Then he does something a little good, and he may feel a little self-conceit.

Then he does something a little good, and he may feel a little self-conceit.’ The Imam (AS) said: ‘When he is fearful, he is in a better state than when he is self-conceited.”[^6] Imam Ali (AS) said: “A sin, which makes you regretful, is better than a good deed, which makes you self-conceited.”[^7] The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “One day, Prophet Moses (AS) was sitting in a place when Satan entered with a colorful shirt on.

When he approached Prophet Moses, he took off the shirt, stood opposite to, and greeted him. Prophet Moses (AS) said: ‘Who are you?’ He said: ‘I am Iblis.’ Prophet Moses said: ‘You are Iblis?!

May God keep you away from us!’ He said: ‘I have come here to greet you, for you have a high position with God.’ Prophet Moses said: ‘What is this shirt?’ Iblis said: ‘I attract the hearts of the children of Adam with it.’ Prophet Moses asked: ‘What is the sin that, which if is committed by the children of Adam, makes you be dominant on them?’ Iblis said: ‘Whenever one is self-conceited, his deed seems great and his sin seems little to him.”[^8] God said to Prophet David (AS): “O David, Give good tidings to the sinners and warn the veracious!” Prophet David said: “How can I give good tidings to the sinners and warn the veracious?” God said: “O David!

Tell the sinners that I accept repentance, and warn the veracious not to be self-conceited, for there is no servant, who is called for reckoning and is not perished.” ^9 The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “There are three things that cause destruction; obeyed stinginess, followed desires, and self-conceit.”[^10] It has been narrated: “One day, Prophet Jesus (AS) was making a journey and a short man was accompanying him. They went on their journey until they reached the sea.

Prophet Jesus (AS) said: ‘In the name of Allah’, and walked on the water. Following Jesus, the man too said ‘in the name of Allah’, and began walking on the water. Self-conceit afflicted the man. He said to himself: ‘This is Jesus, the spirit of Allah walking on the water. I am walking on the water too. What is his superiority over me then?’ As soon as he said this, he sank in the water. He was about to drown when Jesus (AS) saved him, saying: ‘O short one!

What did you say?’ He said: ‘So-and-so thought came to my mind.’ Jesus (AS) said: ‘You exceeded the limits, hence God became angry with you.”[^11] We must take the devotion and piety of the prophets and the infallible Imams as a model.