The day ends after the sun is set

Arrogance in Islam

Arrogance means “bigging yourself up”—whether publicly or just inside your mind. Often it involves knocking others down at the same time. Arrogance can be called a superiority complex, a sense of extreme self-love coupled with the false belief that one is better than everyone else. An arrogant person is the one who acts as if he is superior, more worthy and more important than the others. Arrogance is the blamable characteristic of a person that Allah disliked the most. It is hard to laugh or enjoy oneself in their presence. Allah says:

وَقَارُونَ وَفِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُم مُّوسَىٰ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا كَانُوا سَابِقِينَ

“And Qarun, and Firaun and Haman. And certainly came to them Musa with clear evidence, but they were arrogant in the earth, and not they could outstrip Us.” (Surah Al-`Ankabut 29:39)

Allah loves those who possess these great qualities and disliked those who in any case have arrogance. We must always remember that all blessings come from Allah and Allah alone. Arrogance is a double-edged sword, it can help you attract a few fans but on the other hand, it will fill the hearts of other people who surround you with hatred. After all, no one likes someone to treat him arrogantly. Allah says:

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا يَسْتَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ لَوَّوْا رُءُوسَهُمْ وَرَأَيْتَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ وَهُم مُّسْتَكْبِرُونَ

“And when it is said to them, “Come, will ask forgiveness for you (the) Messenger of Allah.” They turn aside from their heads and you see them turning away while they (are) arrogant.” (Surah Al-Munafiqun 63:5)

Arrogance demands constant apprehension. Over an extended period, this causes tension and stress on the human body. Concerns such as over making a mistake, being subject to criticism or humiliation, losing prestige, earning the approval of others, or losing things for which one is proud, puts a man under extreme pressure and demand constant attention of him. Allah says:

وَلَا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمْشِ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ

“And turn not your face away from men with pride, nor walk in insolence through the earth. Verily, Allah likes not each arrogant boaster.” (Surah Luqman-31:8)

Arrogance is not an inherited personality trait. Instead, it is almost always an unconscious manifestation of low self-esteem. It can be a behaviour osmotically learned from peers, or it can be a reaction embedded by the scars of events past. Either way, arrogance is an unfortunate form of mental self-defence. Different people will act arrogant for different reasons. In most cases, it’s about making the actor feel better about themselves.

Here are some chief features, arrogance involves the following components:

  1. Arrogance assume vain and wishful thoughts in his mind
  2. Arrogance is one of the most unpleasant human nature
  3. Arrogance wants nothing more than to be respected
  4. Arrogance is a mental state causing self-admiration
  5. Arrogance enjoy a kind of supremacy over others
  6. Arrogance  constant fear and sense of insecurity
  7. Arrogance live in a constant state of discomfort
  8. Arrogance live in the feeling of self-importance 
  9. Arrogance excessive desire to receive praise
  10. Arrogance feel better and superior to others
  11. Arrogance leads his entire life under stress
  12. Arrogance hide one’s feeling of inferiority
  13. Arrogance feel everything they do is fine
  14. Arrogance visit there feels he is better
  15. Arrogance  imagined being perfect
  16. Arrogance like for warm response
  17. Arrogance is a double-edged sword
  18. Arrogant people criticize others quickly
  19. Arrogance generates many immoralities
  20. Arrogance is a universal human problem
  21. Arrogance does not like to walk beside him
  22. Arrogance demands constant apprehension
  23. Arrogance has a desire to overpower others
  24. Arrogant people think that they are superior
  25. Arrogance only talk to deserve their attention
  26. Arrogance usually speak loudly, are stubborn
  27. Arrogance live in the feeling of self-indulgence
  28. Arrogance intolerant of those who are not like them

The arrogant people are always “on tenterhooks.” They think they will never make a mistake. An arrogant person, who leads his entire life under undue stress, actually causes great harm to his body. This, however, often fails to understand. They live in a constant state of discomfort. Arrogance leads people to the sickness of mind and incorrect behaviour. People who live in a state of pride and deception inhabit a dark internal world.  Allah says:

وَقَضَيْنَا إِلَىٰ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي الْكِتَابِ لَتُفْسِدُنَّ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَلَتَعْلُنَّ عُلُوًّا كَبِيرًا

“And We decreed for (the) Children (of) Israel in the Book, “Surely you will cause corrupt in the earth twice, and surely you will reach, haughtiness great.” (Surah Al-Isra, 17:4)

Arrogant people’s behaviour is always intended to make them appear more valuable and superior in the eyes of other people. For this reason, they have an excessive fear of making mistakes. They seek to ingratiate themselves with others for which reason they keep every moment under control and are careful to behave in a determined manner at all times. Sudden outbursts are common wherever such people are present. Allah says:

لَا جَرَمَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْتَكْبِرِينَ

“No doubt that Allah knows what they conceal and what they reveal. Indeed, He (does) not love the arrogant ones.” (Surah An-Nahl 16:23 )

Arrogant people imagine that every characteristic they possess belongs to them. Arrogant people live in a constant state of discomfort due to which they never find peace in life. When pride finds its way into the hearts of Muslims, it quickly affects the way one talks, act and treats others.

In the Holly, Qur’an Allah Almighty has stated that Arrogance:

  • “… truly He likes not the proud.” (Quran, 16:23)
  • “he said: I give life and cause death…” (Surah al-Baqarah 2:258)
  • “Is there not in Hell an abode for the proud?” (Surah Az-Zumar 39:60)
  • “Then he said: I am your lord, the highest.” (Surah An-Nazat 79:24)
  • “O You who believe! Do not violate the signs appointed by Allah…” (Surah al-Mā’ida 5:2)
  • ”Do not be like those who left their homes in arrogance, showing off to people and barring them from the way of Allah. Allah encompasses what they do.” (Surat Al-Anfal:47)
  • “In arrogance: talking nonsense about the (Quran), like one telling fables by night.” (Surah Al-Muminun, 67)
  • “Thus does Allah set a seal over the heart of every proud, haughty one.” (Surah Ghafīr 40: 35)
  • “He refused and he was proud, and he was one of the Unbelievers.” (Surah al-Baqarah 2:34)

They always want to be the object of love and affection, because in their own eyes they are superior to everybody else. This state of mind leads to another behaviour defect: envy. They envy the beauty, intelligence, reason, moral values or worldly goods of others.  Allah says:

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ أَخَذَتْهُ الْعِزَّةُ بِالْإِثْمِ فَحَسْبُهُ جَهَنَّمُ وَلَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ

“And when it is said to him, guard against (the punishment of) Allah; pride carries him off to sin; therefore hell is sufficient for him, and certainly it is an evil resting place.” (Surah al-Baqarah 2:206)

They, therefore, live in a constant state of discomfort. Ultimately, they never find peace and contentment. Arrogant people engage in exaggerated and attention-seeking behaviour in the way they walk, talk and look. We should supplicate Allah to grant us the devotion to be grateful to Him and allow us to help others with His special blessings and to protect us from looking down upon others. Allah says:

إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا إِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ

“Indeed, they were, when it was said to them, “(There is) no god except Allah,” were arrogant.” (Surah As-Saffat 37:35)

By overestimating this attribute in their own eyes they belittle and disparage those around them. As a result of this behaviour, their associates find them unattractive and repellent. That means that arrogant people never have true, honest friends who feel genuine affection for them. They also find it difficult to demonstrate affection for others. Allah says:

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَا تَسْمَعُوا لِهَٰذَا الْقُرْآنِ وَالْغَوْا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَغْلِبُونَ

“And those who disbelieve say do not listen to this Qur’an and make noise therein, perhaps you may overcome.” (Surah Fussilat 41:26)

They regard everything those people possess with a jealous eye. If someone with superior features to their own is present, they immediately want to leave. Their envy means they are invariably unable to get along with others. Allah says:

وَلَا تَمْشِ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا إِنَّكَ لَن تَخْرِقَ الْأَرْضَ وَلَن تَبْلُغَ الْجِبَالَ طُولًا

“And (do) not walk in the earth (with) insolence. Indeed, you will never tear the earth and will never reach the mountains (in) height.” (Surah Al-Isra` 17:3)

An arrogant people gain nothing but trouble, sorrow, and unhappiness in the life of this world, they also forgo the Hereafter and, most important of all, the love of Allah. May Allah (saw) bless us with humble dispositions and protect us from the superiority complex, Ameen