“Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.” (Sam Walton)
Prophet Muhammed (sa) was the most perfect leader humanity has ever witnessed. He led by example, successfully reforming a society drenched in the darkness of falsehood. Those who followed him swam against the tide. It was their belief in self and their trust in Allah (swt) that helped them recognize and value their God-given abilities and use them for personal benefit as well as for the benefit of others.
Lack of self-esteem can result in falling prey to the false standards set by the society. In Surah Al-Maidah (5:20-24), Allah (swt) talks about Musa (as) and his people. After the exodus from Egypt, Allah (swt) instructed Bani Israel to enter Palestine and conquer it. But Bani Israel had lost confidence in themselves, having spent years in slavery to the Pharaoh. Consequently, they were too shy to take on the challenge.
The Bible refers to the incident and reports how the twelve heads of Israelites responded to the call of Moses: “We came to the land to which you sent us; it flows with milk and honey. Yet the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large; … and there we saw the Nephilim (men of great stature); and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” (Numbers 13:27-33)
This episode confirms that a people possessing low self-worth cannot achieve high goals. On the contrary, we have the example of a small group of believers, the companions of the Prophet (sa), who not only fought but also won a war at Badr against a military force much superior to theirs in numbers and weaponry. How did they achieve the seemingly unattainable? Through knowledge of their self-worth, while maintaining a strong connection with Allah (swt).
The lives of the Sahabah are full of examples, where their self-esteem guided them through great difficulties and challenges. One such example is that of Bilal ibn Rabah (rtam), who was the first slave to enter the folds of Islam. His master Umayyah ibn Khalaf, one of the major antagonists of Islam, used to torture him severely to make him revert to polytheism. But Bilal (rtam) responded to every act of persecution with a single word: “Ahad” (Allah is one). Finally, despairing of Bilal’s (rtam) return to disbelief, Umayyah sold him to Abu Bakr (rtam), stating that he is willing to sell Bilal (rtam) for a paltry amount of an ounce of gold. Knowing Bilal’s worth, Abu Bakr (rtam) responded: “I would have paid even one hundred ounces for him.” Abu Bakr (rtam) set Bilal (rtam) free. Later, after migration to Madinah, the Prophet (sa) chose Bilal (rtam) to recite the Adhan for the first time in the history of Islam. The dark-skinned slave of Arabia came to be known as ‘Muadhin ar-Rasool’ (the caller to the prayer of the Messenger (sa)). Allah (swt) had blessed him with a deep, melodious voice along with a sense of self-worth and dignity.
Abdullah ibn Masood (rtam), also known as ibn Umm Abd, was one of the early Muslim converts. He was best known for his knowledge of the Quran. The Prophet (sa) said: “Learn the Quran from four individuals: Abdullah ibn Masood (rtam), Salim (rtam) the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah, Ubbay ibn Kab (rtam), and Muadh ibn Jabal (rtam).” (Bukhari)
Ibn Masood (rtam) was a poor person with a physical weakness, but he possessed a strong will and belief in himself. After the Prophet (sa), He was the first person to recite the Quran publicly in Makkah, trusting that Allah (swt) will guard him against the oppressors.
Imam Ahmad reported from Anas (rtam) that there was a man from amongst the Bedouins who was called Zahir. He was not very good-looking, but the Prophet (sa) loved him very much. One day, the Prophet (sa) came to him, while he was selling some goods. He embraced him from behind. The man could not see him, so he said: “Let me go! Who is this?” Then he turned around and recognized the Prophet (sa). Consequently he tried to move closer to him. The Prophet (sa) asked: “Who will buy this slave?” Zahir looked at himself and thought of his extreme poverty and ugliness. He said: “O Messenger of Allah, you will find me unmarketable.” The Prophet (sa) commented: “But you are not unmarketable in the sight of Allah (swt). You are very precious to Allah (swt).”
The Sahabah were privileged to have a leader amongst them who boosted their self-esteem and taught them that we need not look for approval from people; rather, we should concern ourselves with the approval of Allah (swt) for our actions. Allah (swt) says in Surah Ghafir 40:64 that He formed us and He ‘perfected’ our form. Subhan’Allah, He made us in perfect form. Internal validation is of prime importance. A person’s worth is not based upon validation from people. One should be confident knowing that Allah (swt) approves of his actions.
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