1/39. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 91a — Pride, Beauty, and True Humility
The prohibition of pride and definition of it
Hadith About Pride: Rejecting Truth and Looking Down on People
Sahih Muslim : 91a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 91a
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ دِينَارٍ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ حَمَّادٍ، - قَالَ ابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ حَمَّادٍ، - أَخْبَرَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبَانَ بْنِ تَغْلِبَ، عَنْ فُضَيْلٍ الْفُقَيْمِيِّ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ النَّخَعِيِّ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ مِنْ كِبْرٍ " . قَالَ رَجُلٌ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَكُونَ ثَوْبُهُ حَسَنًا وَنَعْلُهُ حَسَنَةً . قَالَ " إِنَّ اللَّهَ جَمِيلٌ يُحِبُّ الْجَمَالَ الْكِبْرُ بَطَرُ الْحَقِّ وَغَمْطُ النَّاسِ " .
Abdullah ibn Mas'ud Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), observed: He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride shall not enter Paradise. A person (amongst his hearers) said: Verily a person loves that his dress should be fine, and his shoes should be fine. He (the Holy Prophet) remarked: Verily, Allah is Graceful and He loves Grace. Pride is disdaining the truth (out of self-conceit) and contempt for the people.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 91aIn-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 171USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 1, Hadith 164
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 91a
This hadith about pride gives a clear meaning of arrogance in Islam. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم warned that a heart carrying even the weight of a mustard seed of pride is in danger with regard to Paradise. Then he corrected a common misunderstanding. A person may love fine clothing and good shoes, and that alone is not pride. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that Allah is Graceful and loves grace. Pride is something deeper and uglier: disdaining the truth out of self-conceit and showing contempt for people. So the lesson is not to look careless or avoid beauty. The lesson is to accept truth and treat people with respect.
What we learn from this hadith
- Loving neat clothes or good shoes is not the pride condemned here.
- Pride is refusing the truth because of self-conceit.
- Looking down on people is a clear sign of pride in this text.
