Ethics

Pride is for Allah, the Almighty

Adopted from the book : "Pride" by : "Mujahidali A.R. Sheriff"

It should be borne in mind that pride is one of the qualities of Almighty Allah, the Creator and Master of the Universe and He alone deserves the right to be proud. This is so because He, Almighty Allah, is the Highest and Greatest in all respects.
In the Holy Qur’an, Allah (s.w.t.) says : "And He has all pride in the Heavens and the earth." (Al-Jathiyah/37)

In one of his sermons, Imam Ali (a.s.) has said : "Praise be to Allah who wore (the dress of) honor and pride and chose them both for Himself giving not to His creatures"

And then Imam continues : "And Allah (s.w.t.) has cursed those of His servants who attempt to quarrel with Him over this quality (honor and pride)"

Elsewhere in the same sermon, mentioning the punishment for the proud, Imam Ali (a.s.) says :"Nay! Almighty Allah cannot give entry into paradise to a man for the same reason (pride), (because of which) he threw out from it an angel."

Iblees, although a jinn was considered as an angel due to his years of worship. He was thrown out of paradise and subjected to an everlasting curse, when he refused to obey the command of Almighty Allah to prostrate before Adam (a.s.)

Imam Ali (a.s.) explains that after years of worship, if an angel could be thrown out of paradise due to arrogance and pride, how can Almighty Allah allow someone else who possess the same attributes to enter Heaven?