Heritage Revival Center Holds a Seminar “Expressions of Humility in
the Holy Qur’an.”
The Arab Scientific Heritage Revival Center at the University of Baghdad organized a seminar on Monday, 30/3/2026, entitled “Expressions of Humility in the Holy Qur’an.” The lecture was delivered by Dr. Iman Salih Mahdi, a member at the Center. In a presentation, she explored a semantic and linguistic study of a group of Qur’anic terms that convey meanings of submission, humility, and surrender to God Almighty. The researcher explained that “expressions of humility” refer to the words and phrases mentioned in the Holy Qur’an that indicate a state of deep modesty, reverence, and obedience to God. These meanings are particularly evident in contexts of supplication, repentance, and returning to God, as such expressions reflect the breaking of the (self) and the acknowledgment of one’s need for God’s mercy. This meaning appears in several places in the Holy Qur’an, sometimes expressing the steadfastness of believers and their refusal to submit to hardships. For example, in Surah Aal ‘Imran:(“And how many a prophet [fought] and with him fought many religious scholars. But they never lost assurance due to what afflicted them in the cause of Allah, nor did they weaken or submit.”) [Aal ‘Imran: 146]the phrase “nor did they submit” indicates that they did not yield or become humiliated despite the hardships they faced.It also appears in another context in Surah Al-Mu’minun:
(“And We certainly seized them with punishment, but they did not humble themselves to their Lord, nor did they supplicate [to Him].”) [Al-Mu’minun: 76]
, “they did not humble themselves” signifies that they neither submitted to God nor showed humility during the punishment, serving as a reproach for their hardened hearts. Thus, the concept of humility in the Qur’an revolves around meanings of submission and humbleness, whether in its negation from steadfast believers or in the condemnation of disbelievers who fail to submit to God during times of hardship.
The researcher also highlighted the semantic differences between these expressions, explaining how each term carries a distinct meaning and context that reflects particular psychological and spiritual dimensions of human beings. This demonstrates the richness and precision of the Qur’anic language in expression.
In conclusion, she emphasized the importance of such studies in deepening the understanding of the Qur’anic text and in deriving its rhetorical and educational meanings.
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