Self-confidence is a crucial psychological factor that significantly influences an individual’s self-management, shapes their relationships with others, and drives the effective use of their energy to achieve goals and aspirations. On a personal level, it empowers growth and success. On a broader scale, for the ummah to realize great ambitions, triumph over adversaries, protect sacred values, and uphold the banner of faith, it must be supported by people who first have unwavering confidence in their Lord and then a strong belief in themselves.
The importance of self-confidence
A self-confident person effectively manages themselves, faces challenges head-on, and overcomes obstacles with resilience. Self-confidence is a key factor that allows an individual to connect and communicate openly with others. It also helps them utilize their talents and abilities to their fullest potential, enabling success in the present and the achievement of future goals. This sense of confidence brings stability, reassurance, happiness, and the excitement of accomplishment.
On the other hand, a person lacking self-confidence feels weak when facing challenging situations and may become frustrated and discouraged even by ordinary circumstances. They might perceive these situations as insurmountable and believe they cannot manage themselves. Such individuals often experience withdrawal and avoidance, especially in critical moments, and struggle to communicate effectively with others. Their heightened sensitivity leads them to interpret many everyday events as frustrating or as insults to their dignity. A person without self-confidence fails to recognize their true abilities and talents or dismisses them as insignificant, preventing them from realizing their full potential.
He also experiences a deep frustration that prevents him from achieving many accomplishments or setting meaningful goals in his life. Even when goals are set, he struggles to reach them, which leads to feelings of despair and robs him of the joy of success.
Several factors that foster an individual’s self-confidence can be identified from the prophetic approach, including the following:
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in his profound wisdom, recognized the importance of a good name in building self-confidence. He valued good names and was optimistic about them, disliking unattractive names and changing them. In a report from Nafi’ transmitted by Ibn Umar in Sahih Muslim, a daughter of Omar was originally named ‘Asiyah, but the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, renamed her Jameelah. In another narration recorded by Imam Muslim, the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, changed the name ‘Asiyah and said: “You are Jameelah.”
2- The prohibition on insulting oneself : In the hadith narrated by Al-Bukhari, Muslim and others on the authority of Aisha, the Messenger of God, may God’s blessings and peace be upon him, said: “None of you should say: My soul has become evil, but let him say: my soul has become remorseless . Going by this hadith, it is forbidden that a person to insult himself
It is disliked for a Muslim to describe himself with ugly qualities even if he is sincere, and that is not a matter of humility. Ibn Hajar comments on the previous hadith saying: a person seeks goodness even by good omen, ascribes it to himself no matter how small, he protects himself from evil as much as he could and detaches from the people of evil, even in common terms).
3- Positive Messages: It was his approach, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, to share positive messages with those around him, especially his companions, highlighting their strengths and admirable qualities. This method greatly influences the development of a positive self-concept and effectively draws attention to a person’s most valuable traits. Recognizing these qualities is the foundation for harnessing one’s energies and utilizing them in the best possible way.
This section contains sayings of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace.
He said to Abdullah bin Masoud, may God be pleased with him: “You are a learned young man.” To Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari, may God be pleased with him, he remarked: “You have been granted a flute from the flutes of the Family of Dawud.” And to Ashaj Abdul Qais, may God be pleased with him, he said: “There are two qualities in you that God loves: generosity and patience.”
Among his guidance, may God’s blessings and peace be upon him, was the bestowal of honorable titles upon his companions. In the hadith narrated by Bukhari, Muslim, and others on the authority of Ibn Abbas: “If I were to take a friend, I would have chosen Abu Bakr.” Similarly, in Sunan At-Tirmidhi, from ‘Uqbah bin ‘Amir, the Messenger of Allah, may blessings and peace be upon him, said: “If there were a prophet after me, it would have been Omar bin Al-Khattab.” This is also recorded in Ahmed’s Musnad, on the authority of ‘Uqbah bin ‘Amir: “If there were a prophet after me, it would have been Omar bin Al-Khattab.”
The Prophet, may God’s blessings and peace be upon him, honored his companions by bestowing upon them medals and badges through various titles that highlighted their most distinguished qualities. This tradition has been inherited by the ummah throughout history. In classical heritage books, we encounter titles such as Habrul-Ummah “Ink of the Ummah,” Ameenul-Ummah “Secretary of the Ummah,” Secret Keeper, Imam of the Sunnis, and many others.
4- Praising the Soul by Its Virtues: Among the sayings of the Chosen One, may God’s blessings and peace be upon him, in this chapter: “I am the master of the children of Adam, the beloved of God without arrogance. I am the most followed of all prophets on the Day of Resurrection, the most knowledgeable about Allah, the most pious, and the most worthy of those who honor their promises.”
Abdullah ibn Masoud, may God be pleased with him, said about himself: “By Him besides Whom there is no god, there is no chapter in the Book of Allah whose place of revelation I do not know, nor is there a verse whose context I am unaware of. If I were to learn of anyone with a better understanding of the Book of Allah than mine, and I could reach him riding a mule, I would surely travel to him on a camel.”
If there is a prohibition against self-purification, it is because God Almighty says: “So do not claim yourselves to be pure; He knows best who is truly pious” (Al-Najm: 32). And the Exalted says: “Have you not seen those who claim themselves to be pure? Yet God purifies whom He wills, and no one will be wronged even by the smallest measure” (An-Nisa: 49). However, scholars have clarified that this prohibition applies only when self-purification is expressed through pride or hypocrisy. They allow an exception when speaking about God’s grace and mercy.
In Al-Alusi’s interpretation, the verse was revealed concerning some believers who performed good deeds and then proclaimed, “Our prayers, our fasting, and our Hajj,” which was blameworthy. Therefore, such declarations were forbidden if done out of vanity or hypocrisy. However, if not intended for show, it is permissible, and the doer is not regarded as self-purifying. It was thus explained that the true joy of obedience lies in the act itself, and remembering it is an expression of gratitude, regardless of whether it is verbal or a gesture.
5- Employing Energies:
Zaid ibn Thabit, may Allah be pleased with him, arrived in Madinah at the age of eleven. The Prophet, peace be upon him, did not permit him to participate in the battles of Badr or Uhud, but allowed him to join the Battle of Al-Khandaq when he was fifteen. After the battle, Zaid expressed to his mother his deep desire to be closer to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. His mother brought him to the Prophet, and some men said, “This is our son, Zaid ibn Thabit. He has memorized seventeen chapters of the Qur’an as it was revealed to your heart. He is intelligent, literate, and eager to serve and be near you. Please listen to him if you wish.”
The Messenger of Allah admired Zaid’s exceptional memorization, recitation, intelligence, and deep understanding of the Qur’an’s meaning. This recognition marked the start of Zaid’s important role as the leading authority for the Muslim community following the Prophet’s passing, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him.
This story illustrates how self-awareness of one’s abilities and energies can lead to remarkable accomplishments. Zaid ibn Thabit, may Allah be pleased with him, candidly shared his ambitions, reflecting the Muslim community’s ability to identify and cultivate talent. By introducing him to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, they gave Zaid the chance to demonstrate his skills. Although the Prophet initially withheld immediate approval, he tested Zaid and eventually entrusted him with responsibilities that molded him into a prominent figure in the history of the ummah.
6- Avoid sending negative messages: The Messenger, may God’s blessings and peace be upon him, said to our master Abu Dharr, may God be pleased with him, when he spoke ill of a man because of his mother: “You are a man of ignorance in you.” Scholars interpreting this Hadith explain that the word “fiika” refers to a trait or characteristic. In Fath al-Bari, it is described as a trait of the Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic ignorance), and in al-Nawawi’s commentary on Muslim, Aoun al-Ma’bood, and Fair Al-Qadeer, it is understood as a specific attribute linked to them. From this, we learn an essential lesson from the Messenger, may God’s blessings and peace be upon him: “Criticize the behavior, not the person.”
Also among his guidance, may God’s blessings and peace be upon him, was to filter negative messages, that is, to prevent them from reaching the Companions so as not to harm them. When Omar bin Al-Khattab, may God be pleased with him, said about Hatib bin Abi Balta’a: Oh Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, let me strike the neck This hypocrite that has betrayed God, His Messenger, and the believers, the Messenger of God said: “Oh Umar .. He is one of the people of Badr. Perhaps God has seen the people of Badr and said: they should do whatever they want, I have forgiven them. In another narration “Paradise is bind on them,” and this is in a mistake that appeared to be high treason, so how about what is not up to that ?!
Between confidence and self conceit
The difference between confidence and self-conceit is very subtle, as the saying goes. Confidence is a virtue that lies between two extremes: on one side, a lack of confidence, and on the other, arrogance or self-conceit. A person who lacks confidence sees only incompetence and shortcomings in themselves, underestimates their abilities and talents, compares themselves to others, and feels inferior. In contrast, a self-conceited person recognizes their talents and capabilities but exaggerates their importance. They compare themselves to others and believe they are superior, often looking down on those around them. As the hadith states: “Pride is disdaining the truth (out of self-conceit) and contempt for the people.” The conceited person frequently says “I,” taking credit for their achievements rather than attributing them to their Lord.
A self-confident person recognizes their own competence, talents, and abilities, but views them realistically. They neither see themselves as superior nor inferior to others. Instead, they understand that they possess certain capabilities others may lack, just as others have strengths they do not. Moreover, they are always careful to attribute their gifts to the grace of God rather than to themselves. As God Almighty truthfully says: “As for the grace of your Lord, so speak.”
It would be wonderful if we, along with everyone invested in the education process, learned how to nurture a self-confident generation deeply connected to their Lord, capable of finding personal fulfillment and fulfilling the hopes of their ummah.