The tenth directive is that no one should walk with pride and vanity on God’s earth. It is thus said that howsoever much a person may strike the earth with his feet, he will not be able to rent it asunder and howsoever much a person may walk while raising his head, he will not be able to reach the heights of the mountains. Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi writes:

… what is explained is that what is the meaning of showing pride and vanity in the earth made by God – the God whose glory and grandeur one witnesses in the vast expanse of the earth that He has spread out on which one’s status is not even that of an ant or an insect and the God who has created these towering mountains before which one’s status is not even that of a squirrel. One should try to recognize one’s status and always surrender oneselfbefore the majesty and splendour of God.[1]

Such a gait obviously reflects one’s inner-self. Wealth, authority, beauty, knowledge, power and other similar things produce pride and vanity in a person. Each of these produces a specific type of pride in one’s gait showing that his heart is devoid of the perception of serving God and there is no concept in it of God’s glory and greatness. The heart which has the perception of serving God and of His greatness only beats in the chests of people who have humility. Instead of walking arrogantly, they walk with their heads bent. Thus walking with pride and vanity is a very bad trait and its punishment is very grave too. The Prophet (sws) is reported to have said that the person who has pride even to the measure of a mustard seed will not enter Paradise. [2] He has also said that honour is the lower fabric of the Almighty and greatness is His upper fabric. He who competes with Him regarding these will be punished. [3]

Here it should remain clear that pride and vanity are not merely reflected in one’s gait: they are evident in one’s conversation, clothes, appearance and behaviour as well. Consequently, the Quran says:

وَلَا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمْشِ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ وَاقْصِدْ فِي مَشْيِكَ وَاغْضُضْ مِن صَوْتِكَ إِنَّ أَنكَرَ الْأَصْوَاتِ لَصَوْتُ الْحَمِيرِ (31: 18-19)

And do not become indifferent to people nor walk proudly on the earth: God does not like the arrogant and the one who expresses vanity and be modest in your gait and keep your voice low; indeed, the most hideous of voices is the braying of the ass. (31:18-19)

The Prophet (sws), on this very basis, has prohibited the use of all things which reflect affluence or are a means of show and pomposity or are instrumental in overawing others or belong to the mannerisms of rogues and ruffians. For this very reason, he forbade the use of silk, making covers from expensive hides and eating in utensils made of gold and silver. [4] So much so, he even urged people having short beards and large moustaches to give up this arrogant appearance and said that one should satisfy one’s passion by increasing the length of the beard but moustaches should be trim in all circumstances. [5] He is reported to have said: “He who wore a dress to show his status, the Almighty will clothe him with the dress of humiliation on the Day of Judgement, and then fire shall be ignited in it.” [6] He is similarly reported to have said: “On the Day of Judgement, God will not wish to see a person who walked conceitedly by dragging his legware.” [7]

Moreover, this mental state becomes a source of great sins. Consequently, it is this conceit and arrogance which is instrumental in deliberately denying the truth, in considering oneself superior to others on the basis of colour, creed and race, in considering others to be inferior and making fun of them, in censuring others, in calling them with bad names and in scandalizing the faults of others in their absence. God has strictly forbidden all these.

(1) Evading the Truth:

Those who evade the truth and reject it in arrogance are warned that they must not consider their sin to be trivial. Their punishment is that the doors of Paradise are closed for them. Hell shall be their abode from all sides and they shall abide in it forever:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا وَاسْتَكْبَرُواْ عَنْهَا لاَ تُفَتَّحُ لَهُمْ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاء وَلاَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّى يَلِجَ الْجَمَلُ فِي سَمِّ الْخِيَاطِ وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُجْرِمِينَ لَهُم مِّن جَهَنَّمَ مِهَادٌ وَمِن فَوْقِهِمْ غَوَاشٍ وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الظَّالِمِينَ (7: 40-41)

Indeed those who denied Our revelations and evaded them in arrogance, the gates of heavens shall not be opened for them and neither shall they be able to enter Paradise except if a camel is able to pass through the eye of a needle. [This is their punishment] and in this manner do We punish the criminals. Hell shall be their bedding and [the flames of] Hell shall be their covering and in this way do We punish the evil-doers. (7:40-41)

(2) Conceit on One’s Lineage:

People who show conceit and vanity on their lineage and ancestry are cautioned that all human beings are the progeny of Adam and Eve. Whites are not superior to blacks nor blacks superior to whites and similarly, Arabs are not superior to non-Arabs and non-Arabs are not superior to Arabs. In the sight of God, the status and nobility of a person is not founded on the basis of his family, clan, colour or creed; it is founded on the basis of his consciousness towards God. Only that person will be respected in His presence who is the most God-fearing and lives within the limits specified by Him even if he belongs to a low and unknown family. And he who is arrogant and conceited shall definitely be humiliated even though he belongs to a family of high status and pedigree. This division of mankind in families is merely to give people identity. Just as God has distinguished people from one another on the basis of features, colour and stature so that they can identify and recognize one another, similarly, dividing them into families and clans is meant to serve this very purpose. It has no significance beyond this:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَى وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ(13:49)

You people! We have created you from one man and one woman and divided you into tribes and clans that you might get to know one another. The noblest of you in God’s sight is he who is the most God-conscious. Indeed, God is all-knowing and wise. (49:13)

(3) Making Fun of Others:

People who make fun of others are told that in the sight of God a person is respectable or disreputable on the bases of his faith and deeds and their true weight too shall be indicated by the Almighty’s balance of justice. A person who considers himself to be noble in this world may end up in humiliation on the Day of Judgement, and a person who is considered lowly may be rewarded greatly in Paradise. Hence every Muslim must remain aware that according to the Quran (49:10) once he has entered the folds of faith, he has entered the universal brotherhood of Muslims in which every Muslim is a brother to another. It is not befitting for him at all to make fun of others, ridicule and censure them while thinking them to be inferior to him:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا يَسْخَرْ قَومٌ مِّن قَوْمٍ عَسَى أَن يَكُونُوا خَيْرًا مِّنْهُمْ وَلَا نِسَاء مِّن نِّسَاء عَسَى أَن يَكُنَّ خَيْرًا مِّنْهُنَّ (11:49)

Believers! Let no man make fun of another man, who may perhaps be better than himself and let no woman make fun of another woman, who may perhaps be better than herself. (49:11)

(4) Defaming and Taunting Others:

Those who defame and taunt their brethren are warned to abstain from this practice. The Quranic words used for this in Surah Hujurat are لَا تَلْمِزُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ which imply that a person who defames and taunts others actually defames and taunts himself. Moreover, the word used is لَمْز which includes other meanings as finding faults in others, ridiculing and mocking others, blaming others, making someone a target of objections whether openly or in secret. Obviously, in all these things, the motive is considering oneself to be superior and others as inferior and mediocre. A similar misdeed is calling others with bad names. The Arabs of the age of jahiliyyah had a special proclivity for it and they regarded it to be a matter of great accomplishment. The most outstanding poet and orator of a tribe was the one who would excel others in expressing the superiority of his tribe and in speaking ill and demeaning other tribes. Consequently, Muslims were prohibited from indulging in this practice and were told that ridiculing others, demeaning and humiliating them and calling them with bad names is an act of disobedience and after faith, even the name of disobedience is bad. Thus it is not worthy of a Muslim to be involved in any of these evil practices:

وَلَا تَلْمِزُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ وَلَا تَنَابَزُوا بِالْأَلْقَابِ بِئْسَ الاِسْمُ الْفُسُوقُ بَعْدَ الْإِيمَانِ وَمَن لَّمْ يَتُبْ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ (11:49)

And do not defame one another, nor call one another with bad names. After embracing faith, even the name of disobedience is bad. [Repent from this] and [remember] those who do not repent from this are indeed wrongdoers. (49:11)

(5) Backbiting:

People who are guilty of backbiting are chided that it is a heinous sin. In comparison, it is no less than eating the flesh of one’s deceased brother. Eating the flesh of the dead in itself is a detestable act, and if that flesh is of one’s brother, how can a person like to eat it? A little deliberation shows that also depicted in this description is a picture of his helplessness in self-defence. After presenting this simile, the Qur’an has posed the question that if a person is not willing to tolerate such a thing then how can he tolerate such a despicable and dreadful practice as backbiting. Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi writes:

… backbiting means speaking about the flaws of a person in his absence. The fact that this is done in his absence incorporates in the very meaning of backbiting the aspect that the targeted person does not get to know of it. In pursuance of keeping it secret, a backbiter gives his statements before people who hold the same opinion and are his confidants sharing the objective with him or at least are people about whom he is sure that they are not the ones who sympathize with the person he is targeting and will not reveal this secret to him.[8]

If one analyzes backbiting, one can see that hidden behind it is arrogance and conceit of a person which induces him to humiliate and disgrace others. Consequently, the Almighty has forbidden us from it and said that everyone must fear His Lord in this matter:

وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيمٌ (12:49)

And no one among you should indulge in backbiting others. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? So you would dislike it. [Repent from this practice] and have fear of God. Indeed, God is Ever-Forgiving and Ever-Merciful. (49:12)

Importance of Ten Commandments of Quran w.r.t the Person’s Accountability :

Like the Ten Commandments of the Torah, these are the ten commandments of the Quran. All morals are a corollary of these commandments. What the Almighty has regarded as great sins and acts of vulgarity (Quran, 42:37; 53:32) emerge from disobeying these directives. The Quran unequivocally states that people can be punished for this disobedience in the Hereafter. Thus every Muslim should remain cautious about it. The following three things should remain in consideration in this regard.

Firstly, if the disobedience is unintentional, God will not hold a person accountable. His law is that if a person commits a misdeed unintentionally, He will not punish him. While stating a directive about adopted sons, the Quran says:

وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ فِيمَا أَخْطَأْتُم بِهِ وَلَكِن مَّا تَعَمَّدَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا (5:33)

And the mistake you have made in this matter shall be forgiven, but in what your hearts make an intention shall not be forgiven. God is Ever-Forgiving and Ever-Merciful. (33:5)

Secondly, if a person is able to abstain from disobeying these directives, then its reward is that his minor sins will be forgiven by the Merciful Lord otherwise all his major and minor sins will be recorded in the register of his deeds and he will have to give their account:

إِن تَجْتَنِبُواْ كَبَآئِرَ مَا تُنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ نُكَفِّرْ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَنُدْخِلْكُم مُّدْخَلاً كَرِيمًا (31:4)

If you abstain from the major sins of what is being prohibited to you, We shall forgive your minor sins and shall make you enter a place of honour. (4:31)

Thirdly, if a person disobeys any of these directives while being overwhelmed with emotions, he should repent and mend his ways. It is essential that he repent as soon as possible. The Almighty has clearly stated in the Quran that He will forgive people who commit a sin while being overwhelmed with emotions if they repent right after it. He will not forgive people who sin all their lives and repent when they see death approaching. Similarly, He will not forgive people who deliberately reject the truth if they continue with this attitude till their death:

إِنَّمَا التَّوْبَةُ عَلَى اللّهِ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السُّوءَ بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ يَتُوبُونَ مِن قَرِيبٍ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ يَتُوبُ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكَانَ اللّهُ عَلِيماً حَكِيماً وَلَيْسَتِ التَّوْبَةُ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ حَتَّى إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَهُمُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ إِنِّي تُبْتُ الآنَ وَلاَ الَّذِينَ يَمُوتُونَ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ أُوْلَـئِكَ أَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا (4: 17-18)

It is incumbent upon God to forgive those who commit a sin while being overwhelmed with emotions and then quickly repent. It is they who are forgiven by God. God is all-knowing and wise. But He will not forgive those who sin all their lives and, when death comes to them, say: “Now I repent!” nor those who die as disbelievers. It is for these that We have prepared a grave punishment. (4:17-18)

In the above verses, the Quran has ascertained two cases in which repentance shall be accepted by the Almighty. After this, one case remains: a person was not able to repent right after his sin; however, he did not delay repentance till his death. In this case, the Quran is silent and in the words of Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi, this silence creates hope as well as fear and the purport of the Quran also seems that one should remain between hope and fear in this case. He says that in spite of this what comes to his mind is the fact that such people would hopefully attain salvation through the intercession of the Prophet (sws) because in their case there is no reason for it to be prohibited.

(Javed Ahmed Ghamidi)

(Translated by Dr. Shehzad Saleem)

______________________________

[1]. Ibid., vol. 4, 502.

[2]. Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih, 54, (nos. 265, 266).

[3]. Ibid., 1144, (no. 6680).

[4]. Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,998, 1029, (nos: 5633, 5635, 5837); Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,923, (nos. 5387, 5388).

[5]. Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,1036, (no. 5892); Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,125, (no. 602). What we have stated above is the correct nature of this counsel from the Prophet (sws); however, people thought that he is giving a directive of lengthening beards and in this way they introduced a thing in religion which has absolutely no connection with it.

[6]. Ibn Majah, Sunan, vol. 4, 186, (no. 3607).

[7]. Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,1020-1021, (no. 5783); Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,933, (no. 5455).

[8]. Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-i Quran, vol. 7, 510.