WEBVTT 00:00:00.850 --> 00:00:04.250 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 00:00:04.250 --> 00:00:11.970 The life of the salaf between speech and action. 00:00:11.970 --> 00:00:14.769 Humility and the condemnation of arrogance. 00:00:16.079 --> 00:00:19.879 Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, went out on a hot day. 00:00:19.879 --> 00:00:22.879 With his cloak placed over his head. 00:00:22.879 --> 00:00:24.079 He said: 00:00:24.079 --> 00:00:27.079 A young man passed by him riding a donkey. 00:00:27.079 --> 00:00:28.480 He said: 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:31.480 "O young man, carry me with you." 00:00:31.480 --> 00:00:32.869 He said: 00:00:33.070 --> 00:00:35.670 The young man jumped off the donkey. 00:00:35.670 --> 00:00:36.869 He said: 00:00:36.869 --> 00:00:39.670 "Ride, O Commander of the Faithful." 00:00:39.670 --> 00:00:40.670 He said: 00:00:40.670 --> 00:00:41.670 "No." 00:00:41.670 --> 00:00:42.670 "You ride." 00:00:42.670 --> 00:00:45.070 "And I will ride behind you." 00:00:45.070 --> 00:00:48.270 "Do you wish to make me ride on the rough part," 00:00:48.270 --> 00:00:51.070 "while you ride on the comfortable part?" 00:00:51.070 --> 00:00:52.869 "Rather, you ride," 00:00:52.869 --> 00:00:55.270 "and I will be behind you." 00:00:55.270 --> 00:00:56.469 He said: 00:00:56.469 --> 00:00:59.270 So he entered the city with him behind him, 00:00:59.270 --> 00:01:02.649 while the people were looking at him. 00:01:02.649 --> 00:01:05.849 When he, may Allah be pleased with him, arrived in the Levant, 00:01:05.849 --> 00:01:08.049 he encountered a ford, 00:01:08.049 --> 00:01:10.250 meaning a place where the water is shallow, 00:01:10.250 --> 00:01:14.049 which people cross on foot or mounted. 00:01:14.049 --> 00:01:15.849 He got down from his camel, 00:01:15.849 --> 00:01:17.650 took his sandals, 00:01:17.650 --> 00:01:19.250 and removed his socks. 00:01:19.250 --> 00:01:22.840 He took them in his hands and waded through the water. 00:01:22.840 --> 00:01:26.040 Abu Ubaydah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: 00:01:26.040 --> 00:01:30.569 "You have done a great deed today in the eyes of the people of the earth." 00:01:30.569 --> 00:01:33.769 Umar struck his own chest and said: 00:01:33.769 --> 00:01:36.969 "If only someone other than you had said this!" 00:01:36.969 --> 00:01:42.370 "You were the most insignificant, the most humiliated, and the weakest of people," 00:01:42.370 --> 00:01:45.370 "then Allah honored you with Islam." 00:01:45.370 --> 00:01:49.819 "So whenever you seek honor in anything else, He will humiliate you." 00:01:49.819 --> 00:01:53.219 He, may Allah be pleased with him, said from the pulpit: 00:01:53.219 --> 00:01:58.019 "When a servant humbles himself for the sake of Allah, Allah elevates his wisdom." 00:01:58.019 --> 00:02:01.219 "He is small or poor in his own estimation," 00:02:01.219 --> 00:02:04.019 "but great in the estimation of the people." 00:02:04.019 --> 00:02:07.620 "And when a servant becomes arrogant and exceeds his bounds," 00:02:07.620 --> 00:02:09.419 "Allah brings him low." 00:02:09.419 --> 00:02:14.219 "He is great in his own estimation, but small in the eyes of the people," 00:02:14.219 --> 00:02:20.389 "to the point that he is more contemptible and smaller in the eyes of the people than a pig." 00:02:20.389 --> 00:02:23.789 Abu al-Minhal, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 00:02:23.789 --> 00:02:29.990 "I asked al-Bara' ibn 'Azib and Zayd ibn Arqam, may Allah be pleased with them both, about currency exchange," 00:02:29.990 --> 00:02:35.740 "and each of them would say, 'This one is better than me.'" 00:02:35.740 --> 00:02:39.629 'Utbah ibn Ghazwan, may Allah be pleased with him, said: 00:02:39.629 --> 00:02:43.629 "I seek refuge in Allah from being great in my own estimation," 00:02:43.629 --> 00:02:46.810 "while being small in the sight of Allah." 00:02:46.810 --> 00:02:50.610 Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, came into the market 00:02:50.610 --> 00:02:53.009 carrying a bundle of firewood, 00:02:53.009 --> 00:02:56.409 and he was the governor for Marwan at that time. 00:02:56.409 --> 00:03:00.729 He said, "Clear the way for the leader!" 00:03:00.729 --> 00:03:05.330 Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, went out one day, 00:03:05.330 --> 00:03:07.129 and people followed him. 00:03:07.129 --> 00:03:10.530 He said to them, "Do you have a need?" 00:03:10.530 --> 00:03:12.129 They said, "No," 00:03:12.129 --> 00:03:15.129 "but we wanted to walk with you." 00:03:15.129 --> 00:03:17.530 He said, "Go back," 00:03:17.530 --> 00:03:22.860 "for it is a humiliation for the follower and a trial for the followed." 00:03:22.860 --> 00:03:25.259 He, may Allah be pleased with him, said: 00:03:25.259 --> 00:03:28.860 "Whoever acts arrogantly, Allah will bring him low," 00:03:28.860 --> 00:03:31.259 "and whoever humbles himself out of reverence," 00:03:31.259 --> 00:03:34.500 "Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, will raise him up." 00:03:34.500 --> 00:03:38.099 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: 00:03:38.099 --> 00:03:41.300 "You are neglecting the best act of worship:" 00:03:41.300 --> 00:03:43.490 "Humility." 00:03:43.490 --> 00:03:47.090 A man said to Ibn 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both: 00:03:47.090 --> 00:03:50.490 "O best of people, and son of the best of people!" 00:03:50.490 --> 00:03:51.689 He said: 00:03:51.689 --> 00:03:55.689 "I am not the best of people, nor the son of the best of people," 00:03:55.689 --> 00:03:58.889 "but I am a servant among the servants of Allah." 00:03:58.889 --> 00:04:01.319 "I hope in Allah and I fear Him." 00:04:01.319 --> 00:04:06.069 "By Allah, you will not cease to flatter a man until you destroy him." 00:04:06.069 --> 00:04:09.870 A man came to him and asked him about a religious obligation, 00:04:09.870 --> 00:04:11.270 and he said to him: 00:04:11.270 --> 00:04:13.669 "Go to Sa'id ibn Jubayr," 00:04:13.669 --> 00:04:17.709 "for he is more knowledgeable in calculation than I am." 00:04:17.709 --> 00:04:19.910 Mujahid said: 00:04:20.110 --> 00:04:22.910 "I accompanied Ibn 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both," 00:04:22.910 --> 00:04:25.509 "and I wanted to serve him," 00:04:25.509 --> 00:04:28.579 "but he was the one who served me." 00:04:28.579 --> 00:04:32.620 Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, said: 00:04:32.620 --> 00:04:35.819 "I used to teach Qur'an to men from the Muhajirun," 00:04:35.819 --> 00:04:39.100 "among them 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf." 00:04:39.100 --> 00:04:41.899 Ibn al-Jawzi, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 00:04:41.899 --> 00:04:45.100 "In this is a reminder to take knowledge from its people," 00:04:45.100 --> 00:04:47.300 "even if they are young in age," 00:04:47.300 --> 00:04:49.860 "or of low status." 00:04:49.860 --> 00:04:51.860 Hakim ibn Hizam used to 00:04:51.860 --> 00:04:56.060 read to Mu'adh ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with them both. 00:04:56.060 --> 00:04:57.459 It was said to him: 00:04:57.459 --> 00:05:01.060 "You read to this young Khazraji man?" 00:05:01.060 --> 00:05:02.259 He said: 00:05:02.259 --> 00:05:05.620 "It is only arrogance that has destroyed us." 00:05:05.620 --> 00:05:08.220 Some of the salaf, may Allah have mercy on them, 00:05:08.220 --> 00:05:11.420 would buy something from the market and carry it himself. 00:05:11.420 --> 00:05:12.819 It would be said to him: 00:05:12.819 --> 00:05:14.420 "Give it to us, we will carry it." 00:05:14.420 --> 00:05:16.620 He would refuse and say: 00:05:16.819 --> 00:05:21.019 “Assuredly Allah knoweth that which they keep hidden and that which they proclaim. Lo! He loveth not the proud.” (16:23) 00:05:21.019 --> 00:05:24.220 Al-Rabi' ibn Khuthaym, may Allah have mercy on him, 00:05:24.220 --> 00:05:26.620 would sweep his own latrine himself. 00:05:26.620 --> 00:05:28.220 It was said to him: 00:05:28.220 --> 00:05:30.620 "You could be spared this." 00:05:30.620 --> 00:05:31.819 He said: 00:05:31.819 --> 00:05:36.930 "I like to take my share of the work." 00:05:36.930 --> 00:05:42.529 When 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz, may Allah have mercy on him, buried Sulayman ibn 'Abd al-Malik, 00:05:42.529 --> 00:05:44.529 and came out of his grave, 00:05:44.529 --> 00:05:47.930 he heard a thud or a rumble from the earth. 00:05:47.930 --> 00:05:49.129 He said: 00:05:49.129 --> 00:05:50.730 "What is this?" 00:05:50.730 --> 00:05:51.930 It was said: 00:05:51.930 --> 00:05:55.930 "These are the mounts of the Caliphate, O Commander of the Faithful," 00:05:55.930 --> 00:05:58.930 "brought near for you to ride." 00:05:58.930 --> 00:06:00.129 He said: 00:06:00.129 --> 00:06:01.930 "What do I have to do with them?" 00:06:01.930 --> 00:06:03.930 "Take them away from me." 00:06:03.930 --> 00:06:06.329 "Bring me my mule." 00:06:06.329 --> 00:06:10.160 His mule was brought to him, and he rode it. 00:06:10.160 --> 00:06:15.160 The chief of police came to him, walking before him with a spear. 00:06:15.160 --> 00:06:16.360 He said: 00:06:16.360 --> 00:06:17.759 "Move away from me." 00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:19.560 "What do I have to do with you?" 00:06:19.560 --> 00:06:23.699 "I am only a man from among the Muslims." 00:06:23.699 --> 00:06:26.500 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn 'Umar said: 00:06:26.500 --> 00:06:29.100 Raja' ibn Haywah said to me: 00:06:29.100 --> 00:06:31.699 "How perfect is your father's chivalry!" 00:06:31.699 --> 00:06:33.500 "I spent the night with him," 00:06:33.500 --> 00:06:35.300 "and the lamp grew dim." 00:06:35.300 --> 00:06:38.529 "Beside him was a sleeping servant." 00:06:38.529 --> 00:06:39.529 I said: 00:06:39.529 --> 00:06:41.329 "Shall I wake him?" 00:06:41.329 --> 00:06:42.529 He said, "No." 00:06:42.529 --> 00:06:43.790 "Leave him." 00:06:43.790 --> 00:06:44.790 I said: 00:06:44.790 --> 00:06:46.389 "I will get up." 00:06:46.389 --> 00:06:47.389 He said: 00:06:47.389 --> 00:06:48.589 "No." 00:06:48.589 --> 00:06:52.720 "It is not part of a man's chivalry to use his guest as a servant." 00:06:52.720 --> 00:06:56.319 He stood up to the oil container and fixed the lamp. 00:06:56.319 --> 00:06:57.920 Then he returned, 00:06:57.920 --> 00:06:59.319 and said: 00:06:59.319 --> 00:07:02.319 "I stood up while I was 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz," 00:07:02.319 --> 00:07:06.220 "and I returned while I was 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz." 00:07:06.220 --> 00:07:08.819 He also said, may Allah have mercy on him: 00:07:08.819 --> 00:07:11.620 "Whoever commits a sin out of desire," 00:07:11.620 --> 00:07:13.879 "hope for his repentance," 00:07:13.879 --> 00:07:16.279 "for Adam disobeyed out of desire," 00:07:16.279 --> 00:07:17.980 "and he was forgiven." 00:07:17.980 --> 00:07:20.980 "But if his sin is out of arrogance," 00:07:20.980 --> 00:07:23.980 "then fear the curse for its perpetrator," 00:07:23.980 --> 00:07:28.519 "for Iblis disobeyed out of arrogance, and he was cursed." 00:07:28.519 --> 00:07:32.120 'Awn ibn 'Abd Allah, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 00:07:32.120 --> 00:07:34.120 "It is enough of an arrogance for you" 00:07:34.120 --> 00:07:38.370 "that you see yourself as having a merit over those who are beneath you." 00:07:38.370 --> 00:07:39.970 It has been said: 00:07:39.970 --> 00:07:42.370 "Whoever is arrogant during his tenure," 00:07:42.370 --> 00:07:45.110 "will be humiliated upon his dismissal." 00:07:45.110 --> 00:07:48.980 Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 00:07:48.980 --> 00:07:52.180 "There are people who want to rise," 00:07:52.180 --> 00:07:55.610 "but Allah refuses except to bring them low." 00:07:55.610 --> 00:07:58.810 "And others who want to be humble," 00:07:58.810 --> 00:08:03.050 "and Allah refuses except to raise them up." 00:08:03.050 --> 00:08:06.250 Al-Khalil ibn Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, 00:08:06.250 --> 00:08:09.050 whenever he taught someone something, 00:08:09.050 --> 00:08:11.850 he did not act as if he had taught him, 00:08:11.850 --> 00:08:14.850 and whenever he learned something from someone, 00:08:14.850 --> 00:08:18.360 he acted as if he had learned from him. 00:08:18.360 --> 00:08:21.360 'Ubayd ibn Junad said: 00:08:21.360 --> 00:08:25.759 "I have never seen anyone like Ibn al-Mubarak, may Allah have mercy on him." 00:08:25.759 --> 00:08:28.759 "When he mentioned his companions, he would exalt them." 00:08:28.759 --> 00:08:32.710 "He would say, 'Where is anyone like so-and-so?'" 00:08:32.710 --> 00:08:35.509 Sa'id ibn Jubayr, may Allah have mercy on him, saw 00:08:35.509 --> 00:08:37.309 people following him, 00:08:37.309 --> 00:08:39.509 so he forbade them and said: 00:08:39.509 --> 00:08:43.110 "This walking of yours is a humiliation for the follower," 00:08:43.110 --> 00:08:46.580 "and a trial for the followed." 00:08:46.580 --> 00:08:49.980 Yusuf ibn Asbat, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked: 00:08:49.980 --> 00:08:52.379 "What is the ultimate limit of humility?" 00:08:52.379 --> 00:08:55.379 He said: "That you do not meet anyone" 00:08:55.379 --> 00:08:59.019 "without seeing that they have merit over you." 00:08:59.019 --> 00:09:02.580 Al-Shafi'i, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 00:09:02.580 --> 00:09:05.580 "Humility is among the characteristics of the noble," 00:09:05.580 --> 00:09:08.580 "and arrogance is among the traits of the base." 00:09:08.580 --> 00:09:11.179 "Humility breeds love," 00:09:11.179 --> 00:09:13.980 "and contentment breeds comfort." 00:09:13.980 --> 00:09:15.379 He said: 00:09:15.379 --> 00:09:17.379 "The highest of people in status" 00:09:17.379 --> 00:09:19.379 "is he who sees no status for himself." 00:09:19.379 --> 00:09:21.379 "And the most meritorious of them" 00:09:21.379 --> 00:09:24.220 "is he who sees no merit for himself." 00:09:24.220 --> 00:09:26.419 Yahya ibn Ma'in said: 00:09:26.419 --> 00:09:30.220 "I have never seen anyone like Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him." 00:09:30.220 --> 00:09:32.620 "We accompanied him for fifty years," 00:09:32.620 --> 00:09:34.820 boasting to us about something 00:09:34.820 --> 00:09:38.110 of the goodness he possessed. 00:09:38.110 --> 00:09:42.340 Ahmad Ibn al-Hasan al-Tirmidhi, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 00:09:42.340 --> 00:09:44.940 I saw Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, 00:09:44.940 --> 00:09:47.539 buying bread from the market, 00:09:47.539 --> 00:09:50.740 and carrying it himself in a basket. 00:09:50.740 --> 00:09:54.340 I saw him buying fava beans more than once, 00:09:54.340 --> 00:09:58.340 placing them in a bowl or some other container, 00:09:58.340 --> 00:10:02.740 and carrying them while holding the hand of his son, 'Abdullah. 00:10:02.740 --> 00:10:04.580 Salih said: 00:10:04.580 --> 00:10:08.080 My father would sometimes go out to the grocer, 00:10:08.080 --> 00:10:12.230 buy a bundle of firewood, and carry it himself. 00:10:12.230 --> 00:10:16.629 Al-Fudayl Ibn 'Iyad, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked about humility, 00:10:16.629 --> 00:10:18.029 and he said: 00:10:18.029 --> 00:10:20.830 It is to submit to the truth, be guided by it, 00:10:20.830 --> 00:10:24.149 and accept it from whoever speaks it. 00:10:24.149 --> 00:10:26.179 Some have said: 00:10:26.179 --> 00:10:30.379 Do not despise any of Allah's creation, for perhaps 00:10:30.379 --> 00:10:34.509 he is a devoted servant of the Lord of the worlds, and you do not know. 00:10:34.509 --> 00:10:38.309 For the one who has status with Allah is hidden from the people, 00:10:38.309 --> 00:10:42.309 just as the Night of Decree is hidden from their knowledge.