The Reality of Modesty (Reproduced with thanks from Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah (http://www.daruliftaa.net/index.php/departments/generalislamic/186-modestyreality)
"Tawadhu'"
is an Arabic word. It means that one should consider oneself to be
inferior. It is, however, not (modesty) to claim it (modesty) only
verbally. It has become a fashion nowadays to call oneself meanest,
worthless, Guilty or sinner. They are under the impression that by using
these words the quality of modesty is acquired. It should be noted that
it is not modesty to call oneself modest. The real modesty is to feel
and realize in the heart that one is modest. One should feel that one
has no importance and if one has done anything good, it was due to
Allah's help and mercy without which one could do nothing. This is the
reality of modesty. If this true modesty has been attained it does not
matter whether or not one calls oneself mean, worthless or good for
nothing. Allah raises him in rank who acquires modesty in the true sense
as pointed out above.
There
are respected saints and learned men from whom we learn Deen (Faith)
and virtuous acts. If we read their biographies we will know that they
considered themselves the lowest of all. I have heard this statement of
Maulana Ashraft Ali Thanawi rahmatullah alayh from many of my saintly
elders:-
It
is my behaviour that I regard every Muslim superior to me, because he
is a believer in his existing state; and I regard every non-Muslim
superior to me, because there is always a possibility of his becoming by
the grace of Allah, a believer any time in the future and he may become
a better Muslim than I.
Once
Hazrat Maulana Khan Muhammad Sahib rahmatullah alayh , a favourite
Khalifah of Hazrat Thanawi rahmatullah alayh said to Hazrat Mufti
Muhammad Hasan Sahib rahmatullah alayh he felt that he was inferior to
all these present in the assembly of Hazrat Thanawi rahmatullah alayh .
Hearing this Hazrat Mufti Sahib rahmatullah alayh said that he too had
the same feeling about himself. They both decided to submit this matter
to Hazrat Thanawi rahmatullah alayh to know whether this was a good or a
bad situation for them. Hearing this experience, Hazrat Thanawi
rahmatullah alayh told them that there was nothing wrong in it' and
said that when he sat in the assemblies he also felt likewise that all
the members present there were superior to him.
This
is the reality of modesty. When this sense of modesty overpowers a man
he feels that he is inferior even to animals, what to say of men.
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