Have you ever felt better than someone else? Maybe because you’re smarter, wealthier, more religious, or more knowledgeable about faith. Or perhaps you’ve looked down on someone because of their appearance, their job, or their background. Without realizing it, attitudes like these are a form of arrogance, something Allah does not like.
Stay Humble, Don’t Be Arrogant
Words of the Prophetﷺ
Indeed, Allah has revealed to me that you should be humble toward one another, so that no one oppresses another and no one boasts over another.
Book40Ch.16No.6856
Muslim. (2018) Sahih Muslim. Translated by A. Hameed Siddiqui.
Arrogance Prevents You from Entering Paradise Rasulullah (ﷺ) said: "No one will enter Paradise who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride." Someone asked, "What about people who like wearing nice clothes and shoes?" The Prophet (ﷺ) answered, "Allah is Beautiful and loves beauty. Real arrogance is refusing to accept the truth and looking down on others."
Common Misconceptions: "People who wear branded clothes must be arrogant." "If you want to be humble, you have to wear shabby clothes." "Owning a nice car = being arrogant"
"Allah is Beautiful and loves beauty." Allah loves beauty – There's absolutely nothing wrong with wearing nice clothes, owning nice things, or having a good appearance. Looking good ≠ arrogance – As long as your intention is right and you don't look down on others.
Buying branded clothes because you like them and can afford them → Perfectly fine. Buying branded clothes for validation and to look down on others → Arrogance.
Rasulullah (ﷺ) said: “It is truly a great evil for a Muslim to look down upon their fellow Muslim.”
Besides that, arrogance is also about rejecting the truth. For example: Being stubborn even when you know you're wrong, thinking that you're always right. However, deep down, we already know what's right and what's wrong, we just let our ego get in the way and convince us to stick with our mistakes instead of owning up to them. But here's the thing, admitting that you're wrong isn't a sign of weakness. It actually takes real maturity and guts, because the ones who can own their mistakes are the ones who actually grow to become a better person.
Watch Out! Good Deeds Can Be a Door to Arrogance Don't let the good things you do end up leading you toward arrogance. For example, understanding religion but thinking your own opinion is always right; wearing hijab but looking down on those who don't; or a "holier-than-thou" attitude by saying, "I'm not like them." This kind of attitude makes a person look down on those who are still learning or who have made mistakes.