Not So Smartypants

Humility is a fundamental attribute of a believer. It may well be the one virtue of strong character that is a precondition of all the others. Humility is a modest view of oneself. In Islam, it is also having the awareness that all good qualities we have are granted by God, and that all praise and thanks is to Him. In our first story, “Down to Earth,” Shireen challenges Jafar to see who can survive better in the wild. In her arrogance, she gets hurt, learning that she should be humble instead. We should have humility because it helps us become better human beings. Humble people recognize that we can work on our limitations by being open to new ideas, advice, and criticism.  In our second story, “Know-It-All Asad,” Asad learns that pride comes before a fall when he becomes overconfident and is humiliated as a result. He realizes that not only can humility prevent embarrassment, but it also allows us to learn and improve ourselves, which is an important part of being a Muslim.