When he sat down the rich person tucked his clothing in and...

When he sat down the rich person tucked his clothing in and the Messenger of Allah (S) protested and asked him why he did that. He immediately became regretful and said that there is something in me that forces me to do these bad actions (arrogance was in him). He said that he is regretful for his actions and to make it up he gave half of his belongings to his poor brother in Islam.

The Messenger of Allah (S) asked the poor person if he accepted that and he said: “No, because I am afraid that if I take it I will do the same thing to another poor person.” Being Arrogant Because Of Knowledge Is Dangerous Knowledge that one obtains from learning in a university, for example, is worse than property when one thinks that he is important because of his knowledge. He looks down on others.

It is even worse if he thinks this way about religious knowledge and considers himself to be as the tradition says: “The scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets.”[^3] It is dangerous when he thinks that others must obey him due to his knowledge. This danger is more evident for religious students than others because in others arrogance shows itself in monetary situations. But, with religious students, arrogance shows itself in position; his nafs wants to be in a higher position.

He says: “I am more knowledgeable than him, I have studied more than he has.” In reality he is worse than the humble illiterate person. Position is in relation to faith and actions. The knowledge that is important is the knowledge of Allah and the last day; it is a light found in one's heart that humbles him. I Am The Lowest Of The Lowest One, no matter how much knowledge he has, is like a drop of water in respect to the ocean with regard to the Imām (a).

He will admit this if he is a rational being. Look at what the Imām, who is a source of knowledge, who is the holder of all fields of knowledge, does. Imām Zayn al-‛Ābidīn (a) said in Sahīfah al-Sajjādīyah : “I am the least of the least and the lowest of the lowest. I am even smaller than an atom.” The infallible Imām said that he was smaller than the smallest thing in the eyes of Allah. Now, should a person who considers himself to be a scholar arrogantly say that he is better than so and so?

Allah's scale is piety. A religious student must not forget that he is needy and incapable. He must not consider himself better than others. He should not consider himself to be part of a special segment of society and the rest of the people to be of the laity.