On Kibr (Pride/Arrogance) & The Cure

[ummtaalib]

What is "Kibr"?

 

 

“No one with the slightest particle of arrogance in his heart will enter Paradise.” (Bukhari)

 

Allah, the Almighty, says,

“Pride is My garment and haughtiness My Mantle: whoever vies with Me for them I will throw into Hell.” (Muslim)

 

 

 

‘Arrogance (kibr) is to deliberately consider one’s self superior to others in religious or worldly achievements in a manner that reflects that others are inferior.

 

Hence, it has two components,

 

(1) to consider one’s self superior and

(2) to look down upon others.

 

This is its reality. It is impermissible (haram) and sinful.

 

Then there is form of it where all components are presents except one component. That is it is not deliberate. It is an involuntary thought. Till this point it is not sinful. However, if one deliberately considers this thought to be fine or even without agreeing to it deliberately keeps (it in his mind), it will become the reality of arrogance and sinful (activity).

 

Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 3, page 108

Hakim al Umma Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Allah have mercy on him)

Source

 

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Arrogance (Kibr)

The definition of Arrogance (kibr) according to Ibn Juzay is, “A person thinking highly of themselves and looking down upon others.”

 

Imam al-Ghazzali in his Forty Foundations defines pride as, “The reality of arrogance (kibr) is that one deems himself superior to others in regards to qualities of completion which leads to snobbish and overjoyed”.

 

The Causes and Signs of Arrogance

Arrogance can be caused by having knowledge, worship, lineage, courage, strength, beauty, wealth, or prestige. Some of the effects of arrogance is that a person would want a high position in gatherings, being the first while walking, looking down on others, being hateful towards others if they don’t begin with salam, or that when he looks at the masses its like he is looking at donkeys.

 

What Pride leads to

Arrogance will cause a person to be driven away from the signs of Allah (Quran 7:146). Ibn Zukri said, “As long as a person is arrogant his heart will not submit to truth, accept it, nor benefit from it.”

seekersguidance

 

 

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Pride has many Forms

“Pride and arrogance come in many forms. One manifestation of pride, which is not easily recognisable, takes the outward form of humility: some people feel the need to outwardly display humility while within they actually think highly of themselves for doing so.

 

People who are genuinely humble don’t have a high opinion of themselves, but truly believe themselves insignificant and humble. An analogy will help us understand what true humbleness is.

 

Imagine a sleeping person: while fast asleep he does not know that he is asleep; it is only after waking up that he realises that he had been asleep. Likewise, a person who is humble does not feel that he is being humble; his behaviour is naturally full of humbleness without him knowing it.”

 

Pride: the last to be Eradicated from the Heart

“Pride is the root of all spiritual illnesses. It is so ingrained in the heart that it is usually the final spiritual ailment to be eradicated from a person’s heart.”

Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat

[ummtaalib]

Kibr: The Mother of all Sickness

 

Amongst the items that are harmful and detrimental to us, the most serious one is Kibr or pride. This is the mother of all sicknesses and the spiritual doctors have said that 99 percent of people have contracted the disease of Kibr.

 

To a certain extent even the Ulema and Mashaaikh have contracted the disease of Kibr, therefore it is important that we look at this disease of Kibr. From this disease you find that other diseases like jealousy, revenge, hatred towards people etc. emerges.

 

The first person to contract this disease was Iblees, when ALLAH created Hazrat Aadam Alaihis Salaam and commanded the Malaaikah to make Sujood to him, all made Sujood besides Iblees, because he did not realise that he had the disease of Kibr saying that he was better than Aadam Alaihis Salaam. He argued that because Aadam Alaihis Salaam was created from sand and he (Iblees) from fire, fire is always above whilst sand is always at the bottom. So in his small mind he thought himself to be better than Aadam Alaihis Salaam. What was the consequences of this? He was rejected till the day of Qiyaamah.

 

We can thus see how severe is this Kibr, it can lead a person to Kufr and rebellion and it can also earn that person the curse of ALLAH.

Source

[ummtaalib]

THE DISEASE OF PRIDE

 

The disease of pride and arrogance deletes all traces of goodness and piety. This is the worst vice in causing havoc to Deen and a regrettable disease to have for the followers of this perfect and exalted religion. It launches a direct attack on beliefs and principles. If ignored and overlooked for sometime it becomes fatal and incurable, and gives rise to other spiritual maladies and vices, which are no less than four in number, as, mentioned below:

 

1.  Being deprived of truth and truthfulness. The heart becomes blind to the verse dealing with knowledge about Allah. It is a very grievous vice in which the mind of a man becomes dull and impervious to the understanding of Deen. Allah has said in the Holy Quran:

“I shall turn away from My revelations those who show pride in the world wrongfully.” (7.146)

 

Allah has said in another place in the Quran:

“And in this way Allah does put a seal on every arrogant disdainful heart.” (40.35)

 

2.  The wrath and punishment of Allah fall on the jealous person. Allah has said:

“Certainly He does not love the proud ones.” (16:23)

 

It is narrated that Hazrat Moosa asked exalted Allah: “Oh my Lord! Who is the most deserving of your wrath and displeasure?” Allah Ta’aala told him:
“ It is he whose heart is filled with pride and his tongue is filthy (i.e. Abusive), his eyes are devoid of shame, his hands are miserly and he is of bad conduct and character.

 

3.  Allah will put the proud to disgrace and ill-repute (dishonour) in the Hereafter.

Hazrat Hatim Asam (rahmatullahi alaihi) has said: “Do not die in a state of pride, greed and arrogance.”

 

Allah does not cause the proud fellow to meet his death unless he is disgraced and dishonoured by his own family, relatives and servants.

Similarly the greedy does not meet his death unless he becomes destitute for a morsel of food and a drop of water.

 

In the same way the arrogant person does not meet his own death unless being polluted with his own excrement and urine.

 

4. The proud renders himself liable to Hell in the Hereafter. It occurs in a Hadith Qudsi:

“Pride is My cloak and grandeur is my trousers. If anyone disputes with Me in any one of these (two) I shall admit him into the Hell-fire.”

 

In the other words, pride and grandeur are two exclusive attributes of Allah, which none is allowed to apply and ascribe towards himself.

 

It is imperative to refrain from such a dangerous and deadly calamity which leads to loss of knowledge of Allah, inability to understand the commands of Allah, His displeasure, disgrace in this world and the Hereafter and painful torment therein. No wise person can be neglectful in the matter of such a harmful and destructive calamity.

 We should, therefore, try to save ourselves from this and seek refuge from Allah.

 

This is a brief account of the four calamities, mentioned in the beginning. Each of these four adversities are very harmful and dangerous in the sight of those wise and knowledgeable persons who are aware of the importance of the reforming of ones heart.

 

Those are the four disease and vices that stem from having pride. How many of us are there that can honestly say, without deceiving ourselves that we are free of this hated ailment?  Not many, is the answer. It is imperative that we take heed from this article and we bear in mind the punishment promised by Allah Ta’ala to those with pride in their hearts.

 

Pride as a sin is incorrectly considered to be insignificant and minute in comparison to other major sins, by a vast majority of the people. It may be that compared to the major sins like murder and associating partner with Allah, it is slightly inferior. But that is only because of the magnitude of those particular sins that pride is considered a lesser sin.

 

In a Hadith of the Holy Prophet it is narrated that,

 

“Whosoever has in his heart, even a atom of pride he will not enter paradise.”

 

In observing the above Hadith, it is of utmost importance that we get rid of this spiritual malady, if we hold any illusion or hope of entering paradise.

 

Remember that we do claim to be the followers and believes of Islam and we claim to be Muslims, so how then can we still have pride in ourselves? For the very meaning of Islam is to submit totally and conditionally to the worship of the Supreme Being, Allah Ta’ala and as Muslims it is incumbent upon us to get rid of every drop of pride, superiority and haughtiness within us, as we are small and inferior in comparison to the Supreme Being, if such comparison can be made. So let's try and act upon the very essence of our religion and our adjective as Muslims and submit and surrender ourselves to the worship and pleasure of Allah Ta’ala.

inter-islam

[ummtaalib]

Anti-Kibr Therapy

 

 

Hakim al Umma Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Allah have mercy on him) prescribed the following to a seeker,

 

‘The therapy for the reality of arrogance is a special form of contemplation (muraqaba). It must be renewed and repeated at all the times when the thought of arrogance passes (in the mind).

 

This muraqaba includes,

 

1. Although I have this achievement, it is not my own creation. It has been bestowed by Allah.

 

2. This bestowal is without my being deserving of it. It is Allah’s mercy and benevolence.

 

3. After bestowal preserving it is beyond my control. Allah has the power to take it away anytime.

 

4. Although the other individual does not possess this achievement as yet. It is possible that eventually he will achieve more than me and I will be looking up to him for assistance in this regards.

 

5. Even if eventually he does not achieve this, as it sometimes evident by the apparent (lack of) means. It is possible that right now he has some other achievement that is hidden from me but evident to others or hidden from all. It is known to Allah alone. By the virtue of this his overall achievements are better than mine.

 

If none of his achievement come to mind than bring to mind the possibility that as per the knowledge of Allah he is accepted (maqbool) and I am not. And if I am accepted to than he is more accepted than me. Hence, how can I think of him to be inferior to me?

 

6. Think that even in case he is lower than me in all regards than he has a right on me. As the deficient individual has on the perfect one. Like the sick person has on a well individual, a weak on the strong, and a poor on the wealthy. Hence, I should be kind and have empathy for him. Moreover, I should try to assist him in achieving them successfully. If I do not have any means or power or time even than by making supplication (dua) for his success. Then start effort in regards to successful accomplishment of his achievements. This will create a bond of kindness with this individual. And it is a natural phenomenon that working for an individual’s development and success leads to loving him. After (feeling of) love there is no thought of considering him inferior.

 

7. If this (#6) can not be done than occasionally talk to him gently and politely. Inquire about his well being. This will create a mutual bond. And after this bond thought of considering him inferior will dissipate.’

 

Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 3, page 108-9

Source

[ummtaalib]

The Cure for Kibr (Pride)

Imam Uthman dan Fodio

Translated by A`isha `Abd ar-Rahman at-Tarjumana

 

As far as its cure is concerned, there are two parts: the knowledge-cure and the action-cure. The remedy can only be effected by joining the two of them.

1- The knowledge-cure

The knowledge-cure is to know and recognise yourself and to know and recognise your Lord. That will be enough to remove your pride. Whoever knows and recognises his own self as it should be known and recognised, knows that it is not worthy of greatness, and that true greatness and pride are only for Allah. As for gnosis of his Lord and His glory, it is too lengthy a subject for us to discuss here [...].

Self-recognition is also a lengthy subject. However, we will mention what will help you towards humility and submisiveness. It is enough for you to recognise one ayat of the Book of Allah. The knowledge of the first and the last is in the Qur'an for whoever has his inner eye open. Allah ta`ala said: "Perish man! How thankless he is! Of what did He create him? Of a sperm-drop. He created him, and determined him, and then made him the way easy for him. Then He makes him die, buries him, and then, when He wills, raises him."

This ayat points to the beginning of man's creation, his end, and his middle. Let a man look at that if he desires to understand its meaning.

As for the beginning of man, he was "a thing unremembered". He was concealed in non-existence. Non-existence has no beginning. What is lower and meaner than obliteration and non-existence? He was in non-existence. Then Allah created him from the basest of things, and then from the most unclean thing. He created him from earth and then from a sperm-drop, thena blood-clot, then a lump of flesh. Then He made the flesh bones, and then clothes the bones in flesh. This was the beginning of his existence and then he became a thing remembered. He was a thing unremembered by reason of having he lowest of qualities and attributes since at his beginning, he was not created perfect. he was created inanimate, dead. He neither heard, saw, felt, moved, spoke, touched, perceived, or knew. He began by his death before his life, by weakness before his strength, by ignorance before knowledge, by blindness before sight, by deafness before hearing, by dumbness before speech, by misguidance before guidance, by poverty before wealth, and by incapacity before capacity.

This is the meaning of His word, "From what did He create him? And determined him," and the meaning of His word, "Has there come upon a man a period of time when he was a thing unremembered? We created him of a sperm-drop, a mingling, trying him. We made him hearing, seeing. We guided him upon the way, whether he is thankful or unthankful."

He created him like that at the beginning. Then He was gracious to him and said, "We made the way easy for him." This indicates what He wills for him during the period from life to death. Similarly, He said, "of a sperm-drop, a mingling, trying him. We made him hearing, seeing. We guided him on the way." The meaning here is that He gave him life after he was inanimate and dead - first from the earth, and then from a sperm-drop. He gave him hearing after he was deaf and He gave him sight after he lacked sight. He gave him strenght after weakness and knowledge after ignorance. He created his limbs for him with all they contain of marvels and signs after he lacked them. He enriched them after poverty, made him full after hunger, clothed him after nakedness, and guided him after misguidance. Look how He directed him and formed him. Look at how He made the way easy for him. Look at man's overstepping and at how thankless he is. Look at man's ignorance and how he shows it.

Allah ta`ala said, "Part of His sign is that He created you from earth." He created man from humble earth and unclean sperm after pure non-existence so that he would recognise the baseness of his essence and thereby recognise himself. He perfected the sperm-drop for him so that he would recognise his Lord by it and know His immensity and majesty by it, and that He is the only one worthy of true greatness and pride. For that reason, He described him and said, "Have We not given him two eyes and a tongue and two lips, and guided him on the two roads?"

He first acquainted him with his baseness and said, "Was he not a sperm-drop extracted? Then he was a blood-clot. Then He mentioned His favour and said, "He created and fashioned and made a pair from it, male and female," in order to perpetuate his existence by reproduction as his existence was acquired in the beginning by original formation. When you begin in this manner and your states are like this, how can you have arrogance, pride, glory, and conceit? Properly speaking, man is the lowest of the low and the weakest of the weak. Indeed, even if He had perfected him, delegated his command to him and made his existence go on by his own choice, he would still dare to be insolent and would forget his beginning and his end. However, during your existence, He has given illnesses power over you, whether you like it or not, and whether you are content or enraged. You become hungry and thirsty without being able to do anything about it. You do not possess any power to bring either harm or benefit. You want to know something but you remain ignorant of it. You want to remember something and yet you forget it. You want to not forget something and yet you do forget it. You want to direct your heart to waht concerns it and yet you are caught up in the valleys of whispersings and thoughts. You own neither your heart nor your self. You desire something while your destruction may be in it, and you detest something while your life may be in it. You find some foods delicious when they destroy and kill you, and you find remedies repugnant when they help you and save you. You are not safe for a moment, day or night. Your sight, knowledge, and power may be stripped away, your limbs may become semi-paralysed, your intellect may be stolen away, your ruh may be snatched away, and all that you love in this world may be taken from you. You are hard-pressed, abased. If you are left alone, you go on. If you are snatched away, you are annihilated. A mere slave. A chattel. You have no power over yourself or anyone else. What can be more abased? If you recognise yourself, how can you think yourself worthy of pride? If it were not for your ignorance - and this is your immediate state - you would reflect on it. Your end is death. It is indicated by His word, "Then He makes him die and buries him. Then, when He wills, He raises him." The meaning here is that your ruh, hearing, sight, knowledge, power, senses, perception, and movement are all stripped away. You revert to the inanimate as you were in the first place. Only the shape of your limbs remains. Your form has neither senses nor movement. Then you are placed in the earth and your limbs decay. You become absent after you existed. You become as if you were not, as you were at first for a long period of time. Then a man wishes that he could remain like that. How excellent it would be if he were left as dust! However, after a long time, He brings him back to life to subject him to a severe trial. He comes out of his grave after his spearated parts are joined together, and he steps out to the terrors of the Rising. He is told, "Come quickly to the Reckoning and prepare for the Outcome!" His heart stops in fear and panic when he is faced with the terror of these words even before his pages are spread out and he sees his shameful actions in them. This is the end of his affair. It is the meaning of His word, "Then when He wishes, He raises him."

How can anyone whose state this is be arrogant? A moment of freedom from grief is better than arrogance. He has shown the beginning and the middle of his condition. If his end had appeared to him - and we seek refuge from Allah - perhaps he would have chosen to be a dog or a pig in order to become dust with the animals rather than a hearing, speaking man, and meet with punishment (if he deserves the Fire). When he is in the presence of Allah then even the pig is nobler than him since it reverts to dust and it is spared from the Reckoning and the punishment. Someone with this state at the Rising can only hope for pardon, and he cannot be at all certain about it. How then can he be arrogant? How can he see himself as anything to which excellence is attached? This is the knowledge-cure.

2- The action-cure :

As far as the action-cure is concerned, it is to humble yourself to people in a constrained unnatural manner until it becomes natural for you.

tazkiyatips

[ummtaalib]

Stories

 

 

Haughtiness brought down by a Flea

There was an oppressive king who stubbornly said, "I will most certainly find out who is inhabiting the heavens and whose kingdom is running there."

 

When Allah ta'ala saw his open rebellion, He caused the weakest of His creations to overpower him. A flea went into his brain through his nose and deprived him of his sleep. He instructed his subjects to strike him hard on his head. They began striking him and continued to the extent that his brain got damaged. In this way a small insect became the cause of his death. (Hilyatul Auliya)

 

Note: Haughty people like him continue to be born in every era. They actually challenge Allah ta'ala. But He breaks their pride and arrogance and disgraces them in this very world.

(Aqwaal-e-Salaf - Mawlana Muhammad Qamaruzzamaan)

 

 

 

The Scholar and the Ferryman

A scholar of language and grammar undertook a journey. A river had to be crossed. As was custom in those days, the scholar hired the boat of a waiting ferryman who took people across the river.

 

During the journey, the scholar asked the ferryman, with obvious pride and mockery, if he knew anything about grammar and the rules of language. The ferryman simply replied “I don’t.” “Alas!” Retorted the scholar of grammar, “You have wasted half of your life!”

 

At this, the sailor was terribly hurt and aggrieved. But he kept quiet. Suddenly, the boat was extremely nervous in the high waves and gushing water. “Do you know how to swim, learned sir?” Asked the sailor. “No” said the scholar.” The ferryman remarked “Alas! You have wasted your whole life for the boat is sure to capsize in a few minutes!”

Haqislam

 

 

 

Pride of the Flying Tortoise

Long ago there were two Geese who regularly visited a pond to eat Fish. The Geese always had a chat with the lonely Tortoise living in the pond. They spent many days talking about different things and their acquaintance grew into friendship.

 

One day, when the Geese realized there were no more Fish in the pond, they decided to migrate to a new and larger pond up north. They conveyed their decision to their friend, the lonely Tortoise. The Tortoise felt sad and expressed his wish to go along with the Geese.

 

The Geese thought this is a very good idea. "Why don't we take lonely Tortoise along with us? Then we all can live together forever!"

 

The Tortoise was delighted, but soon realized the problem. "How can I go with you? Because I cannot fly."

The Tortoise was very disappointed that he would not be able to go with the Geese.

 

The Geese came up with a solution, "Don't worry. We have thought of a way to solve this problem. We will hold a stick between us. Hold onto the middle of the stick with your mouth. This way, we all can fly to our new location."

 

But, warned one Goose, "Our plan is good, but you have to be very careful. At no time during our journey you should open your mouth, for, if you do, you will fall from the sky and be smashed to death on the ground."

 

The Tortoise thought for a while and agreed to be sure to keep his mouth champed round the stick all throughout the journey," he said.

 

Once they were all set, the Geese and the Tortoise set off on their journey northwards. As they flew, they had to pass through many villages, where people came running out to see this strange sight.

 

"Look at the Tortoise. See how the Geese carry him between them." Shouted the children.

 

The Tortoise wanted to tell them that he was going with his friends to a new pond and that there was nothing strange in it, but he remembered his friends warning and kept his mouth shut.

Village after village, people ran after the strange flight. "A flying Tortoise!" some shouted.

 

The Tortoise soon began to swell with pride.

 

He thought to himself, "I am so great. All the villagers are running out to see me. If these Geese had not come with me, no one would have ever noticed them."

 

Every village that they passed, the Tortoise was greeted with cheering and shouting. Finally the Tortoise could contain himself no more. He opened his mouth to speak, "I am ..."

 

As soon as he opened his mouth, his hold on the stick was lost and he came hurtling through the air and fell on a rock with a loud crack. The poor Tortoise died on the spot.

 

The Geese flew sadly away. "If only he had not been so proud," they thought, "he would have been living happily with us."

[ummtaalib]

Advices

 

 

Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel (Rahmatullahi 'alayh)

There are so many of us who very foolishly and ignorantly pride ourselves over our wealth, family name, beauty – sometimes even our knowledge of Deen or the services we are rendering of Deen; considering these as the criteria for establishing our superiority over others.

 

Whenever the nafs asserts itself with : ‘I am better… than him (or her)’, we should understand that we are on the same footing as shaytaan.

 

When Allah Ta’ala commanded the angels to bow down to Hazrat Aadam (AS), shaytaan refused to do so. When asked as to why, he asserted :

 

 ‘I am better than he. You created me from fire,

and him from clay.’

[surah A’raaf 7 :12]

 

This opinion of : ‘I am better…’ is reason enough for serious concern, since this attitude is what is termed as pride (takabbur), arrogance and conceit (ujub), the cancer of the spiritual heart. This is such an ailment which also leads to the evil of boasting. Allah Ta’ala states :

 

“Verily Allah does not like the one who has pride

and is boastful.”

[surah An-Nisaa 4 : 36]

 

 

 “And swell not your cheek (for pride) at men, nor walk in insolence through the earth; for Allah loves not any arrogant boaster.”

[surah Luqman 31 : 18]

 

Allah Ta’ala makes evident His abhorrence by humiliating and abasing such a person and reducing the person’s esteem in the eyes of people. It has been related from Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam): “…he who is proud will be abased by Allah, for though he considers himself great, he is lowly in the eyes of men to such an extent that he is of less value in their estimation than a dog or a pig.”[5]

Source

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ibn Hazm Al’Andulasi, Rahmatullahialay

“If you take pride in your physical strength, remember that the mule, the donkey, and the bull are stronger than you and better suited to carrying heavy loads.

 

If you feel vain about the lightness of your running style, remember that the dog and the hare surpass you in this field.

 

It is extremely curious that rational beings feel proud of something in which they are surpassed by dumb animals.”

[ummtaalib]

A Deadly Disease

 

Arrogance is such a severe disease of the heart because an arrogant person is not merely objecting to Allah’s division and distribution in His creation, as with envy, but is actually challenging Allāh in His greatness. We learn from the ḥadīth that greatness, grandness and pride are the garments of Allāh سبحانه وتعالى and whoever wishes to claim them is challenging Allāh in His attributes.

 

Which one of us can say that we are pure and free of pride and arrogance? We may have belittled someone even in thought, held someone in contempt or regarded someone as being beneath us. Each of these actions is a sign of arrogance. May Allah protect us from this deadly spiritual disease.

 

[This short excerpt is based on a spiritual gathering held by Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq on 16th November 2014].

[ummtaalib]

Pride, its Reality and Remedy

 

(Correspondence of Hazrat Mufti Mahmood Hasan Gangohi rahimahullah)

 

Letter: (The questioner has apparently requested advice with regards to the remedy of pride. Hereunder is the reply to the question)

 

Pride is when a person considers himself to be superior and thinks of others to be lower than him. The remedy for pride is that a person should ponder over this:

 

“Whatever perfection I may see in myself is not on account of my own achievement. Rather, it is from Allah Ta‘ala and in his control. He may take it back whenever He wishes. Then what achievement will I have? Allah Ta‘ala has power over everything. He gives honour to whom He wishes and disgrace to whom He wishes.” One should think over this to such an extent that it firmly settles in the mind. Insha-Allah, in this way pride will be removed. (Maktoobaat vol. 1, pg. 23)

[Bint e Aisha]

Humility:

Our master Abu Yazid [al-Bistami] (d. 261/875) (Allah have mercy on him) was asked, “When is a person deemed humble?”

He replied, “When he sees neither a [high] station nor state for himself, and when he cannot find among mankind anyone who is worse than himself.”

al-Risala al-Qushayriya

Ashrafiya

[ummtaalib]

Think of Beginning & End

Hazrat Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Daamat Barakaatuhu) mentioned:

Most people were destroyed when they became proud and arrogant. When a person shows off and becomes boastful over the bounties he is blessed with, this becomes a means of those bounties being snatched away.

The solution to rid oneself of pride is to ponder over one’s beginning and end; initially a drop of impure fluid and eventually decomposed bones beneath the earth. When one thinks over this correctly, the reality strikes him that I am definitely not worthy of any respect, title or position.

[ummtaalib]

The Remedy for Pride

Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) once mentioned:

If any person sees some good quality in himself and finds that quality lacking in another person, due to which he begins to regard himself to be better than that person, then he should immediately think to himself, “It is possible that this person does not have this good quality in him which I have, but he has some other praiseworthy quality in him which is lacking in me, due to which he is better than me in the sight of Allah Ta‘ala.”

Hazrat Thanwi (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) then mentioned, “If a person trains himself to think in this way, it will assist him to remove self-admiration and pride from his heart and it will save him from regarding himself to be better than others.” (Malfoozaat Hakeemul Ummat 23/55)

[Bint e Aisha]

Hazrat Moulana Muhammad Ilyaas (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) once mentioned: 

Jannah is only for the servants who are humble. If a person has an iota of pride in him, he will first be entered into Jahannum where he will have to be cleansed and purified of the pride. Once he is fully cleansed and purified of pride and only humility remains within him, he will be ushered into Jannah. In essence, no person who has pride can enter Jannah. Jannah is the abode of the people of humility. Hence, one should endeavour to rid oneself of pride and inculcate complete humility. 

(Malfoozaat Hazrat Moulana Muhammad Ilyaas (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) pg. 57)

[Bint e Aisha]

Imām al-Ghazālī (رحمه الله) on overcoming arrogance:

If you see someone who is older than you, then think that that person has done more ʿibādah
(acts of worship) than you.

If you see someone younger than you, then think that that person has less sins than you. 

If you see someone more knowledgeable than you, then think that there is no doubt he is better than you. 

If you see someone with less knowledge than you, then think that he has committed sins out of ignorance, while you sinned knowingly.