Denying the truth is a public manifestation of Haughtiness 

Haughtiness leads to despising people and transgressing on their rights 

 

Punishment of Haughty people is appalling 

 

 

His Eminence Prof. Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, the Grand Imam (GI) of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, explained that when we speak about Allah Almighty, Al-Mutakabbir means the One Who has proven His Glory, Greatness, and Self-Subsistence, in a way that befits the Divine Self. Yet, when applying to humans, the word is literally derived from Kibr (conceit; haughtiness), but it does not befit humans or else it would be an oxymoron or a falsity. Naturally, humans should maintain humility and submission to their Lord Almighty. Allah says, “There is none in the heavens or the earth who will not return to the Most Compassionate in full submission” (Qur’an, 19:93).

 

During the 20th episode of his Ramadan program Imam Al-Tayyeb Talk, His Eminence added that the attribute “Mutakabbir (Prideful, Conceited) does not befit humans, since it goes against their servitude to the Lord. When one assumes conceit, he is claiming to be comparable to the Almighty or to have one of His Attributes. That’s why conceit incurs polytheism. When a person treats others presumptuously, either intentionally or unintentionally, he assumes a divine attribute that is exclusive to the Almighty. A relevant Qudsi Hadith, which is largely overlooked, is “Pride is my cloak and greatness My robe, and he who competes with Me in respect of either of them I shall cast into Hellfire.” 

 

 

The manifestations of haughtiness that a person may unintentionally assume is looking down upon others. It is a public, not a private, sin since it involves two parties, the haughty person and those who are treated haughtily.  A relevant Hadith reads, “Haughtiness amounts to disclaiming truth out of self-esteem and despising people.” These vices occur at numerous places, including government offices, hospitals, and educational institutions, where senior officers oppress their vulnerable subordinates, which is a form of haughtiness that affects others. 

 

The Grand Imam distinguished between two things that people may confuse, which are haughtiness and good appearance. When a person takes good care of their appearance, owns a fine house and car, and leads a comfortable lifestyle, it is not a form of haughtiness. The Prophet (pbuh) was asked about that. It was said to him that a person would love to have a fine dress and footwear and whether this is a form of haughtiness. He answered that Almighty Allah is Beautiful and He loves beauty, meaning that this has nothing to do with haughtiness. Rather, he said in another Hadith that haughtiness is “disclaiming truth out of self-esteem and despising people.” 

Boastfulness towards others builds upon disclaiming or falsifying the truth, despising others, and treating them condescendingly or reviling them. In this case, numerous injustices take place under this umbrella of haughtiness. A haughty person forgets that Allah sees him all the time, so he feels free to do anything without fearing consequences or punishment.

 

Regarding the punishment of the haughty on the Day of Judgment, the Grand Imam said it is detailed in many Hadith reference books. When you refer to them, a shiver runs through one's spine. The punishment of haughtiness is intensified because it constitutes comparing oneself to the Lord since we now know that Allah Almighty said, “Pride is my cloak”. This attribute exclusively belongs to the Lord and whoever competes with Him in this respect shall be cast by Allah into Hellfire. Numerous Quranic verses, more than fifty, revolve around threatening the haughty and connoting its closeness to polytheism. Therefore, it entails severe torment for the haughty. One of the Prophetic Hadiths reads, “On the Day of Judgment, haughty people will be gathered like specks in the form of men. They will be covered with humiliation everywhere,” and in another account, "people will tread upon them.” Thus, they receive punishment in kind.