Good Deed: #197 Remove Pride – Kibr

2:87 (Y. Ali) We gave Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of apostles; We gave Jesus the son of Mary Clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the holy spirit. Is it that whenever there comes to you an apostle with what ye yourselves desire not, ye are puffed up with pride?- Some ye called impostors, and others ye slay!

11:10 (Y. Ali) But if We give him a taste of (Our) favours after adversity hath touched him, he is sure to say, “All evil has departed from me:” Behold! he falls into exultation and pride.

31:18 (Y. Ali) “And swell not thy cheek (for pride) at men, nor walk in insolence through the earth; for Allah loveth not any arrogant boaster.

32:15 (Y. Ali) Only those believe in Our Signs, who, when they are recited to them, fall down in adoration, and celebrate the praises of their Lord, nor are they (ever) puffed up with pride.

Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever has an atom’s worth of kibr (pride and arrogance) in his heart will not enter Paradise.” So a man said: 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 is to reject the truth, and to despise the people.” (Sahih Muslim, 1/65)

Shaykh Habib Ali Zain al Abideen ibn Addul Rahman al Jifri – Pride and Arrogance

Action Plan

Kibr comes from the Arabic root ka-ba-ra, which means to become bigger or greater. Kibr means inward pride is a quality within the self. It is the source of many evils and is known to be the main cause of hatred and disunity in society.

Think of all of Allah (SWT)’s creation and you will know how small we really are

Act like those who are humble even if it’s not in you

Don’t put anyone down for any reason or even give them funny looks

Don’t backbite and just worry about yourself- backbiting is the door to Kibr

Be at people’s service

There are two types of cure:

• • Knowledge cure- to know and recognize yourself and to know and recognize your Lord
  • Action Cure- To humble yourself in a constrained unnatural manner until it becomes natural for you

“And be moderate (or show no insolence) in your walking and lower your voice. Verily, the harshest of all voices is the braying of the ass” [Surah Luqmaan 31:19]

Remember that everyone else is also born from a single egg and sperm and that taqwa is the true criterion of superiority

Realize that your achievements, accomplishments, and status can be a test from Allah or simply His mercy upon you. Do not take anything for granted because Allah does not like the ungrateful.

You should realize that no matter what you achieve, you are still too weak to attain a stature like the mountains in height or rend nor penetrate the earth

Realize that on the Day of Resurrection those who are arrogant will be gathered in a small form of an ant which will be trampled underfoot

Never forget that you and urine came from the same place: you began as a despised drop of sperm and will end up as a rotten corpse

Imam Ghazali –mentioned three ways to shun arrogance

• Considering your previous sins and evil actions in order to know your weight by yourself
• Looking at what qualifications you have of knowledge, following the truth, and righteous deeds as a bliss bestowed upon you by Allah, the Exalted. So you have to keep in mind that it is Allah’s favor not yours, so as not admire yourself and be pompous
• Taking into consideration that both your end and his are unknown. Hence, your end may be bad and his might be good. Considering all this, will keep you away from feeling superior to that whom you preach.

Tags: kibr, pride, remove pride