{"id":22362,"date":"2026-10-19T16:53:33","date_gmt":"2026-10-19T14:53:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/?p=22362"},"modified":"2026-10-20T06:58:49","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T04:58:49","slug":"humility-amidst-greatness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/?p=22362","title":{"rendered":"Humility Amidst Greatness"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ziyaad bin Abi Ziyaad (rahimahullah) was the slave of the Sahaabi \u2018Abdullah bin \u2018Ayyaash (radhiyallahu \u2018anhuma). He was a pious ascetic and one of the great \u2018Ulama of his time. Ziyaad (rahimahullah) was very close to \u2018Umar bin \u2018Abdil \u2018Azeez (rahimahullah) and they would often engage in lengthy private discussions. (Tabaqaat Ibn Sa\u2019d vol. 5, pg. 305 and Siyaru Aa\u2019laamin Nubalaa vol. 5, pg. 456)<\/em><\/p>\n

Sayyiduna \u2018Abdullah bin \u2018Ayyaash (radhiyallahu \u2018anhuma) once sent Ziyaad (rahimahullah) to \u2018Umar bin \u2018Abdil \u2018Azeez (rahimahullah) to attend to some matters on his behalf.<\/p>\n

When Ziyaad (rahimahullah) entered, he found \u2018Umar bin \u2018Abdil \u2018Azeez (rahimahullah) with a scribe who was writing. Ziyaad (rahimahullah) greeted him with salaam and \u2018Umar bin \u2018Abdil \u2018Azeez (rahimahullah) replied.<\/p>\n

After some time, Ziyaad (rahimahullah) greeted him with salaam again. \u2018Umar bin \u2018Abdil \u2018Azeez (rahimahullah) said to him, \u201cO son of Abu Ziyaad, we certainly did not disregard your first (salaam).\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the scribe was reading to \u2018Umar bin \u2018Abdil \u2018Azeez (rahimahullah) reports of injustices that had occurred in Basrah. \u2018Umar bin \u2018Abdil \u2018Azeez (rahimahullah) then invited Ziyaad (rahimahullah) to sit down.<\/p>\n

Ziyaad (rahimahullah) accordingly sat on the doorstep while the scribe continued reading. As he listened, \u2018Umar bin \u2018Abdil \u2018Azeez (rahimahullah) repeatedly heaved deep sighs.<\/p>\n

When the scribe had finished, \u2018Umar bin \u2018Abdil \u2018Azeez (rahimahullah) asked everyone in the room to leave, including the young servant who was present. He then walked towards Ziyaad (rahimahullah), sat down in front of him, placed his hands on Ziyaad\u2019s knees and said, \u201cO Ibnu Abi Ziyaad, have you kept warm in this garment of yours?\u201d Ziyaad (rahimahullah) was wearing a woollen garment at the time.<\/p>\n

\u2018Umar bin \u2018Abdil \u2018Azeez (rahimahullah) then enquired about the righteous people of Madeenah Munawwarah, both the men and women, not leaving out a single one of them. He also enquired about matters he had instructed to be attended to in Madeenah Munawwarah, and Ziyaad (rahimahullah) informed him about them.<\/p>\n

Thereafter, (reflecting on the immense responsibility of leadership and the accountability that came with it,) \u2018Umar bin \u2018Abdil \u2018Azeez (rahimahullah) said, \u201cO Ibnu Abi Ziyaad, do you not see what I have become involved in?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ziyaad (rahimahullah) replied, \u201cRejoice, O Ameerul Mumineen. Indeed, I hope good for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFar from it! Far from it!\u201d replied \u2018Umar bin \u2018Abdil \u2018Azeez (rahimahullah). He then began to weep until Ziyaad (rahimahullah) felt pity for him and said, \u201cO Ameerul Mumineen, consider some of the (good) deeds you perform, for indeed I have hope for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFar from it! Far from it!\u201d he repeated. He then said, \u201cI rebuke (others), yet no one rebukes me. I strike (others), yet no one strikes me. I inflict pain (upon others), yet no one inflicts pain on me.\u201d He then began to weep again, and Ziyaad (rahimahullah) once more felt pity for him.<\/p>\n

Ziyaad (rahimahullah) remained there until \u2018Umar bin \u2018Abdil \u2018Azeez (rahimahullah) had attended to the matters he had come for. \u2018Umar bin \u2018Abdil \u2018Azeez (rahimahullah) then took twenty dinaars from beneath his bedding and said to Ziyaad (rahimahullah), \u201cUse these to attend to your needs.\u201d Ziyaad (rahimahullah) initially refused to accept the money.<\/p>\n

\u2018Umar bin \u2018Abdil \u2018Azeez (rahimahullah) then said, \u201cThis is from my personal expenditure.\u201d He continued urging Ziyaad (rahimahullah) to accept the money until he eventually did so.<\/p>\n

\u2018Umar bin \u2018Abdil \u2018Azeez (rahimahullah) also wrote to Ziyaad\u2019s master, asking him to sell Ziyaad to him. However, his master refused and instead freed Ziyaad (rahimahullah) himself.<\/p>\n

(Az-Zuhd lil Imaam Ahmad #1725)<\/em><\/p>\n

Lessons:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. No matter how important a person may be, his position should never make him feel that he is too important to give time to those below him. Despite being the ruler, \u2018Umar bin \u2018Abdil \u2018Azeez (rahimahullah) did not consider Ziyaad, who was a slave, beneath his attention. Once he had completed the matters that occupied him, he gave Ziyaad his undivided attention, enquired about his well-being and spent time speaking to him. True humility is when a person does not allow his position, wealth or status to cause him to overlook those who may be of a lower worldly standing.<\/p>\n

2. \u2018Umar bin \u2018Abdil \u2018Azeez (rahimahullah) was a great and righteous person. Yet, when he reflected on the responsibility of leadership and what he would have to answer for before Allah Ta\u2018ala, he wept out of fear. This should make us reflect on our own accountability. We may not have authority over thousands or millions of people, but each of us has been entrusted with responsibilities for which we will have to answer. If a person of such piety and greatness was so fearful of accountability, we should never allow our own shortcomings to make us complacent about the Day when we will stand before Allah Ta\u2018ala.<\/p>\n

>>>Download Musjid Poster Page 1<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Page 2<\/a><<<<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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