36/20. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 4008 — Do Not Belittle Yourself by Silence
Enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil
Hadith About Speaking Out: Do Not Belittle Yourself
Sunan Ibn Majah : 4008
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 4008
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، وَأَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُرَّةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الْبَخْتَرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " لاَ يَحْقِرْ أَحَدُكُمْ نَفْسَهُ " . قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ يَحْقِرُ أَحَدُنَا نَفْسَهُ قَالَ " يَرَى أَمْرًا لِلَّهِ عَلَيْهِ فِيهِ مَقَالٌ ثُمَّ لاَ يَقُولُ فِيهِ فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تَقُولَ فِي كَذَا وَكَذَا فَيَقُولُ خَشْيَةُ النَّاسِ . فَيَقُولُ فَإِيَّاىَ كُنْتَ أَحَقَّ أَنْ تَخْشَى " .
Abu Sa'eed Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “No one of you should belittle himself.” They said: “O Messenger of Allah, how could anyone of us belittle himself?” He said: “If he sees something concerning which he should speak out for the sake of Allah but does not say anything. Allah will say to him on the Day of Resurrection: “What prevented you from speaking concerning such and such?” He will say: “Fear of the people.” (Allah) will say: “Rather you should have feared Me.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4008In-book reference : Book 36, Hadith 83English translation : Vol. 5, Book 36, Hadith 4008
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 4008
This Hadith about speaking out explains a deep form of self-belittling. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that no one should belittle himself. When the Companions asked how this happens, he explained: a person sees a matter in which he should speak for the sake of Allah, but he stays silent. On the Day of Resurrection, he is asked what stopped him, and he says it was fear of people. Allah then says that He was more deserving of being feared. This Hadith keeps the focus on duty, fear, and accountability. It does not call for reckless speech. It warns against silence when a person knows there is a duty to speak.
What we learn from this hadith
- Staying silent out of fear can be a form of belittling oneself.
- The Hadith connects speaking for Allah with accountability on the Day of Resurrection.
- Fear of people should not be placed above fear of Allah.
- A person should think carefully when they see a matter that calls for speech.
