Arrogance laws in Islam

 Arrogance, or Sombong is important for humans. Even books on ethics encourage arrogance. Humility can be more destructive because the actual talent of a member in the team is not known.

So it is not surprising that the actual teachings of Islam as written in the Qur'an and clarified by the hadith encourage arrogance. Of course there are many types of arrogances.

The example of the angels and iblis, mentioning that they are superior to humans in terms of obedience and nature of being are correct, not false. It is still a form of arrogance in front of Allah. And yet, they were not reprimanded by Allah.

It means that, self described arrogance in true facts is acceptable but not encouraged so the rule is harus. If you are arrogant in true but unjustified things, you do not commit any sin but you do not get any reward also.

Allah then gave knowledge to humans and it made humans superior to the angels and iblis. The angels obeyed but not iblis. Once shown additional facts, overriding the facts known to the angels and iblis, iblis still refused to honour humans as being superior to him. This made iblis a sinful being. This is stupid arrogance. Also proof of the humiliation arrogance because, humans just cannot be superior to iblis, thus humiliating humans unjustly.

The hadith mentioned another arrogance in beauty. It is a form of arrogance because Prophet Muhammad responded to the query if wearing beautiful clothes is the forbidden arrogance. Prophet Muhammad clearly stated in the negative by saying that Allah loves beautiful things. Things that Allah like are therefore allowed and even desired. Things like knowledge, physical strength, wealth, beautiful faces, textures and smells. If you are arrogant in these desirable things, you will also be rewarded. There is no sin committed if you are not arrogant in the things that Allah desire.

Which leads to the question if you still get rewards if you are hiding your knowledge. You still have rewards of course, but you do not get the reward of arrogance. But worse, many verses of the Qur'an clearly stated that Iman/ Faith is only true once tested. Similarly for knowledge. How could you be sure that your knowledge is true if nobody else knows about them so that they can comment on them.

So without arrogance, reward in knowledge and other desirable things will not be certified by Allah. Show them first, i.e. be arrogant first, for Allah to reward you. This is the message of the hadith.

Many ulamas forbid all types of arrogances because there are hadiths that just mention arrogance without elaborating the type of arrogance. These hadith verses cannot be used to override the detailed hadith and even the Qur'an.