is promised to the very opposite of the proud: those who do not want elevation over others in the earth.
Part 2: Humility in the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ
1. An atom’s weight of pride bars Paradise.
“He who has in his heart an atom’s weight of pride will not enter Paradise.” A man said: a man likes his clothes and shoes to be fine. He ﷺ said: “Allah is Beautiful and loves beauty. Pride is rejecting the truth and despising people.”
Lesson: Pride is not fine dress; it is the heart that refuses truth when it comes and looks down on the people Allah made.
2. Allah revealed: humble yourselves, so no one boasts over another.
‘Iyad ibn Himar reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said in his sermon: “Allah has revealed to me that you should humble yourselves, so that no one oppresses another and no one boasts over another.”
Lesson: Humility is not a personality trait here; it is a revealed command, preached from the pulpit.
3. Humility never lowers a servant — Allah raises him.
“Charity does not diminish wealth; Allah does not increase a servant who pardons others except in honour; and no one humbles himself for Allah except that Allah raises him.”
Lesson: The one who lowers himself for Allah is not stepping down; he is being carried up by the only Hand that raises.
Adab No. 63 — all evidences for this entry, taken from the DeenHub Global library. Open any link to read the original hadith or ayah in full.
- Part 1, Point 1: Surah Luqman (31), Ayah 18
- Part 1, Point 2: Surah Al-Isra (17), Ayah 37
- Part 1, Point 3: Surah Al-Qasas (28), Ayah 83
- Part 2, Point 1: Sahih Muslim 91a (Sahih)
- Part 2, Point 2: Sahih Muslim 2865a (Sahih)
- Part 2, Point 3: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2029 (Sahih (Darussalam))