PRIDE (KIBR) BY: MUHAMMAD TEJANI The deadliest of all sins is kibr (arrogance). Prophet Muhammad (s.a.

w) warned that a person having even an iota of it in his heart will never enter paradise. No one like arrogance. We never like a person who is overbearing, proud or condescending. We detest a person who belittles us and has a huge ego. Contrary to that, we love people who are humble, polite and friendly to talk to. To respect and honor others is a sublime virtue, The principle of treating others the way we like to be treated is the key to the solution of basic social problems. Treating arrogance, hence, requires serious thought. However, it is possible to have manners without morals. The first concern itself with how a person deals with others. The second is related with what a person thinks of himself. Imam Ali (a.s) says, The one thing that is better not expressed, even if it is true is a mans praise for himself. People show humility in their dealings in two cases either out of generosity or after becoming genuinely convinced that he is not superior or better than the person standing opposite him. The humility of a man in a position of high rank protects him from the malice of others when he falls. (Imam Ali (a.s). Be nice to people as you go up, because you may meet them as you go down. The sense of feeling equal leads to quality being free from arrogance. Real greatness belongs to Almighty Allah, our Lord, Creator and Master. Human beings are just a creation of His and a very small creation in comparison to the unimaginably vast universe. Anyone who understands this will realize that our proper status is only as servants of Almighty Allah. For a Muslim, the real human model is none other than the Holy Prophet (s.a.w), who is the greatest of all human beings. His greatness lies in being the humblest of all the servants of Allah. It is impossible for any person who has this consciousness to entertain any notion of his own greatness. This leads us to the definition of the Kibr (Arrogance) in a famous hadith, Arrogance (Kibr) is rejecting Truth and to belittling other people. This hadith exposes two strains of this ailment, both dealing with our exaggerated ideas of self-importance. The first suggests that one consider himself to be more important than the truth if he is arrogant. The second suggests that he considers himself to be more important than other people if he is arrogant.

Islams teaching is that one should never consider oneself greater than others because that judgement can also come from Almighty God on the day of Judgement. Pride impedes progress and mars greatness. (Imam Ali a.s) A person who appears to be nobody here may end up in eternal bliss because of his goodness that only Almighty Allah knows. Meanwhile a person who considers himself a big shot here may end up among the sinners and shall be punished because only Allah knows the evils and hidden follies back, and he who tries to be higher than the others, Allah will rub his nose in dust (that is lower him). O respected and elite, test the punishment (Q: 25:49) A reference to the aristocrats who considered themselves as such. To take pride over our fleeting and material superiority is the business of those who live in a fools paradise. Almighty God has created all human beings as equals, regardless of cast, creed or religion. Men and women cannot impose superiority upon themselves. Oh you men! Surely We have created you of a male and female and made you tribes and families that you may know each other; surely the most honorable of you with Allah is the one among you most careful (of his duty); Surely Allah is Knowing and Aware. (Q: 49:13) Islam expects us to stick to reality, pragmatism and moderation. Rather it asks to take a deeper look at reality and not be mislead by superficial perception of it. The simple realities that are evident in the form of our health, wealth, talents and power are not of our creation. These are gifts of Almighty Allah to us and He can take them back from us when He wishes. You exalt who you like and abase whom you like (Q. 3:25). Those who are conscious of this reality bow before Allah in gratitude and only those who are oblivious of this fact fall prey to the pride and arrogance. Nineteen and twentieth century sociologists and scientists have mislead people by putting forward the phenomenon of superiority and inferiority complexes, whereas the obvious reality is that a humble person is a happy, content, grateful person who thanks Allah of his blessing and has no notion of his own superiority.