The Prohibition of Arrogance and Self-Conceit

The Prohibition of Arrogance and Self-Conceit

Arrogance is one of the dangerous diseases of the heart. It causes a person to reject the truth, look down on others, and become impressed with himself and his actions. Islam strongly warns against arrogance because it leads to corruption in the heart and destruction in the Hereafter.

In the book Riyad as-Salihin, Imam an-Nawawi includes a chapter about the prohibition of arrogance and self-conceit. Shaykh Muhammad bin Salih al-Uthaymeen explained this chapter and clarified the meanings of these qualities using verses of the Qur’an and authentic hadith.

What Is Arrogance?

Arrogance (kibr) means that a person believes he is greater than others and sees himself above them. It is a feeling of superiority that causes someone to reject guidance or treat people with contempt.

The Prophet ﷺ clearly defined arrogance when he said:

“Pride is rejecting the truth and underrating the people.”

(Reported by Muslim, Book of Faith, no. 91)

In the same chapter, the Prophet ﷺ warned against even the smallest amount of pride in the heart:

“He who has, in his heart, an ant’s weight of arrogance will not enter Jannah. Someone said: ‘A man likes to wear beautiful clothes and shoes?’ Messenger of Allah said, ‘Allah is Beautiful, He loves beauty. Arrogance means ridiculing and rejecting the Truth and despising people.’”

(Reported by Muslim)

Rejecting the truth means refusing to accept what is correct even when evidence from the Qur’an and Sunnah is presented. Belittling people means looking down on others and thinking they are worthless or inferior.

Both of these behaviors are signs of a heart that has become corrupted by pride.

What Is Self-Conceit?

Self-conceit (‘ujb) is closely related to arrogance but slightly different. It occurs when a person admires his own actions and becomes impressed with himself.

A person may look at his worship, knowledge, wealth, or achievements and think highly of himself because of them. Instead of thanking Allah and recognizing that all blessings come from Him, he begins to see himself as special or superior.

While arrogance focuses on how a person views others, self-conceit focuses on how a person views himself. Both qualities are blameworthy and can destroy sincerity.

Arrogance Toward the Truth

One of the most dangerous forms of arrogance is rejecting the truth after it becomes clear.

Sometimes a person holds an opinion or position and refuses to change it even when strong evidence appears. Instead of following the proof, he insists on defending his own statement.

The correct attitude for a believer is to return to the truth whenever it becomes clear. Accepting the truth does not lower a person’s status. In fact, it raises his honor before Allah and among the people because it shows humility and sincerity.

Great scholars of Islam were known for changing their opinions when stronger evidence appeared. Their goal was not to defend themselves but to follow the truth wherever it led.

The chapter gives a real example of this, in what happened with Salamah bin Al-Akwa’ when arrogance kept him from obeying a command of the Prophet ﷺ:

“A man ate in the presence of Messenger of Allah with his left hand. He said, ‘Eat with your right hand.’ He said: ‘I cannot.’ Thereupon he (the Prophet) said, ‘May you never be able to do that.’ It was arrogance that prevented him from doing it, and he could not raise it (the right hand) up to his mouth afterwards.”

(Reported by Muslim)

Arrogance Toward People

Another form of arrogance is looking down on others. This happens when a person thinks he is better than others because of wealth, knowledge, appearance, or status.

Allah says in the Qur’an:

“And turn not your face away from men with pride, nor walk in insolence through the earth. Verily, Allah likes not each arrogant boaster.”

(Qur’an 31:18)

And Allah says:

“Verily, you can neither tear nor penetrate the earth, nor can you attain a stature like the mountains in height.”

(Qur’an 17:37)

The Shaykh explains how arrogance shows itself in a person’s outward conduct:

“Thus, his conduct radiates arrogance– his clothing, appearance, walking, and he is boastful in his speech. Indeed, Allah – the Mighty and Sublime - does not love such individual. He only loves the humble, contented, pious who do not love fame; Allah loves this class of people.”

Islam teaches that true honor does not come from these things. Allah says that the most honorable people are those who have the most taqwa (piety and fear of Allah). (Al-Hujuraat 49:13)

A humble believer respects others and recognizes that every person has value and dignity. He does not insult people, ignore them, or treat them as if they are beneath him.

The Example of Qarun

The Qur’an gives a powerful example of arrogance in the story of Qarun.

Qarun was a man from the people of Musa (Moses). Allah had given him great wealth, but instead of showing gratitude, he became arrogant and proud. When people reminded him to be thankful to Allah, he replied that his wealth came from his own knowledge and ability.

Because of his arrogance and ingratitude, Allah caused the earth to swallow him and his home.

This story reminds us that wealth, knowledge, and success are blessings from Allah. When a person becomes arrogant because of these blessings, they can quickly become a cause of punishment instead of honor.

The Reward of Humility

Allah promises Paradise to those who avoid arrogance and corruption. The people who will inherit the Hereafter are those who remain humble and do not seek superiority over others.

Allah says:

“That home of the Hereafter (i.e. Paradise), We shall assign to those who rebel not against the truth with pride and oppression in the land nor do mischief by committing crimes. And the good end is for the Muttaqun.”

(Qur’an 28:83)

A humble believer understands that every blessing comes from Allah. He accepts the truth when it is presented to him and treats others with kindness and respect.

Humility is a sign of sincerity and a mark of those who truly fear Allah.

The End of the Arrogant

The chapter also tells what Allah has prepared for the arrogant, and who Paradise is prepared for instead. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“There was a dispute between Hell and Jannah, and Hell said: ‘The haughty and proud are in me.’ The Jannah said: ‘In me are the weak and the humble.’ Thereupon Allah, the Exalted, judged between them saying: ‘You the Jannah are My Mercy, and through you I shall show mercy to those whom I wish.’ (And addressing the Hell) He said: ‘You are My punishment to punish whom I wish amongst My slaves, and each one of you will have its fill.’”

(Reported by Muslim)

He also named three people whom Allah will not speak to on the Day of Resurrection:

“There are three (types of) people to whom Allah will not speak on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them, nor look at them, and they will have a painful punishment. These are: An aged man who commits Zina (illicit sexual act), a ruler who lies, and a proud poor person.”

(Reported by Muslim)

Of these three, the Shaykh makes the proud poor person the chapter’s point of reference, because a poor person does not possess what could have filled him with pride:

“Arrogance is prohibited for both the rich and the poor, but when a poor man now shows arrogance then that is severer.”

And pride belongs to Allah alone. In a hadith qudsi (the Prophet ﷺ reporting the words of Allah), Allah, the Exalted, says:

“Honour is My Izar and Pride is My Cloak. Whoever vies with Me regarding one of them, shall be tormented.”

(Reported by Muslim, Book of Goodness to Parents and Joining of Ties, no. 2620)

The izar is a cloth wrapped around the lower body. Allah names honour and pride as His own garments, so no servant has a share in them.

And a person who keeps on in arrogance is written down among the arrogant, as the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Man continues to display haughtiness and arrogance until he is recorded among the arrogant and will be therefore afflicted with what afflicts them.”

(Reported by At-Tirmidhi)

Lessons for the Believer

The Shaykh ends the chapter by gathering its teaching into two points:

“This chapter encompasses two issues: One: Prohibition of pride, it is one of the Major Sins. Two: Prohibition of self-conceit such that a person has a feeling of pride in himself; this is also one of the prohibited matters. Often times, it renders the deeds useless; a person may be deprived of rewards without knowing if he is deceived by his deeds, his recitation of the Qur’an or other deeds.”

From the teachings of the Qur’an and the explanations of the scholars, several important lessons can be learned:

• Accept the truth whenever it becomes clear, even if it contradicts your previous opinion.
• Never look down on other people.
• Remember that all blessings come from Allah.
• Avoid pride in knowledge, wealth, or status.
• Practice humility in speech, behavior, and appearance.

A believer constantly asks Allah to protect his heart from arrogance and self-conceit, because these diseases can destroy good deeds and lead a person away from guidance.

References

• Sharh Riyaad as-Saaliheen: Shaykh Muhammad bin Salih al-‘Uthaymeen. Dar-us-Salam, Vol. 3 (2018; ISBN 978-603-500-417-6; trans. Abu Naasir Ibrahim Abdur-Rauf and Abu Abdil-Barr Muhammad Yaqeen), the chapter “Condemnation of Pride and Self-Conceit,” printed pp. 580 to 601: the meaning of pride and self-conceit and the Prophet’s definition (printed pp. 580 to 581), arrogance toward the truth and the example of Qarun (printed pp. 581 to 583), the reward of humility (printed pp. 583 to 584), pride in walking and conduct and the hadith of the ant’s weight (printed pp. 585 to 586), the man who ate with his left hand (printed p. 587), the dispute between Hell and Paradise (printed p. 590), the three people and the hadith qudsi (printed p. 594), the Shaykh on the proud poor person (printed p. 597), the one recorded among the arrogant (printed p. 600), and the chapter’s own summary (printed p. 601). The chapter is from Riyaad as-Saaliheen by Imam an-Nawawi.

Further Reading

• Manners & Character (Akhlaq): the manners of a believer, arrogance among the traits condemned
• Hypocrisy: the characteristics of the hypocrites and their end
• Guidance and Misguidance: the path to guidance and the danger of heedlessness
• Showing Off in Islam (Riya): Its Dangers and How to Overcome It: showing off in worship, and self-conceit named there as its close companion

Verified on 2026-10-26 against: Sharh Riyaad as-Saaliheen, Vol. 3 (Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-‘Uthaymeen), the chapter “Condemnation of Pride and Self-Conceit.”