It is arrogance for a person to think that he is superior and others are inferior to him. Arrogance is a very bad and big disease among the internal diseases of a person. A person suffering from this is called arrogant and proud. Such a person is deceiving himself:
The first of the three different forms of arrogance is associating oneself with Allah, like Pharaoh and Nimrod claimed to be Lord. The second form is that to think of one's own self to be superior than the Prophets of Allah and to keep a grudge in hearts with those great personalities, disobeying and disrespecting them. Just like the people of Makkah denied the Prophethood of the Messenger only because how can an orphan child who grew up in the house of Hazrat Abdullah, in the family of Banu Hashim, can claim prophethood? This position of prophethood was the right of any rich man in a big city. This objection has been described in the Holy Quran as follows:
Translation:
وَقَالُوا لَوْلا نُزِلَ هَذَا الْقُرْآنُ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِنَ الْقَرْيَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ .
They say, "Why was this Quran not revealed on a great man from (either of) the two towns?" (Surah Az-Zukhruf: 31)
The third form of arrogance is to think of oneself as big compared to other human beings and not to accept the concept of human equality. This arises sometimes due to excess of knowledge, sometimes worship is the reason, excess of wealth, pride in custom and lineage, position or designation, achievement of success and rule, beauty or strength and power. A proud person will not go to heaven. Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran:
Translation:
تِلْكَ الدَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ نَجْعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فَسَادًا وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِيْنَ
"As for that Ultimate Abode (the Hereafter), We assign it to those who do not intend haughtiness on earth nor mischief. And the (best) end is for the God- fearing." (Surah Al-Qasas: 83)
The Messenger of Allah said :
"He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride shall not enter Paradise." (Sahih Muslim: 91)
There are different forms of pride and arrogance, such as denying the truth, despising others and walking stiffly on the ground, dragging clothes on the ground. Hating, sitting next to someone with less wealth than oneself and disliking eating with them. On the contrary, saying salam to someone, accepting someone's advice, not getting angry and not looking down on someone is defying arrogance and develops the feeling of humility in man's heart.
When Allah Almighty ordered the angels to prostrate Adam (), the Iblees (Satan) refused to bow down and the reason for his refusal was arrogance. Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran:
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَكَةِ اسْجُدُ وَالأدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ أَبَى وَاسْتَكْبَرَهُ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَفِرِينَ
Translation:
And when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves before Adam!" So, they prostrated themselves, all but Iblees (Satan). He refused, showed arrogance, and became one of the infidels. (Surah Al-Baqarah: 34)
When a person suffers from arrogance, to protect his false ego he resorts to immorality and adopts ways to save his fake respect. Due to this curse, he falls a prey to lies, backbiting, abusing and other moral evils due to which he cannot lead a peaceful life in human society. Such a person has to be deprived of contentment and happiness, inevitably ends up being humiliated in this world and the hereafter. An arrogant man hates those who sit near him and runs away from the sick and the ill, such man does not participate in the domestic chores. The best way to stay safe from this disease is to refrain from pride and arrogance by gaining knowledge of Allah and following the teachings of His Prophets, so that we can live successfully in this world and the hereafter and our society will become peaceful and safe.
