Humility (khushu') and modesty (tawadu')
Imam Abu al-Qasim al-Qushayri’s
Al-Risala al-Qushayriyya fi 'ilm al-tasawwuf
Translated by Professor Alexander D. Knysh
Hadith
"حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، حَدَّثَنِي مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ جُبَيْرِ بْنِ نُفَيْرٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، جُبَيْرِ بْنِ نُفَيْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ، قَالَ كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَشَخَصَ بِبَصَرِهِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ قَالَ " هَذَا أَوَانٌ يُخْتَلَسُ الْعِلْمُ مِنَ النَّاسِ حَتَّى لاَ يَقْدِرُوا مِنْهُ عَلَى شَيْءٍ " . فَقَالَ زِيَادُ بْنُ لَبِيدٍ الأَنْصَارِيُّ كَيْفَ يُخْتَلَسُ مِنَّا وَقَدْ قَرَأْنَا الْقُرْآنَ فَوَاللَّهِ لَنَقْرَأَنَّهُ وَلَنُقْرِئَنَّهُ نِسَاءَنَا وَأَبْنَاءَنَا . فَقَالَ " ثَكِلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ يَا زِيَادُ إِنْ كُنْتُ لأَعُدُّكَ مِنْ فُقَهَاءِ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ هَذِهِ التَّوْرَاةُ وَالإِنْجِيلُ عِنْدَ الْيَهُودِ وَالنَّصَارَى فَمَاذَا تُغْنِي عَنْهُمْ " . قَالَ جُبَيْرٌ فَلَقِيتُ عُبَادَةَ بْنَ الصَّامِتِ قُلْتُ أَلاَ تَسْمَعُ إِلَى مَا يَقُولُ أَخُوكَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ بِالَّذِي قَالَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ قَالَ صَدَقَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ إِنْ شِئْتَ لأُحَدِّثَنَّكَ بِأَوَّلِ عِلْمٍ يُرْفَعُ مِنَ النَّاسِ الْخُشُوعُ يُوشِكُ أَنْ تَدْخُلَ مَسْجِدَ جَمَاعَةٍ فَلاَ تَرَى فِيهِ رَجُلاً خَاشِعًا . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ . وَمُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ ثِقَةٌ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْحَدِيثِ وَلاَ نَعْلَمُ أَحَدًا تَكَلَّمَ فِيهِ غَيْرَ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيِدٍ الْقَطَّانِ وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ صَالِحٍ نَحْوُ هَذَا . وَرَوَى بَعْضُهُمْ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ جُبَيْرِ بْنِ نُفَيْرٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَوْفِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ."
Narrated Jubair bin Nufair:
from Abu Ad-Darda who said: "We were with the Prophet (ﷺ) when he raised his sight to the sky, then he said: 'This is the time when knowledge is to be taken from the people, until what remains of it shall not amount to anything." So Ziyad bin Labid Al-Ansari said: 'How will it be taken from us while we recite the Qur'an. By Allah we recite it, and our women and children recite it?' He (ﷺ) said: 'May you be bereaved of your mother O Ziyad! I used to consider you among the Fuqaha of the people of Al-Madinah. The Tawrah and Injil are with the Jews and Christians, but what do they avail of them?'" Jubair said: "So I met 'Ubadah bin As-Samit and said to him: 'Have you not heard what your brother Abu Ad-Darda said?' Then I informed him of what Abu Ad-Darda said. He said: 'Abu Ad-Darda spoke the truth. If you wish, we shall narrated to you about the first knowledge to be removed from the people: It is Khushu', soon you will enter the congregational Masjid, but not see any man in it with Khushu'.'" Sahih Jami` at-Tirmidhi,
Humility (khushu') and modesty (tawadu')
Allah Most High said: “Prosperous are the believers who in their prayers are humble.” Abu al-Hasan b. 'Abd al-Rahim b. Ibrahim b. Muhammad Yahya al-Muzakki informed us: Abu πl-Fadl Sufyan b. Muhammad al-Jawhari told us: 'Ali b. al-Husayn told us: Yahya b. Hammad told us: Shu’ba told us on the authority of Aban b. Tha'lab, on the authority of Fadl b. al-Fuqaymi, on the authority of Ibrahim al-Nakha'i, on the authority of Alqama b. Qays, on the authority of 'Abdallah b. Mas'ud, who said: “The Prophet – صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم– said: ‘No one in whose heart there is a grain of pride will ever enter Paradise; and no one in whose heart there is a grain of faith will ever enter the hellfire.’ Someone asked: ‘Messenger of Allah, what of a man who wishes his clothes to be beautiful?’ The Messenger responded: ‘Allah Most High is beautiful and He loves beauty. As for pride, it is the opposite of truth and disdain to other people!’
'Ali b. Ahmad a-Awhazi informed us: Ahmad b. 'Ubayd al-Basri informed us: Muhammad b. Fadl b. Jabir told us: Abu Ibrahim told us: 'Ali b. Mushir told us on the authority of Muslim al-‘Awar, on the authority of Anas b. Malik: “The Messenger of Allah used to visit the sick, accompany funeral processions, ride a donkey and accept invitations from slaves. On the day [the Jewish tribes] of Qurayza and al-Nadir were conquered, he rode a donkey bridled with a rope of palm fiber and saddled with a saddle of palm fiber.”
Humility means submission to [the will of] Allah, while submissiveness is surrender to [the will of] Allah and abandoning resistance to Allah’s decree. Hudhayfa said: “Humility is the first thing you lose of your religion.” When someone asked a Sufi about humility, he answered: “Humility is when the heart stands before Allah – praise be to Him – with total concentration.” Sahl b. 'Abdallah [al-Tustari] said: “Satan cannot come near one whose heart is humble.”
It is said that one of the signs of humility in the servant of Allah is that when he is prompted to anger, contradicted or rejected, he accepts all that [with equanimity]. [Another] Sufi said: “Humility of the heart is to restrain [your] eyes from looking.”
Muhammad b. 'Ali al-Tirmidhi said: “Being humble means that the flames of your passion have been extinguished and the vapors of your breast have subsided, while the light of glorification of Allah has come to shine in your heart. [At this point,] a man’s passion dies, his heart is given [a new] life, and his limbs surrender themselves to humility.” Al-Hasan al-Basri said: “Humility is when fear settles in your heart permanently.”
Someone asked al-Junayd about humility. He answered: “It is the abasement of your heart before the One Who knows that which is hidden.”
Allah Most High said: “The servants of the All-Merciful are those who walk the earth modestly.” I heard the master Abu 'Ali al-Daqqaq – may Allah have mercy on him – say: “This means ‘[they walk] in submissiveness and humility’.”
I also heard him say: “[They are humble] those who do not consider the thongs of their sandals to be beautiful as they walk.”
[The Sufis] have agreed that humility resides in the heart. Once, a Sufi saw a man with a downcast appearance, lowered gaze and slumped shoulders.
He told him: “O so-and-so, humility is here!” and he pointed to his chest, “Not there!” and he pointed to the [man’s slumping] shoulders. It is related that the Messenger of Allah – صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم– saw a man playing with his beard during his prayer. He said: “If his heart were humble, his limbs would be humble too.” They say that one of the conditions of humility is that one does not notice who is standing to one’s left or right during the prayer. One can say that humility is abasing one’s innermost self in the presence of Allah – may He be blessed and exalted – in accordance with the rules of proper behavior (adab). Or it is said that humility is a feebleness that enters one’s heart when one contemplates [one’s] Lord. Or it is said that humility is the dissolution and shrinking of the heart before the power of the True Reality (al-haqiqa). Or it is said that humility is a prelude to the onset of the conquering powers of awe [of Allah]. It is also said that humility is a shudder that suddenly attacks one’s heart, when the True Reality unveils itself before one.
Al-Fudayl b. 'Iyad said: “One hates to see in a man’s outward appearance more humility than in his heart.” Abu Sulayman al-Darani said: “If all mankind would join forces to humiliate me as I humiliate myself they would not be able to do this!” They also say: “He who does not abase himself before himself, cannot abase himself before others.” 'Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz would only prostrate himself [in prayer] upon the dust of the earth.
'Ali b. Ahmad al-Ahwazi informed us: Ahmad b. 'Ubaydallah al-Basri told us: Ibrahim b. ‘Abdallah told us: Abu πl-Hasan b. 'Ali b. Yazid al-Faraπidi told us: Muhammad b. Kathir – that is, al-Massisi – told us on the authority of Harun b. Hayyan b. Husayf, on the authority of Sa'id b. Jubayr, on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas – may Allah be pleased with both of them, that the Messenger of Allah – صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم– said: “A person who has as much as a mustard seed of pride in his heart will never enter Paradise.” Mujahid – may Allah have mercy on him – said: “When Allah – may He be exalted – drowned the people of Noah, all mountains loomed up proudly. Only al-Judi abased itself. That is why Allah – may He be exalted – made it the resting place of Noah’s
[ark]. 'Umar b. 'Abd al-ΠAziz – رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ– used to walk at brisk pace. [He explained that] saying: “This brings [me] swiftly to my goal and keeps [me] away from vanity.”
'Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz – رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ– was writing something one night, when a guest came to visit him. [His] lamp had almost gone out. The guest said: “I will go to the lamp and fix it.” ['Umar] replied: “No, availing oneself of the guest’s help is against [the rules of] hospitality.” “Then,
I will wake up the slave,” suggested the guest. ['Umar] answered: “No, he has just fallen asleep.” He ['Umar] then went to the oil container and put oil into the lamp [himself]. The guest exclaimed: “You went and did it yourself, O Commander of the Faithful?!” 'Umar answered: “I went [to do it] as 'Umar and I came back [after doing it] as 'Umar.”
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri – رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ– related that the Messenger of Allah – صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم– used to feed [his] camel, sweep [his] house, mend [his] sandals, patch [his] clothes, milk [his] sheep, eat with [his] servant and help him grind, when he [the servant] got tired. He was not embarrassed to carry his goods from the bazaar to his family. He would shake hands with both the rich and the poor; he was the first to greet people; he would not scorn any meal of which he was invited to partake, even if this was unripe and dry dates. He made do with free supplies [of provision], he was gentle of character, generous of nature, pleasant of company; his face was cheerful, he smiled much, without laughing and showed [his] sadness without frowning; he was humble without being self-effacing, generous without being extravagant; his heart was gentle, he was compassionate to every Muslim; he would never eat his fill and he would never stretch his hand to a thing that he desired.
I heard Shaykh Abu 'Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami – may Allah have mercy on him – say: I heard 'Abdallah b. Muhammad al-Razi say: I heard Muhammad b. Nasr al-Sa’igh say: I heard Mardawayah al-Saπigh say: I heard al-Fudayl b. 'Iyad say: “The Qur’an-reciters (qurra')of the Merciful are characterized by their humility and modesty, whereas the Qur'an-reciters of the courts are characterized by their haughtiness and pride.” Al-Fudayl b. 'Iyad also said:
“Whosoever considers himself to be important has no share of modesty.” Someone asked al-Fudayl about modesty. He responded: “You should submit yourself to the Truth, let yourself be guided to it, and accept it from whoever speaks it.” Al-Fudayl said: “Allah – Most High, may He be exalted – revealed to the mountains: ‘I will speak to a prophet upon one of you!’ The mountains raised themselves high in their pride. Only Mount Sinai remained modest. Therefore Allah – may He be great and exalted – spoke to Moses – peace be upon him – upon it due to its modesty.”
I heard Muhammad b. al-Husayn – may Allah have mercy on him – say: I heard 'Ali b. Ahmad b. Ja'far say: I heard Ibrahim b. Fatik say: “Someone asked al-Junayd about modesty. He answered: ‘Being compassionate and gentle toward your [fellow] creatures.’ ” Wahb said: “It is written in one of the books that Allah has revealed [to mankind]: ‘I brought forth the particles from the loins of Adam and did not find among them a heart more modest than that of Moses – peace be upon him. Therefore, I chose him [from among them all] and spoke to him.’ ” Ibn al-Mubarak said: “Being proud towards the rich and being modest towards the poor are [two essential] parts of modesty.” Someone asked Abu Yazid [al-Bistami]: “When can a man attain modesty?” He answered: “When he sees neither a state nor a station for himself [in this world] and when he cannot find among mankind anyone who is worse than himself.” They say:
“Modesty is a blessing no one envies, while pride is a temptation that has no excuse. Greatness lies in modesty, and whoever seeks it in pride will never find it.” I heard Shaykh Abu 'Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami say: I heard Abu Bakr Muhammad b. 'Abdallah say: I heard Ibrahim b. Shayban say: “Nobility lies in modesty; greatness lies in fear of Allah; and freedom lies in contentment.” I also heard him say: I heard al-Hasan al-Sawi say: I heard Ibn al-Arabi say: I have heard a report from Sufyan al-Thawri in which he said: “The greatest souls among all creatures are five in number. They are: an ascetic scholar, a Sufi jurist (faqih sufi), a modest rich man, a grateful poor man, and a member of the Prophet’s house who belongs to the Sunni community.”
Yahya b. Mu'adh said: “Modesty is excellent for everyone. However, it is especially good for the rich. As for pride, it is repugnant for everyone, but is particularly repugnant for the poor.” Ibn 'Ataπ said: “Modesty is to accept the Truth from anyone [who speaks it].” It is said that [once] Zayd b. Thabit was riding his horse. Ibn 'Abbas approached him in order to take hold of the stirrup of his horse. “Stop it, O son of the uncle of the Messenger of Allah!” said Zayd. “But that’s how we were commanded to treat our learned men!” responded Ibn ‘Abbas. Zayd then took Ibn 'Abbas’s hand and kissed it, saying: “And this is how we were commanded to treat the family of the Messenger of Allah – may Allah bless and greet him!” 'Urwa b. al-Zubayr related: “[Once] I saw 'Umar b. al-Khattab – رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ– carrying a waterskin on his shoulder. I told him: ‘O Commander of the Faithful, this is not suitable for you!’
He answered: ‘When the deputations [of the Arabian tribes] came to me in obedience, arrogance entered my soul and I decided to break it!’ He proceeded with his waterskin to the house of a woman from among the Helpers and emptied it into her cistern.” I heard Abu Hatim al-Sijistani say: I heard Abu Nasr al-Sarraj al-Tusi say: “When Abu Hurayra was governor of Medina, he was seen carrying a bundle of firewood on his back, saying: ‘Make way for the governor!’ ”
'Abdallah al-Razi said: “Modesty is to refuse to make distinctions in service.” I heard Muhammad b. al-Husayn – may Allah have mercy on him – say:
I heard Muhammad b. Ahmad b. Harun say: I heard Muhammad b. al-'Abbas al-Dimashqi say: I heard Ahmad b. Abi al-Hawari say: I heard Abu Sulayman al-Darani say: “Whoever sees any value in himself will never taste the sweetness of service.” Yahya b. Mu'adh said: “Being arrogant toward one who is arrogant to you because of his wealth is [nothing but] modesty.” Al-Shibli – may Allah have mercy on him – said: “My modesty has rendered the modesty of the Jews a mere trifle.” A man came to al-Shibli, who asked him: “What are you?” He answered: “My master, I am the dot under the letter baπ.” Al-Shibli told him: “Stay with me as long as you do not give yourself an [independent] station!”
Ibn ‘Abbas – may Allah be pleased with both of them – said: “Modesty is that a man drinks the water left behind by his brother.” Bishr [al-Hafi] said: “Greet worldly people by neglecting to greet them!” Shu'yab b. Harb related: “As I was circling around the Ka’ba, someone shoved me with his elbow. When I turned
to him, [I saw that] it was al-Fudayl b. 'Iyad, who said: ‘Abu Salih, if you [for a moment] thought that among those who had came here for the [pilgrimage] season was someone worse than you and me, your thought was bad indeed!’ ”
Someone said: “As I was circumambulating the Ka’ba, I saw a man surrounded by [a crowd of people] who thanked and praised him. Because of him they obstructed other pilgrims from circling the Ka'ba. I saw him again sometime after that on a bridge in Baghdad, begging people for handouts. I was [greatly] surprised [by his condition]. He told me: ‘I elevated myself in a place, where other people show modesty, so Allah – may He be blessed – afflicted me with humiliation in a place where others elevate themselves!’ ” 'Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz learned that one of his sons had bought [a signet ring] with a jewel worth one thousand dirhams. He wrote to him saying: “I have learned that you have bought a jewel worth one thousand dirhams. When you receive this letter, sell [your] ring and fill one thousand stomachs. Then get yourself a ring worth two dirhams, make its signet of Chinese iron, and inscribe on it: ‘May Allah have mercy on a man who knows his true worth!’ ”
It is related that someone offered a slave to a prince to purchase for a thousand dirhams. However, when the money was brought to him, he considered the price excessive and he [ordered] the money returned to his coffer. The slave pleaded with him, saying: “My lord, buy me, for I have, for each of these dirhams, a quality [the overall value of which] is worth more than a thousand dirhams.” [The Prince] asked him what that might be. He answered: “The very least of it is that if you were to buy me and elevate me above all the rest of your slaves, I would still not become rude [toward you] and would know that I am but a slave of yours!” So the prince purchased him.
Someone related on the authority of Raja' b. Haya that he said: “As 'Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz was delivering a public speech I estimated his garment to be worth twelve dirhams. He had a mantel, a turban, a shirt, a pair of trousers and slippers, and a hood.” It is said that 'Abdallah b. Muhammad b. Wasi' strutted along with a gait that called for disapproval. His father told him: “Do you know how much I paid for your mother? Three hundred dirhams! As for your father, may Allah not increase the likes of him among the Muslims! And yet you walk like that?!”
I heard Muhammad b. al-Husayn say: I heard Ahmad b. Muhammad al-Farra' say: I heard 'Abdallah b. Munazil say: I heard Hamdun al-Qassar say: “Modesty is that you consider no one to be in need of you, either in this world or in the Hereafter.” Ibrahim b. Adham said: “Since I embraced Islam I have rejoiced only three times. First, when I was on board a ship where there was a man who was fond of joking. He would say: ‘In the land of the [infidel] Turks we used to grab [captive] infidels like this’, and he would grab me by my hair and shake me back and forth. That pleased me, because there was no one on that ship whom he would consider more contemptible. Another time I rested in a mosque overcome with sickness. The [mosque’s] muezzin came in and ordered me to get out. However, I was unable [to leave], so he grabbed me by my foot and dragged me out of the mosque. The third time, I was in Syria. I was wearing a fur. When I took a close look at it I could not distinguish between the hair of that fur and the lice [hiding in it], because there were so many of them. I rejoiced at that.” In another tale he reported: “I have never experienced a greater joy than when I was sitting one day and a passer-by approached me and urinated on me.”
It is reported that Abu Dharr and Bilal were having an argument during which Abu Dharr reproached Bilal for his black skin. The latter complained about that to the Messenger of Allah – صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم– who said: “Abu Dharr, something of the pride of the Age of Ignorance still remains in your heart!” [On hearing that,] Abu Dharr threw himself on the ground and vowed that he would not raise his head until Bilal had stepped on his cheek with his foot. He did not get up until Bilal did so.
Al-Hasan b. 'Ali – رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ– passed by a group of boys who had a few pieces of bread. They invited him to be their guest. He dismounted and ate with them, whereupon he took them to his house, where he fed and clothed them. He commented: “They are better [than me], because they fed me the only thing that they had, whereas I have more than that!” It is said that 'Umar b. al-Khattab was distributing some clothing taken as spoils of war among the Companions [of the Prophet]. He sent a [precious] Yemeni garment to Mu'adh. The latter sold it, purchased six slaves, then set them free. 'Umar learned about this. When he was dividing clothes the next time, he sent Mu'adh a less valuable garment. When Mu'adh reproached him for that, 'Umar answered: “Don’t reproach me, for you sold the first one!” “What’s the matter with you?” exclaimed Mu'adh, “Give me my share, for I have vowed to hit you over your head with this!” 'Umar responded: “Here’s my head! Old men should treat each other gently.”