In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Pride is the main source of problems on this earth. Wars, destruction, bribery, theft, hate and so many other kinds of corruption that we hear and experience ourselves are consequences of people's pride and arrogance.
Why are you proud and arrogant? Nothing of this world deserves it. This world will not stay with you forever. You can lose it at any moment.
Pride and arrogance are pure ignorance, and Allah has warned us against pride,
"Pride and glory are My garments, whoever claims them, I torture him.”[Muslim]
The Punishment for pride in this life is spiritual blindness.
سَأَصْرِفُ عَنْ آيَاتِيَ الَّذِينَ يَتَكَبَّرُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَإِن يَرَوْا كُلَّ آيَةٍ لَّا يُؤْمِنُوا بِهَا وَإِن يَرَوْا سَبِيلَ الرُّشْدِ لَا يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلًا وَإِن يَرَوْا سَبِيلَ الْغَيِّ يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا وَكَانُوا عَنْهَا غَافِلِينَ ﴿١٤٦[Qur'an Al-'Araf 7:147]
I will turn away from My signs those who are arrogant upon the earth without right; and if they should see every sign, they will not believe in it. And if they see the way of consciousness, they will not adopt it as a way; but if they see the way of error, they will adopt it as a way. That is because they have denied Our signs and they were heedless of them. (146)
And in the Hereafter they will be thrown into Hell.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,
“Shall I tell you about the people of Hell? Every harsh, ungenerous and proud man.”[Bukhari and Muslim]
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,
He who has in his heart the weight of an ant of pride will not enter paradise. A man then asked, “What if one likes to dress well?” The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, replied, “Truly Allah is beautiful and He loves beauty. Pride is to deny the truth and despise people.”[Muslim]
Qarun was a wealthy man who had much knowledge. The wealth he had acquired through his knowledge led him to become arrogant. His people told him to not exult, and they gave him many valuable advice but he didn't take heed. His chest puffed up with pride. "I got what I got because I am so smart!" He forgot Allah and had contempt for the people. When he didn't show gratitude for the gifts that Allah had given him, Allah caused the earth to swallow him and his wealth. [Qur'an Al-Qasas 28:76-83]
How do we prevent pride and arrogance from creeping into our hearts? It is by realizing that everything we have are gifts from Allah. Allah created us and Allah also created everything we have--our minds, our understanding, our property, and everything we have. Were it not for His generosity, we would not be able to think, understand, pass our exams, get good jobs, make money and accumulate wealth.
How do we solve the world's problem? We must work on ourselves first before we try to solve the world's problems. Purify our hearts from the diseases. Don't ever say you are the good guy that is going to solve the world's problems, even if it is done in the name of Islam.
Be keen in works that increase your humility.
Give the salutation of peace to your fellow Muslims you meet--rich or poor, big or small, friend or foe, young or old, your wife and your children, your students, your teachers, your employees, etc. Do it first, don't follow your lower self (nafs) that tells you that you deserve a greeting.
Abdullah ibn 'Amr reported that a man asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, "Which is the best of Islam?" He replied, "Feeding people and giving the greeting to those you know and those you do not know."
Thabit al-Bannani reported that Anas ibn Malik walked by some children and greeted them. He said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to do that."
Aisha reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The Jews do not envy you for anything the way that they envy you for the salam and the Amin."
Bashir ibn Yasar said, "No one preceded or got ahead of Ibn 'Umar when giving the greeting."
Al-Hasan said, "Greeting is an act of obedience while the answer is a duty."
Do jobs that break your ego. Imam Ghazali (450AH-505AH/1058-1111), known as the Hujjatul Islam (The Proof of Islam), a great and renowned scholar. He attained great status in the sight of people at young age. His lectures were attended by great imams of the time. Suddenly he abandoned all that and traveled from Baghdad to Sham seeking spiritual awakeness. He spent 10 years in seclusion, renounced worldly pleasures and he took on a job as a janitor/sweeper of the Umawi mosque.
Uwais Al Qarny lived in Yemen during the time of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, but did not not personally see the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, because he was taking care of his mother. He was so poor that he gathered food from the garbage and yet he shared this food with the poorer people and the orphans. He used to make du'a "O Allah, don't blame me for a human who slept in hunger." One day he was searching for food in the rubbish, and a dog barked at him. He said to the dog, "Don't hurt me and I won't hurt you. I take the food that is in front of me and you take the food that is in front of you for if on the Day of Judgment I enter Paradise, I am better than you, and if I fall into Hell, then you are better than me."
It's true...animals will turn into dust in the Day of Judgment. Humans have the chance to enter Paradise and enjoy a blissful eternal life. But if we go to Hell, the dog is better than us. So we have to purify our hearts from pride and arrogance.
Help the poor and the needy. Help the old people in our community with their tasks--shopping, carry their groceries, mow their lawns, help them with cooking, etc.
Hold your parents hands when you walk with them. Some children are too embarrassed to do this in front of people. Why so? Pride.
وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَاحِهَا وَادْعُوهُ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا ۚ إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللَّـهِ قَرِيبٌ مِّنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ[Qur'an al-'Araf 7:56]
And cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation. And invoke Him in fear and aspiration. Indeed, the mercy of Allah is near to the doers of good.
May Allah help us fight our egos and make all our works pleasing to Him. Ameen.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Recommended lecture: Imam Ghazali by Dr Ali Goma'a
Related Archives: Uwais Al Qarny
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