The Punishment For Pride In This World 4.6mb/MP3
By Maulana AS Desai
Tuesday 25 Shawwaal 1447 – 14 April 2026
The Punishment For Pride In This World
Maulana A S Desai Afrikee hafizahullah
25th Shawwaal 1447 – 14th April 2026
Bismillahi Ta’ala…
Sayidunna Hatim al-Asam rahimahullah alayh (of Balkh, d. 237 AH – 852 CE) said:
‘Allah Ta’ala does not take the mutakkabir (arrogant, proud person) away from this dunya until such time that Allah Ta’ala will disgrace and humiliate such a person amongst those; who are considered amongst the lowly class of his circle (neighbours, colleagues, subordinates, labourers and destitute whom he had despised). Moreover, Allah Ta’ala will make such a person so ill, so sick; he will despoil himself in his own urine, faeces and he will not be able to restrain his own bowels. Allah Ta’ala will punish such a person in this dunya.’
The punishment for takabbur (pride) in the Akhirah (Hereafter) is something else, but in this dunya, Allah Ta’ala punishes a person for this malady.
There was a great Shaykh in Baghdad, who was once walking through the streets, when a Christian inadvertently brushed past and bumped into him. Annoyed, this Shaykh scolded, ‘May Allah Ta’ala’s Curse be upon you!’
The Christian replied, ‘Why should Allah curse me?’
The Shaykh replied, ‘Because of your kufr and my Imaan. I am better than you.’
The Christian replied, ‘How do you know if you are really better than me for no one knows what can happen to a person tomorrow?’
Both proceeded on their ways.
After some time, this great Shaykh, very knowledgeable and pious, was apprehended by Allah Ta’ala in a punishment. He fell in love with a Christian woman and he sent a proposal of marriage to her. Her family stipulated certain conditions; he must wear a cross and he must tender to their drove of pigs for one year. Becoming a murtad (renegaded from Islam), he submitted to these conditions. This was his punishment for despising that Christian man earlier.
Due to his previous piety, although he had erred and was punished, Allah Ta’ala granted him tawfeeq to repent, make amends and return to Islam.
Takabbur (pride) is an extremely serious malady and grave sin; punishable in this dunya and the Akhirah.
The opposite is tawadhu (humility), a quality in a human most beloved to Allah Ta’ala.
When the Torah was revealed to Sayidunna Moosaa alayhis salam, he became exceptionally happy and made a lot of shukr (gratefulness) to Allah Ta’ala who asked him:
‘O Moosaa! Do you know why the Torah has been revealed to you?’
He replied, ‘O Allah! I do not know.’
Allah Ta’ala replied, ‘Amongst mankind at this time; there is no person with greater humility than you.’
Everybody is aware of the fiery (jalaaly) personality and temperament of Sayidunna Moosaa alayhis salam, but this was only for the Haqq (truth) and Allah Ta’ala considered him to be the most humble in mankind at the time.
His tawadhu (humility) may be gauged from an incident once when he was looking after the sheep. All the Prophet’s alayhis salam had served as shepherds before becoming appointed as Messengers (Nabi) by Allah Ta’ala. Why? Sheep have the attribute of humility and when a person associates with any group or anyone; he acquires the attributes of this group or person. This was why a Nabi was never appointed who had previously herded camels or oxen.
One day, whilst Sayidunna Moosaa alayhis salam was tending to his flock in the wilderness, one lamb broke and began to run away from the flock. Realising there were wolves and predators in the wild, Sayidunna Moosaa alayhis salam ran after the lamb, which kept running away further and further. Finally, when it became exhausted, a tired Sayidunna Moosaa alayhis salam caught up with this lamb. He was not annoyed nor did he scold the lamb; rather he picked it up, stroked it gently an addressed it softly whilst carrying it back to his flock.
Allah Ta’ala loved this act of kindness and gentleness so much, He revealed the Torah unto Sayidunna Moosaa alayhis salam.
Another important aspect of tawadhu (humility) is the dividing line between it and vanity (ujub) is blurred. Sometimes great Awliya and even a Nabi alayhis salam mistake their attitude towards great acts of ibaadah.
For example, Sayidunna Da’wood alayhis salam, who was famed for his ibaadah, to the extent no one made as much ibaadah in his time; once during an act of worship, out of gratitude this thought occurred to him. Immediately, Allah Ta’ala rectified him by sending wahi (revelation); ‘O Da’wood! Go to the top of such-and-such mountain; therein you will find one of Our servant’s who has been making ibaadah for 700 years…and for what? He was living with his respected mother; he on the upper floor; she on the ground floor. One day, inadvertently as he was moving something, some dust fell through from his floor onto her below. He was so overcome with shame and regret at his carelessness and inconvenience that he ran away from there onto the mountain.’
Allah Ta’ala gave him tawfeeq to stay and engross in worship and istighfaar there in the mountain for 700 years.
So, Sayidunna Da’wood alayhis salam climbed the mountain to visit this person. After meeting and exchanging Salaam, this person asked? ‘Who are you and why did you come here?’
Sayidunna Da’wood alayhis salam replied, ‘Allah Ta’ala has sent me here with a message for you. Pray tell me, why and for how long have you been here?’
He explained his circumstances and the inadvertent inconvenience caused to his mother and whether Allah Ta’ala and his mother had forgiven him?
Sayidunna Da’wood alayhis salam replied, ‘Allah Ta’ala has sent me with this message that He has forgiven you and also, although your respected mother died a long time ago, she too had forgiven and was very happy with you.’
Upon hearing this message this buzrug immediately with into sujood, crying he supplicated, ‘O Allah! Now my objective has been achieved, please take me away?’
Allah Ta’ala accepted his du’a and he immediately passed away.
Now understand, this episode occurred with a Rasool alayhis salam – the dividing line between tawadhu (humility) and ujub (vanity) is extremely blurry; requiring extreme caution. You must not think of your own goodness. Yes, it does appear in Hadeeth that whoever feels happy upon his good deeds and displeased upon his evil deeds, then these are the signs of a Mu’min. But what does this mean? It does not mean he has ujub (conceited) over his deeds; it means he feels happy when he practices good deeds.
For example, performing Salaah; if one misses a Salaah, then obviously one feels bad; this is a sign (and demand) of Imaan; and when you fulfil your ibaadah, you feel happy and pleased about it. You do not feel pleased about the quality of your ibaadah; rather because Allah Ta’ala has given you the Tawfeeq to fulfil the ibaadah, but understand when that ibaadah is defective; then it is only through the Rahmat (Mercy) of Allah Ta’ala that He accepts it.
Remember the episode of the buzruq who worshipped Allah Ta’ala for 500 years. He too had gained this impression of ujub (vanity) that he is making a lot of ibaadah – therefore Allah Ta’ala showed him, his 500 years of ibaadah is only worth one glass of water.
One must always therefore reflect; when one carries out a good deed and feels vain (ujub); immediately recite Istighfaar (repent) and understand that whatever Salaah and ibaadah we perform are all defective and it is only through the Mercy of Allah Ta’ala that He accepts.
“And our final statement is that all praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.”