Ghafir (The
Forgiver)
Chapter 40: Verse 56 (Partial)
Puffing
Up
"And they have pride in
their hearts and will fail to reach it"
When a man feels superiority over
others and with this a sort of inward elation, this is
called pride. It differs from vanity in
as much as vanity means consciousness of one's elation
while pride requires a subject, an object and a feeling
of elation. Suppose a man is born solitary in the world,
he may be vain but not proud, because in pride man
considers himself superior to others for certain
qualities of his self. He allots one position to his
self and another to others, and then thinks that his
position is higher, and is therefore elated. This
"puffed up" feeling which imparts a sense of "touch me
not" is called pride.
lbn Abbas says that the
above sentence in the Quran means that the thought of
inward greatness will be denied to them. This thought is
the source of inward and outward actions, which are so
to speak the fruits of it.
A proud man will not
tolerate any other to be on equal terms with himself. In
private and in public he expects that all should assume
a respectful attitude towards him and, acknowledging his
superiority, treat him as a higher being. They should
greet him first, make way for him wherever he walks;
when he speaks everyone should listen to him and-never
try to oppose him. He is a genius and people are like
asses. They should be grateful to him, seeing that he is
so condescending. Such proud men are found especially
among the 'Ulama'. Sages are ruined by their pride.
Virtues are the doors of
Paradise, but pride and self- esteem lock them all. So
long as man feels elated he will not like for others
what he likes for himself.
His self-esteem will deprive him of humility,
which is the essence of righteousness.
He will neither be able to discard enmity and envy,
resentment and wrath, slander and scorn, nor will he be
able to cultivate truth and sincerity, and calmly listen
to any advice. In short, there is no evil which a proud
man will not inevitably do in order to preserve his
elation and self-esteem. Vices are like a chain of rings
linked together which entangle his heart. Therefore,
an atom of pride is
Satan's spark, which secretly consumes the nature of the
sons of Adam.
Source:
"Ihya Ulum-ud Deen" (The Revival of the Religious
Sciences) - Abu Hamid Al-Ghazzali |