Pride

If a person is feeling proud of himself, if it is because he is religiously committed, righteous and pious, then it is good, but if it is because of anything else, such as lineage, ancestry, wealth, position or status among people, then this is an act of Jaahiliyyah and is not permissible.

Muslim (1550) narrated from Abu Maalik al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “There are four matters of Jaahiliyyah in my ummah that they will not give up: pride in one’s forefathers, slandering lineages, seeking rain by the stars and wailing (for the dead).”

Muslim (5109) also narrated from ‘Iyaad ibn Himaar al-Mujaasha‘i (may Allah be pleased with that) that the Messenger of Allah (sa) said one day in his khutbah: “Allah has revealed to me that you should be humble so that no one will boast to anyone else and no one will transgress against anyone else.”

Al-Majd Ibn Tamiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Allah has forbidden on the lips of His Prophet two types of mistreatment of people: pride and transgression against them and scorn.

Fayd al-Qadeer, 2/217

The guideline with regard to this issue is: whatever is a source of pride and honour because of religion is part of the religion and is praiseworthy; any source of pride other than that is blameworthy.

But feeling proud because of doing acts of obedience and worship means feeling happy that one has been enabled to do that and feeling proud of belonging to people who do that, and praising Allah for saving him from shirk and its people, and from sin and its path.

As for looking down on the slaves of Allah and feeling that one is above them because of acts of obedience that one has done, this is the worst type of pride and arrogance, and the one who is like this is on the brink of disaster and there is a danger that his deeds will be thrown back at him.

And Allah knows best.

SOURCE:

Islamqa Fatwa no. 150839