Arrogance, Pride, Conceit, Vanity and Haughtiness

There is nothing so untoward, unbecoming, dangerous and damaging in life than a person who is always very proud, conceited, arrogant, haughty and vain. Arrogance, Pride and Conceit are so dangerous that the Holy Quran says that if people acquire these foul traits, then these traits become a part of their nature and they become always rebellious and vain.

The Holy Quran says that even on the Day of Judgment these proud and conceited persons will behave the same way as they did in this world. They don’t see anything other than their own point of view. Those who are proud in this world will be the same in front of Allah. “Pride, conceit and boasting are deep seated illnesses. They are defined as a person viewing himself as greater and more important than others, while viewing others as inferior and mediocre.”

The Holy Quran further says that when these conceited, proud and vain persons are brought to the grounds of Judgment on Doomsday, they will learn that, in fact, they are destined for Hell. Then, they will object to Allah and accuse Him of making a mistake. They will swear that they are good people and will say that Allah is making a mistake by unjustly assigning them to Hell!

The Signs of Arrogance etc.

It manifests itself in the speech of a person when he habitually says, “I did this and I am that,” just as Satan did when he said, “I am better than him; You created me from fire, and You created him from clay.” (Qur’an 7:12). Its impact on gatherings (of knowledge and places of importance) is that one will try to push himself to go first, raise his voice over others, or seek to open the gathering.

In discussions, it manifests when a person refuses to listen to those who question his opinion and respond to their inquiries. An arrogant person, when he is reminded, responds harshly, and when he rebukes others, does so with extreme rigidity. Any person who sees himself better than others is an arrogant person.

References in The Holy Quran.

• “Arrogance is refusing to acknowledge what is right and considering others to be inferior.” – [Reported
  by AI-Hakim]
• “No one with the slightest particle of arrogance in his heart will enter Paradise.” – [Reported by AI-Bukhari]
• Allah, the Almighty, says in the Qudsi hadith, “Allah loveth not any arrogant boaster.” – [Luqman: 18]
• Allah, the Almighty, says, “Pride is My garment and haughtiness My Mantle: whoever vies with Me for them I will throw into Hell.” – [Reported by Muslim]
• The Messenger (pbuh) said, “A debate took place between heaven and hell. The latter said; in me shall enter tyrant and the arrogant people: while heaven said, “In me shall enter the weak and
  the lowly.”
• Allah decided the issue by saying, You are heaven, My mercy, through you I shall have mercy on whomsoever I please; and you are hell, a place of punishment, through you I shall chastise whomsoever I like. It is incumbent upon me to fill both of you!” – [Reported by AI-Bukhari]
• Allah, the Almighty, says, “Do not speak to the people with your face turned away, nor walk proudly on earth; for Allah does not love any arrogant boaster” – – [Luqman: 18]
• Salama Ibn Al-Akwa’ recounted that a man was eating with his left hand in the presence of the Prophet (pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh) told him, “Eat with your right.” To which the man replied, “I
  cannot.”
• Though nothing stopped him but arrogance. The Prophet (pbuh) said,’ “May you not be able to” And the man could never lift his right hand to his mouth again.” – [Reported by Ahmad and AI-Hakim and it is an authentic hadith]
• “Shall I tell you who the people of the Hell-Fire are? The cruel, the haughty and the arrogant” –  Reported before]
• “There are three people whom Allah will not speak to, look at or exonerate on the Day of Judgement, and who will have a painful torment: he who wears the hem of his garment low (out of pride), he who
  reminds recipients of his charity to them and he who sells merchandise swearing that he paid more for it than he actually did” – [Reported by Muslim, An-Nisa’i and Ibn Majah]
• “What comes down the anklebones of the caftan is in Hell” – [Reported by AI-Bukhari]
• “Understand that a person will not be arrogant unless he believes that he has certain religious or worldly qualities which (he views) as being perfect and complete (in comparison to others).
• The wickedest arrogance is that of someone who exalts himself over people of his learning and gloats to himself about his superiority. The knowledge of such person is of absolutely no benefit to him.
• There is no power nor might save in Allah Most High, Most Glorious.
• The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Quarreling and arguing is not the way of Muslims. I will not intercede on their behalf on the Day of Judgment if they indulge in such things.” He (s) added, “First Allah ordered me to stop people from idol worship and polytheism. The next thing he ordered me to do was to stop people from argument and quarrel!”
• The Prophet of Allah (PBUH) said – Whoever exercises patience at the time of an argument, will be rewarded with three gardens in Paradise. Of these three gardens two are named Ridwan and Aden. The third garden has no particular name.

The Causes of Arrogance

Sheikh al-Jawi, in his commentary on al-Ghazzali’s text wrote,

• The first is knowledge
• The second is being active, and in worship
• The third is lineage (ancestry)
• The fourth is beauty
• The fifth is wealth
• The sixth is strength and power
• The seventh is having a large following, students and close friends.”

Types of Pride and Conceit

• One type of conceit results in argument and quarrel. This means that the person insists on getting his way and wants others to accept his point of view. This trait is more pronounced in some persons. They tend to force their opinions on others.
• Another type of conceit manifests itself in stubbornness in behaviour with others. There are people who are so stubborn that they prefer to jump into a deep well rather than change their point of view. This is a very harmful and dangerous trait.
• Another type of conceit results in excessive expectations on others.
• One of the fruits of conceit is refusing to accept any criticism.
• Criticising people is necessary but more important is to accept and take constructive criticisms in the right spirit. People face difficulties in this matter.
• Amongst my brothers my favourite is one who informs me of my failings and defects. Bihar, Vol 74, Page 282
• Money and wealth – especially those that got them quickly and unexpectedly – and FORGET to Thank Allah SWT.
• Being highly opinionated, prejudiced, bias, stereotyping others – and ridiculing and belittling others in
  life!

 Note

Arrogance, Pride, Conceit, Vanity and Haughtiness

Major part of this article has been taken from the book ‘Kitabul Kabayer’ (Major Sin) – Written by : Imam Shamsu ed-Deen, Ad-Dhahabi.

Let us try our level best to avoid eternal Hell Fire and The Punishment of The Grave – AMIN

RAMADHAN KAREEM.

Majid Al Suleimany.