Dear Readers, As Salaamu Alaikum!
ALL PRAISES AND THANKS TO ALLAH, LORD OF THE WORLDS!!
4:36 Serve Allah, and join not any partners with Him; and do good- to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbours who are near, neighbours who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (ye meet), and what your right hands possess: For Allah loveth not the arrogant, the vainglorious;
4:173 But to those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, He will give their (due) rewards,- and more, out of His bounty: But those who are disdainful and arrogant, He will punish with a grievous penalty; Nor will they find, besides Allah, any to protect or help them
7:48 The men on the heights will call to certain men whom they will know from their marks, saying:“Of what profit to you were your hoards and your arrogant ways?
7:146 Those who behave arrogantly on the earth in defiance of right -- them will I turn away from My signs: Even if they see all the signs, they will not believe in them; and if they see the way of right conduct, they will not adopt it as the way; but if they see the way of error, that is the way they will adopt. For they have rejected our signs, and failed to take warning from them.
31:18 “And swell not thy cheek (for pride) at men, nor walk in insolence through the earth; for Allah loveth not any arrogant boaster.
16:22 Your Allah is one Allah. as to those who believe not in the Hereafter, their hearts refuse to know, and they are arrogant.
16:29 “So enter the gates of Hell, to dwell therein. Thus evil indeed is the abode of the arrogant.”
40:27 Moses said: “I have indeed called upon my Lord and your Lord (for protection) fromevery arrogant one who believes not in the Day of Account!”
40:35 “(Such) as dispute about the Signs of Allah, without any authority that hath reached them, grievous and odious (is such conduct) in the sight of Allah and of the Believers. Thus doth Allah, seal up every heart -- of arrogant and obstinate Transgressors.”
40:47 Behold, they will dispute with each other in the Fire! The weak ones (who followed) will say to those who had been arrogant, “We but followed you: Can ye then take (on yourselves) from us some share of the Fire?
40:60 And your Lord says: “Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer): but those who are too arrogant to serve Me will surely find themselves in Hell -- in humiliation!”
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: “One will not enter Paradise, if one has an atom’s weight of arrogance in his heart.” (Muslim)
The above verses and the mentioned Hadith are enough reasons for us to abolish arrogance. The verses and the Hadith clearly state that there is no place for an arrogant person in the sight of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala. So as believers we must remove this arrogance and pride from our hearts. And how can we do that:
Know Allah
What has knowing Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala got to do with arrogance? Everything. The one who truly recognizes his Creator, and learns about His exalted names and attributes, embraces reality. He knows with conviction how great his Lord is, and how absolutely insignificant his own self is.
He knows that Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala created him, fashioned him, brought him into this world, gave him sustenance and bestowed upon him strength after the frailty of infancy and childhood. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala has revealed about Himself in the Qur’an and once someone truly knows Allah, he cannot harbor arrogance in his heart for long.
Allah’s signs
The most powerful people who ever lived – with extraordinary physical or mental strength – all become weak with the passage of time. Great scholars or professors can one day suffer from amnesia or Alzheimer’s. Even the man who played the fictional “Superman” – the idol of many young boys – suffered a crippling fall, withered and died before their very eyes.
Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said, “Allah looks neither at your figures, nor at your outward appearance, but He looks at your hearts and your deeds.” (Sahih Muslim)
This should remind us that each and every little blessing we have – from our looks, to our wealth, to our abilities and talents – is solely from Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala. Our achievements are not the product of our own selves, they are a result of whatever talent Allah blessed us with combined with the effort He guided us to undertake. Not only that, He can take them away whenever He wants, even in a split second.
A beauty queen can lose her perfect body and beauty to a disease (just a passing reference to the death of a 20-year-old Brazilian model, who died within two months of contracting a mysterious disease).
A strong wrestler might suffer an accident that could render him invalid. Taking lessons from these will Insha Allah bring humility in us.
“Did they then feel secure against the Plan of Allah. None feels secure from the Plan of Allah except the people who are the losers.” (Qur’an, 7:99)
Everything is temporary
Remember: whatever you have – or whoever you are – will cease to exist one day. The life of this world is fleeting; everything in it, whether it is a source of happiness or misery, will be gone one day.
Only memories and stories will remain, remembered as ‘history’. So if you have something that makes you swell with pride, just remind yourself that it will be dead and gone one day. Just like you.
“Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish. And the Face of your Lord full of Majesty and Honour will abide forever.” (Qur’an, 55:27) –
Admit your mistakes
It might take a huge effort at first, but try to develop humility by hearing the other person out, even if you are right or better in opinion. Develop the ability to look at things from their point of view, which will make you a gentler and more empathetic person; more approachable and likeable.
Also, if you are among the older generation (say, above 50) and for the most part of your life, you have been telling the younger lot what to do and how to do it, accede to the fact that now they are adults; maybe acknowledging your own shortcomings before them, and occasionally acquiescing to their wishes won’t really belittle you before them. On the contrary, it might just make you more honorable.
Be quick to apologize
It takes a lot of strength to not just admit your mistake, but to go one step ahead and apologize to those you’ve wronged, whether it happened intentionally or not. Asking another person to forgive you is a sign of humility, one that very few strong individuals can muster up the guts to acquire.
Befriend poor people
A humble person always compares himself to those lower than him in worldly status. For this reason, he is constantly concerned about their well-being and prosperity. Think: “If we can not afford a rented apartment, what about those who are homeless?”
You will find humble people sharing their meals with the poor, giving away clothes to them, paying their medical bills, or often asking about their well-being.
In short, instead of always spending time with the elite at lavish soirees featuring arrays of expensive food, couture and decor, eat at times vegetables on bran whilst sitting on the floor with servants.
Greet people first
“So-and-so’s daughter is such a Miss high-and-mighty! What does she think of herself? Whenever she sees me, she averts her eyes. She doesn’t greet me, even though I am old enough to be her mother.”
Maybe you can teach her what she’s missing by practicing what you preach? What’s stopping you from greeting her with a warm, motherly smile?
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said, “Do not disdain any good deed, even your meeting with your brother (Muslim) with a cheerful face.” (Sahih Muslim)
Remember your origin
“Was he not a Nutfah (mixed male and female discharge of semen) poured forth? Then he became a clot; then (Allah) shaped and fashioned (him) in due proportion.” (Qur’an, 75:37-38)
The IslamQA team bluntly describes this: “Another remedy (for arrogance) is to remember that he and urine came out of the same place; that he began as a despised drop of sperm and he will end up as a rotten corpse, and that in between he is a vessel for feces. So what does he have to feel so proud and arrogant about?!”
Take account
Every day, when you retire for the night, mentally recount how many wrong things you did during the day. After that, proceed to sincerely ask Allah for forgiveness. This daily activity will ensure that you stay focused on your own errors and weaknesses, paving the way for consistent humility and a gentler attitude towards the mistakes of others.
Humility: Path to Paradise
Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said, “Shall I not inform you about those who are entitled to Paradise? It is every person who is modest and humble (before Allah), a person who is accounted weak and is looked down upon, but if he swears (hoping for Allah’s Bounty), Allah will certainly give him what he desires. Now shall I not inform you about the inmates of Hell? It is every violent, impertinent and proud man.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Allah says: “Whosoever desires honor, power and glory then to Allah belong all honor, power and glory (and one can get honor, power and glory only by worshipping Allah Alone).” (Qur’an, 35:10)
source: Amr Khaled, 1000gooddeeds
With Best Wishes
