Man Tawada Lillah Rafaahu
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- Editions
- Dar al-Qasim
Man Tawada Lillah Rafaahu (Whoever Humbles Himself for Allah, He Raises Him) is an Islamic ethical treatise by Abd al-Malik bin Qasim that explores the virtue of humility (tawadu'), warns against arrogance (kibr) and self-admiration ('ujb), and presents exemplary models from the early generations of Islam . It was published as the twentieth installment in the author's moral and biographical tract series Ayna Nahnu min Ha'ula'? ("Where Are We Compared to Them?") .
Purpose and Themes
The work aims to encourage self-rectification by contrasting contemporary moral shortcomings with the conduct of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, his Companions, and the early pious predecessors (al-salaf al-salih) . The author emphasizes that piety (taqwa) is the sole standard of virtue before God, warning that status, wealth, power, or religious learning devoid of humility lead to ruin .
The book discusses the spiritual station of humility, drawing upon Quranic verses such as God's praise of the servants of the Most Merciful who walk upon the earth with humility ( وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا ) and Luqman's counsel to his son against turning his cheek away from people in contempt . It also cites Prophetic traditions that define pride as rejecting the truth and despising people, noting that entering Paradise is barred to anyone possessing an atom's weight of arrogance in their heart .
Structure and Contents
The treatise is organized around definitions, conceptual distinctions, Prophetic examples, and biographical anecdotes:
- Definitions and Distinctions: The text cites classical definitions of humility by figures such as al-Fudayl ibn Iyad, Hamdun al-Qassar, and Ibn Ata, characterizing true humility as yielding to the truth and accepting it from anyone, even from a child or an unlearned person . It distinguishes praiseworthy humility—born of awareness of God's majesty and one's own shortcomings—from blameworthy servility (mahanah or di'ah), which involves degrading oneself before the wealthy or powerful in pursuit of worldly gains .
- The Prophetic Model: The book highlights various facets of the Prophet's ﷺ everyday humility, including greeting children, assisting his family at home, mending his sandals and clothing, milking sheep, eating with servants, visiting the sick, riding a donkey, and answering the invitations of all people .
- Narratives of the Salaf: It compiles accounts illustrating how early scholars and ascetics disciplined their souls against pride and the desire for social prominence . Among the figures cited are Abu Bakr, Malik ibn Dinar, Sufyan al-Thawri, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Muhammad ibn Wasi', Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani, al-Shafi'i, Ibn Taymiyyah, and Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak, illustrating their aversion to praise, their refusal to sit at the head of gatherings, and their vigilant self-reproach .
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