Author: Abdul Hai Lay'yan
The Divine Education Model in the Family of the Prophets (part 110)
Educational Lessons from the Story of Luqman (AS)
Educational Guideline Twenty-Two: Calling People to Good Is Not a License for Arrogance or Superiority over Others
Allah the Almighty says: (وَلَا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمْشِ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ) Translation: “Do not turn your cheek away from people in pride, nor walk upon the earth arrogantly. Indeed, Allah does not love anyone who is arrogant and boastful.” [1]
This verse warns against pride and arrogance while teaching proper etiquette for those who invite others to the path of Allah. Calling people to righteousness never gives anyone the right to consider himself superior to others or to look down upon them because he is guiding them. Rather, arrogance without the responsibility of calling others to goodness is even more reprehensible and blameworthy. [2]
Arrogance and self-exaltation are dangerous spiritual diseases that arise from a deficiency in sound judgment and the corruption of the soul. An arrogant person imagines himself superior to everyone else and looks at people with contempt and disdain.
Such a person should realize that whenever he becomes proud and despises others, Allah the Almighty will dislike him. Whoever is disliked by Allah will also lose the love of people. Instead, Allah places hatred for him in their hearts, causing people to reject him, despise him, and refuse to honor or respect him.
Arrogance is a grave moral defect and a serious danger. It has destroyed even distinguished individuals throughout history, and very few people—including worshippers, ascetics, and scholars—are completely safe from its harm, let alone ordinary people.
How could anyone underestimate its danger when the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: «لَا يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ مِنْ كِبْرٍ» Translation: “No one who has an atom’s weight of arrogance in his heart will enter Paradise.” [3]
Arrogance prevents a person from entering Paradise because it deprives him of the noble qualities that characterize true believers, qualities that lead to Paradise.
This shuts the doors to these virtues, for an arrogant person cannot sincerely love for his fellow believers what he loves for himself. [4]
Allah the Almighty does not love those who are proud, boastful, and self-conceited. He says: (إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ) Translation: “Indeed, Allah does not love anyone who is arrogant and boastful.”
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) trained his Companions to be humble, gentle, and kind, and he warned them against pride and arrogance.
Numerous authentic hadiths encourage humility, while others strongly prohibit arrogance and self-conceit.
Among the hadiths encouraging humility is the statement of the Prophet (PBUH): «إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَوْحَى إِلَيَّ أَنْ تَوَاضَعُوا، حَتَّى لَا يَفْخَرَ أَحَدٌ عَلَى أَحَدٍ، وَلَا يَبْغِي أَحَدٌ عَلَى أَحَدٍ» Translation: “Allah has revealed to me that you should be humble toward one another, so that no one boasts over another and no one oppresses another.” [6]
Among the hadiths warning against arrogance is the following narration: «لَا يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ مِنْ كِبْرٍ». فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ: إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَكُونَ ثَوْبُهُ حَسَنًا، وَنَعْلُهُ حَسَنَةً. فَقَالَ ﷺ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ جَمِيلٌ يُحِبُّ الْجَمَالَ، الْكِبْرُ بَطَرُ الْحَقِّ وَغَمْطُ النَّاسِ» Translation: “No one who has an atom’s weight of arrogance in his heart will enter Paradise.” A man asked, “A person likes his clothes and shoes to be beautiful.” The Prophet (PBUH) replied, “Indeed, Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. Arrogance is rejecting the truth and looking down upon people.” [7]
To be continued…
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References:
[1] Qur’an 31:18.
[2] Sayyid Qutb, Fi Zilal al-Qur’an, vol. 5, p. 2790.
[3] Al-Hakim, Al-Mustadrak, vol. 3, p. 612.
[4] Imam Al-Ghazali, Ihya’ ’Ulum al-Din, vol. 3, p. 513.
[5] Qur’an 31:18.
[6] Sahih Muslim, Book of Paradise and Its Description, Hadith No. 2865.
[7] Sahih Muslim, Book of Faith, Hadith No. 91.
