The way a person attains self-respect

Question:
May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good. Our sister is asking about the way a person attains self-respect.

Answer:
The way a person attains respect is to fear Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), to preserve his religion, to avoid harming people, and to show them excellence. If he rectifies his relationship with Allah and his relationship with people through these matters, he will be respected; he will be respected by people and have a standing with Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). Allah will love him, and creation will love him. This is what causes self-respect. However, if a person falls short in obeying Allah and commits the prohibitions of Allah, then Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) will hate him. And if he treats people badly, transgresses against them, and wrongs them, they will hate him and harm him. The poet says: "Whoever fears men, they will fear him; and whoever despises men, they will not fear him." What earns a person a high standing with Allah and His creation is holding fast to this religion with its beliefs, acts of worship, morals, and etiquettes. In it is much good, praise be to Allah. And Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) says: . Yes.