So one who acts proud has made war on Allah.

So one who acts proud has made war on Allah.” ^6 A proud person is mentioned as having made war on Allah (S.w.T.) because such a person loses all awareness of the reality that he is an insignificant creature whose very existence and all that he possesses is only because of Allah (S.w.T.)’s favour on him. He regards himself as someone very special, in full control of his life, which no other power can influence.

His arrogance can reach a stage where he can even claim divinity in open defiance of the Almighty, as it happened with Fir’on. While a man can develop qualities like mercy, kindness etc. which are also divine qualities, and developing these qualities will in fact help a person to gain nearness to Allah (S.w.T.), but man, a creature of Allah (S.w.T.) has no right whatsoever to associate pride and superiority with himself. These are exclusive for Allah (S.w.T.).

The Almighty says in the Qur’an: “And to Him belongs greatness in the heavens and the earth, and He is the Mighty, the Wise.” (Surah Jathiyah 45:37) Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) says: “There is a special section for the arrogant people in the hell. It is called Saqr. Saqr complained to Allah (S.w.T.) for the intensity of its heat and sought permission to breathe.

It breathed and scorched hell.” ^7 Imam (a.s.) also remarked, “Certainly the haughty people will be raised as peanuts (on the Day of Qiyāma) and till the accounting of the people is complete they would be trampled upon.” (by others). ^8 Allamah Majlisi explains the above tradition: “This hadith proves that it is possible that some people may be raised in diminutive form, possessing some or all of the physical characteristics.

(It is also possible) that other additional characteristics may be added to their bodies and hence be the cause of additional pain. It can also be said that the arrogant sinner will be raised in such a disgraceful condition that it would be as if he is utterly small in size. Whatever may be the form, it is certain that they will be trampled under the feet of other people.

Pride and its Types Arrogance is the practical expression of pride which develops in a person who thinks himself to be better than others. Arrogance can be categorized as: (1) Arrogance against Allah (S.w.T.) (2) Arrogance against the Holy Prophet (S) and the Imams (a.s.) (3) Arrogance towards people. Arrogance towards the Almighty is expressed in different ways. There are arrogant people seized by the feeling of being all powerful.