What Are Arrogance and Boasting in Islam, and Their Ruling?
ما هو مفهوم الكبر والتفاخر في الشريعة الإسلامية؟ وما حكمه؟
What is the definition of arrogance and boasting in Islamic law? What is the verdict on it?
The answer defines boasting as showing off wealth, status, or achievements to win admiration, and arrogance, in the Prophet's words, as rejecting the truth and looking down on people; both are forbidden, as Luqman 31:18-19 and Al-Isra 17:37-38 teach, and the worst boasting is boasting in religion.
1. The Definitions of Arrogance and Boasting
Bragging: It is to boast and show off one's wealth, status, or achievements to gain admiration.
Arrogance: It is the disregard to what is right, and scorning and disrespecting people. Both those traits are strictly prohibited in Islam.
2. The Quranic Prohibition
The Quran frequently warns against prideful behavior, urging believers to adopt moderation and humility in everything they do.
Allah Almighty says: (Be moderate in your pace. And lower your voice, for the ugliest of all voices is certainly the braying of donkeys.) Surah Luqman 31: 19.
He also says: (And do not walk on the earth arrogantly. Surely you can neither crack the earth nor stretch to the height of the mountains. All of that is evil and detested by your Lord.) Surah Al Isra 17: 37 to 38.
And He commands: (And do not turn your nose up to people, nor walk pridefully upon the earth. Surely Allah does not like whoever is arrogant, boastful.) Surah Luqman 31: 18.
3. The Prophetic Warnings
The Messenger of Allah pbuh provided the most precise definition of arrogance and its grave consequences. In the Hadith, the Prophet pbuh said: "Anyone who has an atom's weight of arrogance in his heart will not enter Paradise." He explained further: "Arrogance is to reject the truth and look down on people."
In another hadith, the Prophet said: "Allah has revealed to me that you should be humble, so that no one boasts over another and no one transgresses against another."
Note: The wording of this hadith in the original answer has been corrected to its wording in Sahih Muslim (2865): so that no one boasts over another and no one transgresses against another.
4. The Worst Form of Boasting
While all boasting is condemned, the worst boasting is when one does it with regards to his faith. Using religion as a tool to feel superior to others is a grave sin because it directly involves arrogance toward Allah's creation and corrupts the sincerity of worship.
ما هو مفهوم الكبر والتفاخر في الشريعة الإسلامية؟ وما حكمه؟
يعرف الجواب التفاخر بأنه التباهي بالمال أو المكانة أو الإنجازات لنيل إعجاب الناس، والكبر بأنه بطر الحق وغمط الناس كما قال النبي ﷺ، وكلاهما محرم كما في آيات لقمان 31:18-19 والإسراء 17:37-38، وأسوأ التفاخر التفاخر في الدين.
مفهوم الكبر والتفاخر
التفاخر: هو التباهي بالمال أو المكانة أو الإنجازات لنيل إعجاب الناس.
الكبر: هو بطر الحق أي رده، وغمط الناس أي ازدراء الناس. ويحرم الكبر والتفاخر في الشرع الإسلامي تحريما قاطعا.
النهي القرآني
يحذر القرآن الكريم مرارا من السلوك المتكبر، ويحث المؤمنين على الاعتدال والتواضع.
قال الله تعالى: (وَاقْصِدْ فِي مَشْيِكَ وَاغْضُضْ مِن صَوْتِكَ ۚ إِنَّ أَنكَرَ الْأَصْوَاتِ لَصَوْتُ الْحَمِيرِ) لقمان 31: 19.
وقال تعالى: (وَلَا تَمْشِ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا ۖ إِنَّكَ لَن تَخْرِقَ الْأَرْضَ وَلَن تَبْلُغَ الْجِبَالَ طُولًا (٣٧) كُلُّ ذَٰلِكَ كَانَ سَيِّئُهُ عِندَ رَبِّكَ مَكْرُوهًا (٣٨)) الإسراء 17: 37 إلى 38.
وقال عز وجل: (وَلَا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمْشِ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا ۖ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ) لقمان 31: 18.
التحذيرات النبوية
قدم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أدق تعريف للكبر وعواقبه الوخيمة. ففي الحديث قال صلى الله عليه وسلم: (لا يدخل الجنة من كان في قلبه مثقال ذرة من كبر) وقال مفسرا ذلك: (الكبر بطر الحق وغمط الناس).
وفي حديث آخر قال صلى الله عليه وسلم: (إن الله أوحى إلي أن تواضعوا حتى لا يفخر أحد على أحد ولا يبغي أحد على أحد).
ملاحظة: صحح لفظ هذا الحديث في الجواب الأصلي إلى لفظه في صحيح مسلم (2865): "حتى لا يفخر أحد على أحد ولا يبغي أحد على أحد".
أسوأ أنواع التفاخر
وبينما كل تفاخر مذموم، إلا أن أعظم التفاخر وأسوأه هو التفاخر في الدين، لأنه يتضمن الكبر على الخلق ويفسد إخلاص العبادة لله وحده.
1. Allah Revealed to Me: Be Humble | أوحى إلي أن تواضعوا
In a long sermon reported by Iyad ibn Himar, the Prophet said: Allah has revealed to me that you should be humble, so that no one boasts over another and no one transgresses against another (Sahih Muslim 2865). Boasting and transgression are named together, as the answer joins boasting and arrogance. Allah also forbids claiming purity for oneself (53:32), explained in what do not praise yourselves means.
قال النبي ﷺ في خطبة رواها عياض بن حمار: "وإن الله أوحى إلي أن تواضعوا حتى لا يفخر أحد على أحد ولا يبغي أحد على أحد" (صحيح مسلم 2865).
2. Allah Is Beautiful and Loves Beauty | إن الله جميل يحب الجمال
When the Prophet said that no one with an atom's weight of arrogance in his heart will enter Paradise, a man said: a man likes his garment and his sandals to be fine. He said: Allah is beautiful and loves beauty; arrogance is rejecting the truth and looking down on people (Sahih Muslim 91). Fine clothing is not arrogance; arrogance is the rejection and contempt the answer defines. Qarun is the Quran's example of where such pride leads: the earth swallowed him and his house (28:81), as explained in why the earth swallowed Qarun and his house.
لما قال النبي ﷺ: "لا يدخل الجنة من كان في قلبه مثقال ذرة من كبر"، قال رجل: إن الرجل يحب أن يكون ثوبه حسنا ونعله حسنة، قال: "إن الله جميل يحب الجمال، الكبر بطر الحق وغمط الناس" (صحيح مسلم 91).
3. Iblis Refused and Was Arrogant | أبى واستكبر
Allah says: We said to the angels, prostrate to Adam, and they prostrated, except Iblis; he refused and was arrogant and became of the disbelievers (Al-Baqarah 2:34). Ibn Kathir reports that Iblis refused because of the arrogance and self-delusion he harbored, saying: I will not prostrate to him; I am better than him, You created me from fire and him from clay. Once expelled, he swore to mislead all of Adam's descendants except Allah's chosen servants (38:82-83), as explained in who said: by Your might, I will mislead them all.
إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ أَبَىٰ وَاسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ (سورة البقرة: 34)
قال تعالى: وإذ قلنا للملائكة اسجدوا لآدم فسجدوا إلا إبليس أبى واستكبر وكان من الكافرين (البقرة 2:34). ونقل ابن كثير أن إبليس أبى "لما كان حدث نفسه من الكبر والاغترار. فقال: لا أسجد له، وأنا خير منه".
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
What is arrogance in Islam?
The Prophet defined it as rejecting the truth and looking down on people (Sahih Muslim 91).
Is wearing fine clothes a form of arrogance?
No. When asked about it, the Prophet said: Allah is beautiful and loves beauty; arrogance is rejecting the truth and looking down on people (Sahih Muslim 91).
What is the worst kind of boasting?
The answer says the worst boasting is boasting in religion, because it involves arrogance toward people and spoils sincerity.
What did Allah reveal to the Prophet about humility?
That people should be humble, so that no one boasts over another and no one transgresses against another (Sahih Muslim 2865).