Paying full attention to what even an unimportant person says

Paying full attention to what even an unimportant person says

1991 4 April 8 Paying full attention to what even an unimportant person says (91) Abu Rafa’a Tameem ibn Usyad says that he came from his own land to see the Prophet. “He was giving a sermon when I arrived. I told him that I was a travelling man, and did not know much about religion. ‘I have come to hear about it from you,’ I said. The Prophet forgot about his sermon, and came towards me. He sat down next to me, and started telling me about what God had revealed to him. After he had finished, he went back and completed his sermon.”

(Muslim)

Pride and Polytheism

1991 4 April 8 Pride and Polytheism (279) “God will not forgive those who associate other gods with Him; but He will forgive whom he will for other sins. He that associates other gods with Him is guilty of a heinous sin.” (The Qur’an 4:48)

Abdullah ibn Masood has narrated that the Prophet said: “He who has even one iota of pride in him will not enter paradise.” When asked what pride was, he replied: “To ignore the truth and despise other people.”

The most unnatural thing in this world – being against the facts – is to place some person or thing on a higher plane of greatness than the Almighty. In the eyes of God, there can be no greater crime. When a man regards himself as great, he commits the sin of pride. And when he regards something or someone else as great he commits the sin of polytheism.

The realization of the greatness of God demolishes all other greatness, including one’s own. Polytheism implies the association of something other than God with greatness, while pride implies one’s own sense of superiority.

The present world is a word of trial. That is why all kinds of people have been given the opportunity to live here. But the world of the Hereafter is an ideal world. It is only those who have proved their ability to live at the level of facts in the present world of trial, who will find an honourable place there. To live in the world of pride and polytheism is to live in an abyss of non-reality. That is why those who live lives of pride and polytheism will be considered undeserving of a place in the eternal world of the Hereafter.