Chapter IX: Evils of Pride and Vanity
The second cause is that pride calls one to disobey the injunctions of God, as a proud man declines to hear sermons from anybody, God says: the unbelievers say: "Don't hear the verses of the Quran, but make noise when they are read out, then you will become victorious over the Muslims". It is the habit of the unbelievers and the hypocrites not to accept truth as God says: When they are said: "Fear God", their pride leads them to transgression - 2 : 206Q. Hazrat Omar said that when he had recited this verse - "We are for God and to Him we shall return", a man stood up and began to deliver sermon but he was soon killed. Another man then got up and said: Do you kill those who tell the people to establish justice? He who opposed the proud man was killed by him. The Prophet once said to a man: Take meal with your right hand. He said: I can't do it. The Prophet said: Can't you do it? His pride prevented him to take meal with his right hand. It was reported that after this his right hand became paralysed.
The devil is the best instance of this pride. He was driven out of paradise by God as he took pride and did not prostrate before Adam in obedience to God's command. He said: You have created me of fire and Adam of clay - 7 : 12 Q. This finished the devil once for all. The Prophet said: He who rejects truth and back-bites people is a proud man. In another Hadis, he said: He who denies truth and holds the people in contempt is a proud man. The second harm of pride is to reject truth. He who thinks that he is better than another Muslim and holds him in contempt and looks upon him as small, rejects truth knowingly and takes
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The Book of Destructive evils
Vol-III
pride in his treatment with the people. He who does not like to be humble to God, to obey His commands, to follow His Prophet takes pride over God and His Apostle.
SUBJECTS IN WHICH PRIDE IS SHOWN
Pride is shown in religious and earthly matters. Religious matters are education, divine services and honesty. Earthly matters are pedigree, beauty, power, wealth and lordship. For these matters, there arises pride.