This chapter is about tawadu, the humility that lowers your wing toward other believers rather than lifting yourself above them. The Arabic title speaks of khafd al-janah, literally folding down the wing the way a bird gathers its young in close, a tender image of gentleness and approachability. The central idea is that real standing before Allah comes through bringing yourself down to people, not setting yourself apart from them.
Notice how the chapter grounds this in the daily life of the Prophet himself. He greeted children, let a slave-girl lead him by the hand, served his own family at home, paused a sermon for a confused stranger, did humble work, and accepted the smallest gift. The thread running through every hadith is that humility is not weakness but the very thing Allah raises a person by.
Hadith 601
'Iyad bin Himar (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن عياض بن حمار رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: “إن الله أوحى إلي أن تواضعوا حتى لا يفخر أحد على أحد، ولا يبغي أحد على أحد” ((رواه مسلم)).
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Allah has revealed to me that you should humble yourselves to one another. One should neither hold himself above another nor transgress against another." [Muslim].
In plain words
Allah has commanded humility toward one another, so that no one sets himself above others or oppresses anyone.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 601 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 601
Hadith 602
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: “ما نقصت صدقة من مال، و ما زادالله عبداً بعفو إلا عزاً، وما تواضع أحد لله إلا رفعه الله” ((رواه مسلم)).
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Wealth does not diminish by giving Sadaqah (charity). Allah augments the honour of one who forgives; and one who serves another seeking the pleasure of Allah, Allah will exalt him in ranks." [Muslim].
In plain words
Charity does not lessen wealth, forgiving others raises one's honour, and humbly serving someone for Allah's sake lifts a person higher in His sight.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 602 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 602
Hadith 603
Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) passed by some children and greeted them (by saying As-salamu 'alaikum to them). Then he said:
وعن أنس رضي الله عنه أنه مر على صبيان فسلم عليهم وقال: كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يفعله. ((متفق عليه))
The Prophet (ﷺ) used to do the same. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
Anas greeted some children with peace and noted the Prophet used to do the same, showing humility and warmth even toward the young.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 603 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 603
Hadith 604
Anas bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
عنه قال: إن كانت الأمة من إماء المدينة لتأخذ بيد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، فتنطلق به حيث شاءت. ((رواه البخاري)).
A slave-girl of Al-Madinah would take hold of the hand of the Prophet (ﷺ) and take him wherever she desired. [Al- Bukhari].
In plain words
The Prophet would let a slave-girl take him by the hand and lead him wherever she needed, a striking picture of his gentleness and lack of self-importance.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 604 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 604
Hadith 605
Al-Aswad bin Yazid (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن الأسود بن يزيد قال: سئلت عائشة رضي الله عنها: ما كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يصنع فى بيته؟ قالت: كان يكون فى مهنة أهله -يعنى: خدمة أهله- فإذا حضرت الصلاة، خرج إلى الصلاة” ((رواه البخاري)).
'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) was asked: "What did Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to do inside his house?" She answered: "He used to keep himself busy helping members of his family, and when it was the time for Salat (the prayer), he would get up for prayer." [Al-Bukhari].
In plain words
Asked how the Prophet behaved at home, Aishah said he busied himself helping his family and rose for prayer when its time came, joining humble service with worship.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 605 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 605
Hadith 606
Tamim bin Usaid (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبي رفاعة تميم بن أسيد رضي الله عنه قال: انتهيت إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو يخطب، فقلت: يا رسول الله رجل غريب جاء يسأل عن دينه لا يدرى ما دينه؟ فأقبل علي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، وترك خطبته حتى انتهى إلى فأتى بكرسي، فقعد عليه وجعل يعلمني مما علمه الله ثم أتى خطبته فأتم آخرها”. ((رواه مسلم)).
I came to Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) while he was delivering a Khutbah and said: "O Messenger of Allah, a stranger (meaning himself) has come to inquire about his Deen. He is quite ignorant about his Deen." Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) interrupted his Khutbah and turned to me. Then a chair was brought for him and he sat on it. He started instructing me what Allah had taught him. Then he resumed his Khutbah and completed it. [Muslim].
In plain words
Though in the middle of a sermon, the Prophet stopped to welcome a stranger asking about his faith, taught him patiently, then returned to finish, showing care for an individual's need.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 606 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 606
Hadith 607
Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أنس رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان إذا أكل طعاماً لعق أصابعه الثلاث قال: وقال: “إذا سقطت لقمة أحدكم، فليمط عنها الأذى، وليأكلها، ولا يدعها للشيطان” وأمر أن تسلت القصعة قال: فإنكم لا تدرون فى أى طعامكم البركة” ((رواه مسلم)).
When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) finished eating his food, he would lick his three fingers (i.e., the forefinger, the middle finger and the thumb). He (ﷺ) said, "If anyone of you drops a morsel, he should remove anything harmful from it and then eat it. He should not leave it for Shaitan." He commanded us to clean out the dish saying, "You do not know in what portion of your food the blessing lies." [Muslim].
In plain words
The Prophet valued every part of his food, telling us to pick up and clean a dropped morsel rather than leave it, since we never know where the blessing in our food lies.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 607 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 607
Hadith 608
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: “ما بعث الله نبياً إلا رعى الغنم” قال أصحابه: وأنت؟ فقال: نعم كنت أرعاها على قراريط لأهل مكة” ((رواه البخاري)).
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Every Prophet has tended sheep." He was asked: "And did you?" He replied: "Yes, I tended them for a few carats for the Makkans." [Al-Bukhari].
In plain words
Every prophet has herded sheep, and the Prophet too did this humble work, showing that honest, lowly labour is nothing to be ashamed of.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 608 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 608
Hadith 609
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: لو دعيت إلى كراع أو ذراع لأجبت ولو أهدى إلى ذراع أو كراع لقبلت”. ((رواه البخاري)).
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "If I am invited to a meal consisting of a sheep's foot or shoulder, I would respond and I would accept as a gift a shoulder or a foot of a sheep." [Al-Bukhari].
In plain words
The Prophet said he would accept even a modest meal invitation and a humble gift, modelling graciousness that does not look down on small things.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 609 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 609
Hadith 610
Anas bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أنس رضي الله عنه قال: كانت ناقة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: العضباء لا تسبق، أو لا تكاد تسبق فجاء أعرابي على قعود له، فسبقها، فشق ذلك على المسلمين حتى عرفه، النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: “حق على الله أن لا يرتفع شئ من الدنيا إلا وضعه” ((رواه البخاري)).
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had a she-camel called Al-'Adba' which would not allow any other camel to surpass her. A bedouin came riding his camel which outstripped it. The Muslims were much grieved at this. Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) perceived it and said, "It is Allah's Way that he lowers whatever raises itself in the world." [Al- Bukhari].
In plain words
When the Prophet's swift camel was outrun and the Muslims felt downcast, he reminded them that it is Allah's way to bring low whatever exalts itself in this world.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 610 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 610