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Pride:
A Barrier To Paradise
By 'Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Naasir as-Sa'dee (d.1376H) [1]
From 'Abdullaah Ibn Mas'ood who related that the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu
'alayhi wa sallam) said: ''Whoever has an atoms worth of kibr (pride) in his
heart will not enter Paradise." So a man asked: 'What about a person who
loves (i.e. takes pride in) wearing beautiful clothes and beautiful shoes? So
he replied: ''Indeed Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. Kibr (pride) is to
reject the truth, and to despise the people.'' [2]
So Allah - the Most High - informs us that the Hellfire is the abode of those
who have kibr (pride and arrogance). And we learn from the (above) hadeeth
that: ''Whoever has an atoms worth of kibr (pride) in his heart will not enter
Paradise.'' So this is a proof that kibr (pride) necessitates entry to
Hellfire and prevents entry into Paradise. And this comprehensive explanation
that the Prophet mentioned has clarified the meaning of kibr (pride) in the
clearest possible manner. So he divided kibr into two types:
[1] PRIDE AGAINST THE TRUTH:
This is to reject the truth and not to accept it. So anyone who rejects the
truth is proud and arrogant - in accordance with what he rejects of the truth.
So it is obligatory upon everyone to humble themselves to the truth which
Allah sent His Messenger with, and which He sent down in His Book. As for
those whose pride and arrogance prevents them from totally complying with the
Messengers (i.e. having eemaan or faith in them and their message) - then they
are kuffaar (unbelievers) who will dwell in the Hellfire for eternity. Since
when the Truth comes to them via the Messengers, who explain to them the signs
and clear proofs, they reject it and are prevented from accepting it, due to
the kibr that they harbour in their hearts. Allah - the Most High - said:
''Indeed those who argue about the Signs of Allah without any authority having
come to them, there is nothing in their hearts except kibr (pride). They will
never accept the Prophet Muhammad as a Prophet.'' [Sooratul-Ghaafir 40:56]
As for those whose arrogance and pride prevent them from complying with parts
of the truth - because it opposes their personal opinions of their whims and
desires - then such people are not kuffaar (unbelievers), but such an action
necessitates them being punished in accordance with what they have of kibr.
This is why the Scholars have agreed that whenever the Sunnah (guidance and
way) of the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam) has been
explained to anyone, then it is not lawful for him to turn away from it to the
saying of someone else, whoever and whatever status he may have.
So it is obligatory upon the seeker of knowledge to give complete and absolute
precedence to the saying of Allah and the saying of His Messenger over and
above the saying of anyone else, and that he should make the basis to which he
returns, and the foundation upon which he builds: following the guidance of
the Prophet, striving hard to understand what is intended from it, and
following this both inwardly and outwardly. When a person conforms to this
great principal, then he has indeed reached goodness and excellence and all
his errors will be forgiven to him; since his overall objective is to follow
that which has been prescribed upon him. So his errors are excused due to his
striving his best to recognize and comply with the truth - and this is
humbling oneself to the truth.
[2] PRIDE TOWARDS PEOPLE:
This type is to despite the people and to look down upon them. This attitude
arises when a person is amazed with his own self, thinks highly of himself,
and thinks he is better than others. So this causes him to have kibr towards
the creation despise them, mock them, and to degrade them through both speech
and action. The Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: ''It
is enough evil for a person to despise his Muslim brother.'' [3]
This is why the man asked: "What about a person who loves (i.e. takes
pride in) wearing good clothes and shoes?" Because he feared that this
was the kibr which would be under the treat of punishment. So the Prophet
explained to him that this was not from kibr, since this person was one who
complied with the truth, and was humble towards people, and that this was from
the truth, and from the beauty that Allah loves, for indeed Allah - the Most
High - is beautiful in His Dhaat (Self), Sifaat (Attributes) and Af'aal
(Actions), and He loves both outer and inner beauty.
As regards outer beauty, then it includes cleanliness of the body, clothes and
place. As regards to inner beauty, then it is beautifying the character. This
is why the Prophet (sallAllahu 'alayhi wa sallam) used to supplicate: ''O
Allah! Guide me to having beautiful manners and characteristics, no one can
guide me to beautifying them except You. And turn away from me all evil
actions and characteristics, no one can turn them away from me except You.''
[4]
Footnotes:
[1] Bahjatul-Quloobul- Abraar (pp. 156-158)
[2] Related by Muslim in his Saheeh (1/65)
[3] Related by Muslim (no. 2564)
[4] Saheeh: Related by an-Nisaa'ee (no. 861).
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