Friday sermon calls on Muslims to embrace humility

First Sermon (Khutbah One)

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds, who has elevated the rank of the humble and condemned the traits of the arrogant. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that our Master and Prophet Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. O Allah, bestow Your blessings, peace and abundant grace upon him, his family, his Companions and all those who follow his guidance.

To proceed: Servants of Allah, I counsel you and myself to remain mindful of Allah, the Exalted, who says: “That Home of the Hereafter We shall assign to those who seek neither superiority upon the earth nor corruption. The ultimate outcome belongs to those who are mindful of Allah.” (Qurʾān 28:83)

Believers, our subject today is one of the defining qualities of the Messengers and Prophets and one of the noble characteristics of virtuous and wise people. It is the quality of humility. Humility means disciplining the soul and purifying it of arrogance, being gentle and approachable, respecting people and treating them with kindness. Through this, affection and harmony are established among people. Allah, the Exalted, commanded His Prophet (PBUH) to embody this quality, saying: “And lower your wing to the believers.” (Qurʾān 15:88)

 That is: treat them gently and conduct yourself humbly toward them. Our Prophet (PBUH) said: “Indeed, Allah has revealed to me that you must be humble toward one another, so that no one transgresses against another and no one boasts over another.”  (Al Adab al Mufrad)

Humility is among the finest acts of obedience to the Most Merciful and among the loftiest stations of faith. ʿĀʾishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said:  “You are indeed neglecting one of the finest acts of worship: humility.” (Al-Nisāi)

Muʿādh ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him, said:  “A servant will not reach the highest summits of faith until he becomes humble.” (Sharh li Sunna Baghawī)

Why should this be surprising? Is humility not the first quality by which Allah, Mighty and Majestic, describes the servants of the Most Merciful? He says:  “The servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth gently.” (Qurʾān 25:63)

That is, they walk with tranquillity, dignity, gentleness and humility.

Reflect—may Allah have mercy upon you—on how Allah began His description of them with humility before mentioning their other qualities. Reflect on how Allah honoured them through it, elevated their mention and attributed them to Himself, calling them “the servants of the Most Merciful.” This is because humility is the ladder by which noble qualities are attained and the key to the highest ranks. How could it be otherwise when our Prophet (PBUH) said: “No one humbles himself for the sake of Allah except that Allah raises him.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, no. 2588)

It has therefore been said: Truly elevated among his people is the one who humbles himself.

Servants of Allah: humility is a virtue situated between two deficiencies. It is honour accompanied by dignity: neither haughtiness and arrogance nor humiliation and brokenness.

ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, may Allah be pleased with him, once saw a man affecting a lifeless manner and making an ostentatious display of humility. He rebuked him, saying:  “Do not cause our religion to appear lifeless before us.” (nihāya fī gharīb al-hadīth)

The humble person therefore possesses honour and dignity. He is beloved by his Lord and close to his family and community. Be humble, servants of Allah. How beautiful are the words of the poet: Be humble, like the star whose light, shines on the water, yet rests at height. Be not like smoke that climbs the air, though low in worth, it rises there.

Allah, the Exalted, says: “O you who believe, obey Allah, obey the Messenger and those entrusted with authority among you.” (Qurʾān 4:59) I say these words of mine, and I seek Allah’s forgiveness for myself and for you.

Second Sermon (Khutbah Two)

All praise is due to Allah alone, and may blessings and peace be upon the one after whom there is no Prophet.

To proceed: People of humility, humility is a central value in our lives through which our dealings with one another are set aright. It moves a person to serve others. Have you not considered your Prophet (PBUH) and the humility he displayed in serving others? A woman once came to him and said: “O Messenger of Allah, I have a need that I wish to bring before you.”

The Prophet (PBUH) went with her and stood listening attentively until he had attended to her need. In another wording, he invited her to choose any street in which she wished to sit, and he sat with her until her need was fulfilled. (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, no. 2326)

What a magnificent quality this is. It strengthens harmony, mutual support and social solidarity within society, while protecting the community from moral afflictions. When humility is absent from a person, his offensive behaviour becomes apparent whenever he speaks, and his arrogance prevents him from learning. This is because a heart into which the darkness of arrogance has entered cannot be enveloped by the lights of knowledge. It has therefore been said: “Knowledge is not acquired by one who is overcome by shyness, nor by one who is arrogant.” (Sunna Kubra al-Bayhaqi)

You will see an arrogant person elevating himself above others, demanding what he does not deserve and attributing to himself qualities for which he is not qualified. He boasts of things he does not possess and is, as our Prophet (PBUH) described: “Like one who wears two garments of falsehood.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

People of the Emirates: You who are known for your humility: take pride in your values. Always remain distinguished among people through your noble character and firmly instil the quality of humility in your children. I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed: “Do not turn your cheek contemptuously away from people, nor walk upon the earth exultantly. Indeed, Allah does not love anyone who is conceited and boastful.” (Qurʾān 31:18)

O Allah, bestow Your blessings, peace and abundant grace upon our Master and Prophet Muhammad and upon all his family and Companions. O Allah, be pleased with Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān and ʿAlī, and with all the noble Companions. O Allah, we ask You for all-encompassing goodness, the foundations of righteousness, the treasures of Your grace and the vastness of Your pardon. O Allah, perpetuate the honour, victory, stability, prosperity, goodness and well-being of the United Arab Emirates. O Allah, protect Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, President of the State, through Your protection. Be his Helper and Supporter and bless his life and his deeds.

O Allah, grant success to him, his deputies, his brothers the Rulers of the Emirates, and his trustworthy Crown Prince, guiding them to everything that You love and with which You are pleased. O Allah, have mercy upon Sheikh Zayed, Sheikh Rashid and the Sheikhs of the Emirates who have passed into Your mercy. By Your grace, admit them into the expansive gardens of Your Paradise. O Allah, encompass the martyrs of the nation in Your mercy and forgiveness. O Allah, have mercy upon the Muslim men and Muslim women, the living among them and the deceased.

Servants of Allah, remember Allah, the Magnificent and Majestic, and He will remember you. Give thanks to Him for His blessings, and He will grant you increase.