What is the meaning of pride about which Rasoolullahﷺ said that if a person has even an atom of it, he will not enter Jannah?
The problem is with how people translate Arabic to English. The correct translation of Kibr is arrogance. Not pride. Pride is the foundation of confidence. Islam doesn’t promote a lack of confidence. Arrogance on the other hand is to look down on others, to consider them to be lesser human beings. All racism is arrogance. That is what Shaytaan did when he was ordered to make Sujood to Adam (AS). He was arrogant and racist. Allah said: Wastakbara – he had takabbur. He looked down on Adam (AS) and said: Ana khairum minhu…I am better than him. That is what we must always guard against. NO ARROGANCE.
Taking pride in your work, in Islam, in your achievements and all such things, is الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ good. Even in that of course, we must thank Allah for giving us success, for helping us in ways that we couldn’t imagine. الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ Allah caused you to be born in circumstances which have resulted in you being able to have certain advantages in life. That is not your achievement. It is Allah’s gift. A child born in Syria or the Sudan is also a child but is probably never going to be able to be where you are or do what you do even though his everyday life is a struggle that will put anything you and I do, to shame. For example, you and I went to school and he also goes to school. But to go to school he has to walk 10 miles every day while we drove. So our situation is a gift from Allah and so is his. Allah gave us material. He gave him courage and perseverance and grit. Which is better? What must we do to get what we don’t have but need? What must we do to give to others what they don’t have but which we can help them with?
If you thank Allah for what He blessed you with and share it with others, then there is no pride; only Shukr and thankfulness. If you simply say, “I am blessed. Look at him; he doesn’t have what I have,” then it is arrogance and so you must make Tawba for it.
May Allah guide you and me to what pleases Him and protect us from what doesn’t please Him. Nothing else matters.
It is narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullah b. Mas’ud that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed:
None shall enter the Fire (of Hell) who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of Iman and none shall enter Paradise who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride.
حَدَّثَنَا مِنْجَابُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ التَّمِيمِيُّ، وَسُوَيْدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُسْهِرٍ، – قَالَ مِنْجَابٌ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، – عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ *لاَ يَدْخُلُ النَّارَ أَحَدٌ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ حَبَّةِ خَرْدَلٍ مِنْ إِيمَانٍ وَلاَ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ أَحَدٌ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ حَبَّةِ خَرْدَلٍ مِنْ كِبْرِيَاءَ *” .
Reference : Sahih Muslim Book 1, Hadith 172
Abdullah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:
“Whoever has a mustard seed’s weight of pride (arrogance) in his heart, shall not be admitted into Paradise. And whoever has a mustard seed’s weight of faith in his heart, shall not be admitted into the Fire.”
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو هِشَامٍ الرِّفَاعِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ *لاَ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ حَبَّةٍ مِنْ خَرْدَلٍ مِنْ كِبْرٍ وَلاَ يَدْخُلُ النَّارَ مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ حَبَّةٍ مِنْ إِيمَانٍ *” . وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ وَابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ وَسَلَمَةَ بْنِ الأَكْوَعِ وَأَبِي سَعِيدٍ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Grade : Sahih (Darussalam)
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1998
It was narrated that Abdullah said:
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘No one will enter Paradise who has even a mustard-seed’s weight of arrogance in his heart, and no one will enter Hell who has even a mustard-seed’s weight of faith in his heart.'”
حَدَّثَنَا سُوَيْدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مَيْمُونٍ الرَّقِّيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ “ لاَ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ حَبَّةٍ مِنْ خَرْدَلٍ مِنْ كِبْرٍ وَلاَ يَدْخُلُ النَّارَ مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ حَبَّةٍ مِنْ خَرْدَلٍ مِنْ إِيمَانٍ ” .
(Sunan Ibn Majah Book 1, Hadith 62)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 15:55 — 10.9MB) | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | Email | Youtube Music | RSS