Desist from being proud
By: Dr Aftab jan
Do not walk with pride on earth …“And do not walk upon the earth exultantly. Indeed, you will never tear the earth [apart], and you will never reach the mountains in height.” — (Qur’an 17:37)
In the fleeting story of life, man—fragile and temporary—has allowed himself to be intoxicated with pride, to be wrapped in the false clothing of ego and arrogance. Despite being formed from clay and destined to return to it, he walks the earth as if he owns it, forgetting that the very ground beneath his feet is older, more patient, and more powerful than him.
The Qur’an repeatedly reminds us that pride is not a garment fit for the human soul. It is the robe of Allah alone, and whoever tries to wear it will be torn apart by its weight. But man forgets. He forgets the day he was born helpless, unable to speak, walk, or even hold his head. He forgets that every cell in his body was formed without his command.
Yet he walks tall, looks down upon others, mocks the poor, glorifies himself in gatherings, and takes pleasure in seeing others beneath him. What kind of illusion has overtaken the children of Adam that they forget their own beginning? Allah asks in the Qur’an (76:1), “Has there [not] come upon man a period of time when he was not a thing [even] mentioned?” This verse alone should humble the heart, for it tells us that before the womb, we were not even worth a mention, and after death, without Allah’s mercy, we might not be remembered either.
The disease of arrogance is ancient—it is the first sin ever committed, and not by a man, but by a jinn who once worshipped among the angels. Shaytaan refused to bow to Adam out of pride. He said, “I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay.” (Qur’an 7:12).
That one moment of arrogance made him accursed forever. Now imagine how many moments of pride we entertain daily—boasting about our achievements, flaunting our wealth, ridiculing others, treating people as inferior due to their appearance, accent, status, or job.
If Shaytaan was damned for just one statement of pride, what about a life lived in arrogance? The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ warned us clearly, “No one who has an atom’s weight of arrogance in his heart will enter Paradise.” (Sahih Muslim). Yet we still admire the arrogant, follow the boastful, and imitate those who wear pride as a fashion.
In today’s society, arrogance has become a trend, an admired trait even. People flaunt their brands, homes, and even their acts of worship. Men walk with their heads raised high, not in dignity but in pride. Women show off their beauty publicly, not out of confidence but for attention. Young people compete in showing who has the most luxurious lifestyle, forgetting that Allah has never praised the one who boasts. The Qur’an says in Surah Luqman (31:18), “And do not turn your face away from people in arrogance, nor walk proudly upon the earth. Surely, Allah does not love the arrogant and boastful.”
This divine dislike is not for actions done unintentionally, but for those who willingly choose to act in a manner that elevates themselves above others. Pride breaks families, ruins friendships, poisons hearts, and distances us from the mercy of Allah. Even when one gives charity, if done with arrogance, it erases the reward. Even when one prays, if it leads to feeling superior to others, it could turn into a sin.
We must understand that arrogance is not just about outward actions—it is a disease of the heart. A person may wear humble clothes and speak softly but still feel superior inside. This hidden pride is even more dangerous. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Shall I not inform you of the people of Hell? Every haughty, boastful person.” (Bukhari and Muslim).
The consequences of pride are not small—they can lead to eternal damnation. Yet today, our society glorifies arrogance. Celebrities gain followers by mocking others. Influencers grow through vanity and self-promotion. Even religious people sometimes fall into pride, feeling they are better than others just because of their outward piety.
But true righteousness is not visible—it lies in humility, sincerity, and fear of Allah. The Prophet ﷺ, despite being the best of creation, walked like a servant, slept on the floor, ate with the poor, and never raised himself above anyone. When he entered Makkah as a victorious leader, his head was so low on his camel that his beard almost touched the saddle. That is the example of true greatness.
Contrast this with our modern-day behavior. Today, people look down upon a person simply because of their clothes, job, or background. A man riding a bicycle is ignored, while the one driving a luxury car is honored. But in the eyes of Allah, it is the heart that matters, not the vehicle.
We forget that Qarun, the richest man of his time, whose wealth required strong men to carry the keys to his treasure chests, was swallowed by the earth due to his arrogance. Allah says in Surah Al-Qasas (28:76-82) that Qarun walked with pride and boasted about his knowledge and wealth. And then the earth was commanded to devour him. This is a powerful reminder that pride leads to destruction, not just spiritually but sometimes physically. No matter how much success, beauty, fame, or knowledge we have, if it makes us arrogant, it is a curse, not a blessing.
Even in our homes, arrogance can be seen. Husbands who treat their wives with contempt. Parents who belittle their children. Siblings who think they are more worthy of respect because of their education or income. In gatherings, we see people ignoring the weak and running to greet the powerful. We speak differently with the rich and differently with the poor. This dual behavior is a reflection of a diseased heart. And sadly, this arrogance is sometimes even visible in our acts of worship. We may look down upon those who do not pray, forgetting that we too were once in darkness before Allah guided us.
Our role is to guide and help, not to judge and mock. One of the worst kinds of pride is religious pride—the pride that blinds a person into thinking they are guaranteed Paradise while others are doomed. Such pride is a sign of ignorance, not piety.
The Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah has revealed to me that you must be humble, so that no one oppresses another and no one boasts to another.” (Sahih Muslim). This Hadith should be written in our hearts. Humility brings love. Arrogance brings hatred. Humility brings forgiveness. Pride brings stubbornness. Humility opens doors of Jannah. Pride closes them.
If we reflect deeply, we’ll realize that we are nothing without Allah. Every breath we take is His mercy. Every success is His gift. Every moment of health is His kindness. And yet we claim credit as if we created ourselves. Allah reminds us in Surah Al-Nahl (16:4), “He created man from a drop of fluid, yet behold, he becomes an open disputer.” The truth is, the more we grow in knowledge or wealth, the more humble we should become. The one who truly knows Allah becomes softer, more forgiving, and more self-aware.
There is no place for arrogance in the heart that knows death. Go to a graveyard and look at the silence. The loud voices of the proud have turned into dust. The shining faces of the arrogant are now bones. The stylish clothes are gone. The titles, degrees, honors—all buried. Only deeds remain. When the soul leaves the body, people will rush to wash you, shroud you, and bury you—without asking your permission.
No one will care about your social media followers, your car, your face, or your job title. In the grave, the only thing that will matter is: were you humble? Did you fear Allah? Did you walk gently on the earth? Allah says in Surah Al-Furqan (25:63), “The servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth humbly, and when the ignorant address them harshly, they say: Peace.” This verse defines the character of true believers. They do not react with pride, they respond with peace. They do not raise their heads in ego, but bow them in gratitude.
Even on the Day of Judgment, the arrogant will face humiliation. The Prophet ﷺ described that they will be gathered like ants, small and disgraced, trampled by others. This is not a metaphor—it is a terrifying reality. Allah will not even speak to them. What greater punishment than to be ignored by your Creator on the day you need Him most? We must ask ourselves: is our pride worth this price?
Is one moment of superiority worth eternal regret? Islam does not prohibit us from dressing well or having good things. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah is beautiful and loves beauty.” But He also said, “Pride is rejecting the truth and looking down on people.” (Sahih Muslim). So we must purify our hearts and our intentions. Be beautiful in appearance, but more beautiful in character. Be strong in speech, but stronger in humility.
One of the greatest examples of humility is Hazrat Umar ibn Al-Khattab (RA), the second Caliph of Islam. Despite ruling a vast empire, he used to sleep under trees, eat with the poor, and carry food sacks on his own shoulders. He used to say, “If a mule stumbled on the road of Iraq, I fear that Allah would ask me why I did not smooth the way.” That is the level of humility a true believer should have. In contrast, we live in a time where people don’t even greet a poor man on the street. We look at the job title before we look at the heart. We greet based on status, not sincerity.
Social media has made this disease worse. People now showcase everything—wealth, travels, clothes, even charity—with the hidden desire of being praised. But the Qur’an warns us: “So woe to those who pray but are heedless of their prayer—those who make a show [of their deeds].” (Qur’an 107:4–6). This world is temporary. Its shine will fade. Its applause will stop. What remains is your soul and your account before Allah. So walk humbly, speak gently, and never forget who you are: a servant of Allah. The earth you walk on can swallow you just as it did Qarun. The sky you look at in pride can rain down punishment. And the body you admire will one day decay.
Let us raise our children not with the desire to be “better than others,” but to be “beloved to Allah.” Let us remind ourselves daily that success is not measured by followers, money, or fame—but by humility, sincerity, and good character. Let us cry to Allah to remove pride from our hearts, before it becomes the reason we are distanced from His mercy. And let us walk this earth not with arrogance, but with the deep awareness that it is not ours—it belongs to the One who created it.
May Allah make us among the humble and save us from the disease of pride. Ameen.