13- EXCESSIVE HUMILITY (TAZALLUL)

Excessive amounts of humility is called lowliness (Tazallul), or coarseness or holding one's self down. Lowliness is prohibited (Haram). As is the case with other forbidden things, practising this vice upon a forced necessity (Dharurat), also becomes permissible (Jaiz). Following are some examples of forced necessities: protecting one's religion, property, honor, or life, or to save one's self from a tyrant. Looking for an easy solution becomes permissible when there is a forcing necessity or difficulty.

Excessive humility is one of the vices. The following is a good example of excessive humility. When a scholar (Alim) is visited by a shoe maker, the scholar gets up to greet him and tells him to sit in his place and while he is leaving, he walks along with him up to the door and places his shoes in front of him. Alternatively, if the scholar would get up to receive him and then sit back and show him where to sit and converse with him about his business and situation and ask him the purpose of his visit as well as answer his questions with a cheerful and smiling face and accept his invitation and help him to solve his difficulties, he would have shown humility. In one of the hadith Rasulullah, peace be upon him, said, "Hajj and 'Umra'(nafila) rewards will be given to the person who attends troubles of his religious brethren." Hadrat Hasan asked Sabit Bananiya, may Allahu ta'ala, be well pleased with them, to do something for him. He said he was busy in the mosque with devotions (Itiqaf) and he would do it some other time. Hadrat Hasan, may Allahu ta'ala be well pleased with him, replied back, "Aren't you aware of the news which says that attending to one of the brethren's needs is more rewarding than performing [Nafila] pilgrimage 'Hajj'?" Also, this hadith was used for deriving the following meanings: It is very rewarding for people who hold rank to use their position to help needy people. For scholars, it is very rewarding (Thawab) if they help their students through property or by using their position. Anyone who begs while having means [Nafaka] to support himself for one day would be comitting excessive humility and thus would be comitting haram. If a person having one day's means (nafaka) collects donations for others who do not possess one day's means or for those who owe money to others would not be committing excessive humility. Giving a small gift while expecting a larger gift in return is excessive humility. Verses in the Qur'an prohibit this type of gift giving. It is a very good deed to return a better gift in response to a gift received but it is not permissible to give a gift in expectation of receiving a better gift in return. Going to a reception without being invited would also be excessive humility. In one hadith, Rasulullah, peace be upon him, said, "Not attending to an invitation is a sin. Going to a reception without being invited to it is a theft." Attending to an invitation of a marriage ceremony is necessary (Wajib) if there are no prohibited (Haram) things or affairs taking place at the ceremony. Attending all other types of invitations is Sunnat. It is not permissible to accept invitations which are done for boasting or ostentation or hypocrisy. Establishing friendships with government officials, rich persons and judges with the thought of receiving worldly benefits from them is excessive humility. The exception in the case of forced necessity (Dharurat) was already discussed above. Greeting by bowing down or by prostrating upon meeting one of these people is excessive humility and is a grave sin. Bowing down for the purpose of worshiping would cause disbelief. It would resemble to the greetings of the Jewish people.

[ The poor means needy person. In Islam, a person who has enogh money to purchase his basic necessities of life but does not enough money to purchase a sheep for slaughtering is considered poor. The state of poorness Rasulullah, peace be upon him, asked from Allahu ta'ala and praised those who possess it is different from the material poorness. It is the consciousness that everyone in every actions and deeds needs the help of Allahu ta'ala. Abdullah ad-Dahlawi, may Allahu ta'ala be pleased with him, in his book Durr-ul-ma'arif says, "In Sufism, poor (Fakir) means one who has no desire or in other words, one who has no desire other than the consent of Allahu ta'ala." A person who meets this definition will embrace patience and contentment when there is no means (Nafaka) to satisfy the necessities of life. He will be content with the deeds and decree of Allahu ta'ala and will work to obtain sustenance in order to comply with the commandment of Allahu ta'ala. While he is working, he will not cease to perform the ordered worships (Fard) and will not commit prohibited acts. He will follow the orders of Islam while he is earning and spending. Poverty will be just as useful as being rich for this type of person and will be a means for him to obtain both the happiness of this and next worlds. A person who follows his soul (Nafs) and who doesn't have patience and contentment is not satisfied with the decree and destiny of Allahu ta'ala. When he is poor, he objects to Him by saying that He gave so little. When he is rich, he will not be content and ask for more. He will spend his earnings on forbidden things. His poverty or riches will be a means of disaster for him in both in this and the next worlds.]

Performing every kind of business or trade, working on a permissible job for a wage, e.g., working as a shepherd, gardener, stonemason or carrying load on one's back or working at the construction jobs, is not excessive humility. Prophets (peace be upon them) and saints performed all of these kinds of work. Working to support one's self, wife and children is an obligatory (Fard) duty. It is permissible (mubah) to work at all kinds of jobs in order to earn more money (beyond the fard amount) with the intention of helping others with the extra money one acquires. Prophet Idris, peace be upon him, worked as a tailor. Prophet David (Dawud), peace be upon him, worked as an ironworker. Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim), peace be upon him, warked as a farmer and as a tradesman on textiles. Prophet Adam, peace be upon him, weaved fabrics for the first time.

[Enemies of religion write that the first human beings lived in caves and covered themselves with leaves. They have no documentation or evidence to back up their allegations.] Prophets Jesus (Isa), Noah (Nuh) and Salih (peace be upon them) practiced the professions of shoe making, carpentry and bag or case making respectively. Most of the prophets (peace be upon them) were shepherds. In a hadith, Rasulullah, peace be upon him, said, "Purchasing one's household needs and carrying them to one's home is an indication of his not being a conceited person." Rasulullah, peace be upon him, bought and sold various things. His purchases were greater than his selling. He worked for others and employed others to work for him. He participated in business activities like joining corporations or its equivalent activities at his time and established business partnerships. He represented others by proxy as well as appointed others to represent himself in several activities by giving proxy (Wakalat). He gave and received presents. He borrowed money or other things. He established trusts (Waqf). But, he never said any harsh words to anyone or became angry with anyone while conducting all of these worldly activities. He took oaths and made others take oaths. He performed those things that are required by the oath and in some occasions he did not carry out the things that are dictated by the oath and thus paid compensation (Kaffarat) for breaking his oath. He made jokes but his jokes were always based on truth and therefore were always useful and returned fruitful results. Not performing all of the things mentioned above or feeling uneasiness or being ashamed while performing any one of the above-mentioned actions would show conceit (Kibr). Many people become confused on this subject and mix humility (Tawadu) with excessive humility (Tazallul). The soul (Nafs) deceives many on this subject.