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PRIDE
In
Holy Quran it is declared as:
“O
mankind! do your duty to your Lord and fear (the coming
of) a Day when no father can avail aught for his son nor
a son avail aught for his father. Verily the promise of
Allah is true: let not then this present life deceive you
nor let the Chief Deceiver deceive you about Allah.”(1)
“(Those
without) will call out "were we not with you?"
(The others) will reply "True! but ye led yourselves
into temptation; ye looked forward (to our ruin); ye doubted
(Allah's promise); and (your false) desires deceived you;
until there issued the Command of Allah. And the Deceiver
deceived you in respect of Allah.”(2)
Also Prophet said: “Who
holds himself responsible and makes efforts for the world
beyond grave is the wise person. Who follows his carnal
passions and expect forgiving from Allah (c.c) is the foolish,
weak one”. (3)
All verses and hadiths
about the virtue of knowledge and the badness of ignorance
are also evidence for the wickedness of pride. Because,
pride is a kind of ignorance. Ignorance -cehalet- is to
perceive and consider something as being different from
what it really is. But ignorance -cehalet is a general concept.
Pride is a branch of ignorance and all arrogant behaviors
are considered as “cehalet” at the same time.
Pride is to content
with one’s carnal man and to be inclined towards desires
by deception of Satan. Then as a false opinion who thinks
that carnal passions are good for himself in this world
or in the next world are also arrogant people. Most people
have a good opinion about their spirit of concupiscence
but this is a mistake. According to this, many people comes
from different groups may considered as arrogant.
The pride of infidels
and the sinners is the greatest of all faults. According
to these people who are deceived by the world’s charm,
having something at once better than something attained
in time. The pleasures of this world are gained at once
but one should wait for the favors of the next world. Such
people consider this world as better. Again for them certain
information is better than doubt. Worldly enjoyments are
certain and they think the favors of the other world are
doubtful. They say, we can’t abandon something certain
for the sake of the doubtful ones and they prefer this world
to the other.
“Nay
(behold) ye prefer the life of this world;” (4)
They exchanged the favors
of the next world to have this world.
“These are the people who buy the
life of this world at the price of the Hereafter; their
penalty shall not be lightened nor shall they be helped.”
(5)
(1) Chapter Lokman,/33
(2) Chapter Hadid, /14
(3) Tirmizi,Ibni Mace,Müsned
(4) Chapter A’la,/16
(5) Chapter Bakara ,2/86
They are mistaken by these thoughts. But a person
who thinks about the eternity of the other world and the
temporariness of this world comprehends that this world
has no value in comparison with the world beyond grave and
it is nothing. Because a wise person can give something
at once in order to gain much more of it. He doesn’t
say “Having at once is better, I do not give this
to attain much more.” Because, this is not logical
even in simple trade. Patients give up eating some food
that doctors forbid them for being healthy in the long run.
So they abandon some ready pleasures for their well being
in later times.
What about if the future
benefits are much more and better than the current ones.
Which one is preferable? The state of this world’s
pleasures in comparison with the other world’s is
like the examples above regarding both the value and continuety.
One acquires ten or more merits when he does only one good
deed. It is said “Your belongings will be exhausted
but the things near Allah are permanent”. “The
other world is more advantageous and permanent.” Human
can hardly live about a hundred years. This time is nothing
relative to the endless life in the next world.
Concerning the thought
that the next world is not certain and is doubtful, this
is also a mistake. Because the existence of the other world
is certain by the messages of the prophets and the inspiration
of saints. The knowledge of the prophets is not acquired
by learning and narrative but by revelation. The truth about
the things was revealed to them and as an ordinary person
sees the objects around with his eyes they perceived the
truth about the things with inner eyes. Who doesn’t
believe in the existence of other world is an infidel who
is deceived by false opinion and misleading analogy.
The believers who commit
sins are also mistaken. Because they suppose that only belief
is enough for being saved from the torment after death.
By saying “After having faith, evil deeds are not
so harmful. Allah (c.c) is all forgiving and has mercy.
He forgives the ones who believe in Himself and the existence
of other world” they are inclined to this world and
prefer its pleasures to the pious deeds that lead to endless
happiness. They are also arrogant although their pride is
less than the infidels’. Because, belief is not enough
by itself for the salvation. Allah the Most High laid the
condition of belief and pious deeds for his forgiveness.
“I am merciful for the one who repents and acts righteously.”
“Indeed the grace of Allah is close to people who
act uprightly.”
The reality that salvation depends on pious deeds
together with faith is stressed more clearly in the following
verses:
“The Believers must (eventually)
win through”
”Those who humble themselves in
their prayers;””Who avoid vain talk;””Who
are active in deeds of charity;””Who abstain
from sex””Except with those joined to them in
the marriage bond or (the captives) whom their right hands
possess for (in their case) they are free from blame””But
those whose desires exceed those limits are transgressors””Those
who faithfully observe their trust and their covenants;””And
who (strictly) guard their prayers””Those will
be the heirs””Who will inherit Paradise: they
will dwell therein (forever).” (1)
In these verses the
characteristics of the believers who will reach happiness
are explained, it is not said that it is possible to reach
the salvation only with belief. The qualities of the believers
are stated in 19th and 23rd verses of the Chapter Rad:
“Is
then one who doth know that that which hath been revealed
unto these from thy Lord is the Truth like one who is blind?
It is those who are endued with understanding that receive
admonition.”
”Gardens
of perpetual bliss: they shall enter there as well as the
righteous among their fathers their spouses and their offspring:
and angels shall enter unto them from every gate (with the
salutation):”
As it is clearly understood from the verses, the
mercy depends on the belief that leads to righteous acts
not on belief alone. Because if the faith do not cause to
honesty, loyalty, pious reverence, humility, compassion,
affection, love, worship; it turns to be a mere claim which
is described as “emaniyy” in the Noble Quran
and do not lead man to endless happiness. Thus Allah the
Most High declared:
“Not
your desires nor those of the people of the Book (can prevail):
whoever works evil will be requited accordingly. Nor will
he find besides Allah any protector or helper.”
”If any do deeds of righteousness be they male
or female and have faith they will enter heaven and not
the least injustice will be done to them.” (2)
Who are contented with
this world, pleased with it, spoiled by indulgence, which
are fond of it and hate of death not because of the fear
of the other world but because of the worry to lose the
pleasures of the world becoming a dead body, all are arrogant
people. These are the habits of infidels and believers who
commit sins.
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(1) Chapter Müminun, 1-11/71
(2) Chapter Nisa, 123-124/4
Because they are given
some worldly favors, some of those infidels and sinners
are mistaken by concluding that are beloved by Allah and
are valued beside him. He says:
“Nor
do I deem that the Hour (of Judgment) will (ever) come:
even if I am brought back to my Lord I shall surely find
(there) something better in exchange." (1)
“Hast
thou then seen the (sort of) man who rejects Our Signs yet
says: "I shall certainly be given wealth and children"?
(2)
“Has
he penetrated to the Unseen or has he taken a contract with
(Allah) Most Gracious?” (3)
Prosperity is not an
indication of being valued beside Allah (c.c). Wealth of
this world is only a trial. Allah (c.c) tests some of his
born servants by abundence and some of them by poverty and
need. Neither wealth is an indication of being a valued
born servant, nor is poverty the sign of being worhless.
Saintlike people do
not rejoice at having worldly favors, instead they become
sad and consider this as a punishment for a sin and an indication
of neglect by Allah. When poverty hit them they say “this
is the trait of pious people”. Arrogant ones are pleased
with being prosperous and suppose it is an honor by Allah
and when they lose the wealth they consider it as degradation.
In the next verse this point is explained beautifully:
“Nay
nay! but ye honor not the orphans!” (4)
The matter is not like
the man has thought, this is a trial. Prosperity do not
indicate his value and poverty is not a sign of degradation.
Who worship both in the times of wealth and in the times
of need are the valued ones. Who rebel in these two states
are the base ones.
Thus the people who
are sure that Allah will not punish them are mistaken. The
reason of this misunderstanding is to see his wealth as
the evidence of his value beside Allah.
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(1) Chapter Kehf, 18/36.
(2) Chapter Meryem, 19/77.
(3) Chapter Meryem, 19/78.
(4) Chapter Fecr, 89 /17.
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