All Topics

Humility (Tawadu)

التواضع

The virtue of lowering oneself before Allah and others. Discover teachings about humility, the danger of pride, and the beauty of modesty.

Quran Verses About Humility (Tawadu)

Found 15 relevant verses from the Quran

أَلّا تَعلوا عَلَيَّ وَأتوني مُسلِمينَ

Be not haughty with me but come to me in submission [as Muslims].' "

لِكَيلا تَأسَوا عَلىٰ ما فاتَكُم وَلا تَفرَحوا بِما آتاكُم ۗ وَاللَّهُ لا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُختالٍ فَخورٍ

In order that you not despair over what has eluded you and not exult [in pride] over what He has given you. And Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful -

وَاخفِض لَهُما جَناحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحمَةِ وَقُل رَبِّ ارحَمهُما كَما رَبَّياني صَغيرًا

And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, "My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small."

وَلا تُصَعِّر خَدَّكَ لِلنّاسِ وَلا تَمشِ فِي الأَرضِ مَرَحًا ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُختالٍ فَخورٍ

And do not turn your cheek [in contempt] toward people and do not walk through the earth exultantly. Indeed, Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful.

إِنَّ الَّذينَ يُحادّونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسولَهُ أُولـٰئِكَ فِي الأَذَلّينَ

Indeed, the ones who oppose Allah and His Messenger - those will be among the most humbled.

خاشِعَةً أَبصارُهُم تَرهَقُهُم ذِلَّةٌ ۖ وَقَد كانوا يُدعَونَ إِلَى السُّجودِ وَهُم سالِمونَ

Their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them. And they used to be invited to prostration while they were sound.

وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلا تُخزونِ

And fear Allah and do not disgrace me."

الَّذينَ هُم في صَلاتِهِم خاشِعونَ

They who are during their prayer humbly submissive

Verse 206
Quran.com ↗

إِنَّ الَّذينَ عِندَ رَبِّكَ لا يَستَكبِرونَ عَن عِبادَتِهِ وَيُسَبِّحونَهُ وَلَهُ يَسجُدونَ ۩

Indeed, those who are near your Lord are not prevented by arrogance from His worship, and they exalt Him, and to Him they prostrate.

الَّذينَ هُم يُراءونَ

Those who make show [of their deeds]

وَأَمّا إِذا مَا ابتَلاهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيهِ رِزقَهُ فَيَقولُ رَبّي أَهانَنِ

But when He tries him and restricts his provision, he says, "My Lord has humiliated me."

لا جَرَمَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعلَمُ ما يُسِرّونَ وَما يُعلِنونَ ۚ إِنَّهُ لا يُحِبُّ المُستَكبِرينَ

Assuredly, Allah knows what they conceal and what they declare. Indeed, He does not like the arrogant.

إِنَّ الَّذينَ آمَنوا وَعَمِلُوا الصّالِحاتِ وَأَخبَتوا إِلىٰ رَبِّهِم أُولـٰئِكَ أَصحابُ الجَنَّةِ ۖ هُم فيها خالِدونَ

Indeed, they who have believed and done righteous deeds and humbled themselves to their Lord - those are the companions of Paradise; they will abide eternally therein.

وَلَئِن أَذَقناهُ نَعماءَ بَعدَ ضَرّاءَ مَسَّتهُ لَيَقولَنَّ ذَهَبَ السَّيِّئَاتُ عَنّي ۚ إِنَّهُ لَفَرِحٌ فَخورٌ

But if We give him a taste of favor after hardship has touched him, he will surely say, "Bad times have left me." Indeed, he is exultant and boastful -

وَاعبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلا تُشرِكوا بِهِ شَيئًا ۖ وَبِالوالِدَينِ إِحسانًا وَبِذِي القُربىٰ وَاليَتامىٰ وَالمَساكينِ وَالجارِ ذِي القُربىٰ وَالجارِ الجُنُبِ وَالصّاحِبِ بِالجَنبِ وَابنِ السَّبيلِ وَما مَلَكَت أَيمانُكُم ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُحِبُّ مَن كانَ مُختالًا فَخورًا

Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side, the traveler, and those whom your right hands possess. Indeed, Allah does not like those who are self-deluding and boastful.

Authentic Hadiths About Humility (Tawadu)

Found 8 authentic narrations (Sahih grade)

Riyad as-Salihin
Sahih68% match
Riyad as-Salihin 1589

وعن عياض بن حمار رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏:‏ ‏ "‏إن الله تعالى أوحى إلي أن تواضعوا حتى لا يبغي أحد على أحد، ولا يفخر أحد على أحد‏"‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه مسلم‏)‏‏)‏ قال أهل اللغة‏:‏ البغي‏:‏ التعدي والاستطالة‏.‏

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Verily, Allah has revealed to me that you should adopt humility. So that no one may wrong another and no one may be disdainful and haughty towards another."[Muslim].

Book: The Book of the Prohibited actions
Chapter: Prohibition of Arrogance and Oppression
Riyad as-Salihin
Sahih63% match
Riyad as-Salihin 601

وعن عياض بن حمار رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ “إن الله أوحى إلي أن تواضعوا حتى لا يفخر أحد على أحد، ولا يبغي أحد على أحد” ‏(‏‏(‏رواه مسلم‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Allah has revealed to me that you should humble yourselves to one another. One should neither hold himself above another nor transgress against another."[Muslim].

Book: The Book of Miscellany
Chapter: Modesty and Courtesy towards the Believers
Riyad as-Salihin
Sahih62% match
Riyad as-Salihin 252

عن حارثة بن وهب رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول‏:‏ “ألا أخبركم بأهل الجنة‏؟‏ كل ضعيف متضعف ، لو أقسم على الله لأبره‏.‏ ألا أخبركم بأهل النار‏؟‏ كل عتل جواظ مستكبر‏"‏ ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏ ‏.‏ (21)

I heard Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, "Shall I not inform you about the people of Jannah? It is every person who is, modest and humble (before Allah), a person who is accounted weak and is looked down upon but if he adjures Allah, Allah will certainly give him what he desires. Now shall I not inform you about the inmates of Hell? It is every violent, impertinent and proud man".[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Book: The Book of Miscellany
Chapter: Superiority of Poor, Weak and unrenowned Muslims
Sahih Muslim
Sahih62% match
Sahih Muslim 2853a

حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ الْعَنْبَرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنِي مَعْبَدُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ حَارِثَةَ بْنَ وَهْبٍ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِأَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا بَلَى ‏.‏ قَالَ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ كُلُّ ضَعِيفٍ مُتَضَعَّفٍ لَوْ أَقْسَمَ عَلَى اللَّهِ لأَبَرَّهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِأَهْلِ النَّارِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا بَلَى ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ كُلُّ عُتُلٍّ جَوَّاظٍ مُسْتَكْبِرٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

May I not inform you about the inmates of Paradise? They said: Do this, of course. Thereupon Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said: Every humble person who is considered to be humble if he were to adjure In the name of Allah, He would fulfil it. He then said: May I not inform you about the denizens of Hell-Fire? They said: Yes. And he said: Every haughty, fat and proud (person).

Book: The Book of Paradise, its Description, its Bounties and its Inhabitants
Chapter: The Arrogant Will Enter The Fire, And The Humble Will Enter Paradise
Riyad as-Salihin
Sahih60% match
Riyad as-Salihin 630

وعن جابر رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال‏:‏ “إن من أحبكم إلي، وأقربكم منى مجلساً يوم القيامة أحاسنكم أخلاقاً، وإن أبغضكم إلي وأبعدكم مني يوم القيامة، الثرثارون والمتشدقون والمتفيهقون” قالوا‏:‏ يا رسول الله قد علمنا “الثرثارون والمتشدون” فما المتفيهقون‏؟‏ قال‏:‏ “المتكبرون” ‏(‏‏(‏رواه الترمذي وقال‏:‏ حديث حسن‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏ ‏"‏الثرثار‏"‏‏:‏ هو كثير الكلام تكلفاً‏.‏ ‏"‏والمتشدق‏"‏‏:‏ المتطاول على الناس بكلامه، ويتكلم بملء فيه تصافحاً وتعظيماً لكلامه؛ “والمتفيهق” ‏:‏أصله من الفهق، وهو الامتلاء، وهو الذى يملأ فمه بالكلام، ويتوسع فيه ويغرب به تكبراً واتفاعاً، وإظهاراً للفضيلة على غيره‏.‏ وروى الترمذي عن عبد الله بن المبارك رحمه الله في تفسير حسن الخلق قال‏:‏ هو طلاقة الوجه، وبذل المعروف، وكف الأذى‏.‏

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The dearest and nearest among you to me on the Day of Resurrection will be one who is the best of you in manners; and the most abhorrent among you to me and the farthest of you from me will be the pompous, the garrulous, and Al-Mutafaihiqun." The Companions asked him: "O Messenger of Allah! We know about the pompous and the garrulous, but we do not know who Al-Mutafaihiqun are." He replied: "The arrogant people."[At-Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hadith Hasan].

Book: The Book of Miscellany
Chapter: Good Conduct
Sahih Muslim
Sahih59% match
Sahih Muslim 2987a

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ كُهَيْلٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ جُنْدُبًا الْعَلَقِيَّ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَنْ يُسَمِّعْ يُسَمِّعِ اللَّهُ بِهِ وَمَنْ يُرَائِي يُرَائِي اللَّهُ بِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

He who wants to publicise (his deeds), Allah will publicise (his humility), and he who makes a hypocritical display (of his deeds), Allah will make a display of him.

Book: The Book of Zuhd and Softening of Hearts
Chapter: The Prohibition On Showing Off
Sahih Muslim
Sahih59% match
Sahih Muslim 91a

وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ دِينَارٍ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ حَمَّادٍ، - قَالَ ابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ حَمَّادٍ، - أَخْبَرَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبَانَ بْنِ تَغْلِبَ، عَنْ فُضَيْلٍ الْفُقَيْمِيِّ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ النَّخَعِيِّ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ لاَ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ مِنْ كِبْرٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ رَجُلٌ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَكُونَ ثَوْبُهُ حَسَنًا وَنَعْلُهُ حَسَنَةً ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ جَمِيلٌ يُحِبُّ الْجَمَالَ الْكِبْرُ بَطَرُ الْحَقِّ وَغَمْطُ النَّاسِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride shall not enter Paradise. A person (amongst his hearers) said: Verily a person loves that his dress should be fine, and his shoes should be fine. He (the Holy Prophet) remarked: Verily, Allah is Graceful and He loves Grace. Pride is disdaining the truth (out of self-conceit) and contempt for the people.

Book: The Book of Faith
Chapter: The prohibition of pride and definition of it
Sahih Muslim
Sahih59% match
Sahih Muslim 2588

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ، وَابْنُ، حُجْرٍ قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ جَعْفَرٍ - عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَا نَقَصَتْ صَدَقَةٌ مِنْ مَالٍ وَمَا زَادَ اللَّهُ عَبْدًا بِعَفْوٍ إِلاَّ عِزًّا وَمَا تَوَاضَعَ أَحَدٌ لِلَّهِ إِلاَّ رَفَعَهُ اللَّهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Charity does not decrease wealth, no one forgives another except that Allah increases his honor, and no one humbles himself for the sake of Allah except that Allah raises his status.

Book: The Book of Virtue, Enjoining Good Manners, and Joining of the Ties of Kinship
Chapter: It Is Recommended To Forgive And Be Humble

Want to explore more about Humility (Tawadu)?

Use our AI-powered chat to ask specific questions and get answers grounded in Quran and Hadith.

Related Topics