Pride and Faith

Key Concept: Actual Arrogance

Actual arrogance, like pride and selfishness, can coexist with faith and act as an obstacle to the quality of a believer’s worship. This concept is referenced in the verse:

“Have you seen the one who has taken his desire as his god, and Allah has led him astray despite knowledge?” (Qur’an 45:23)

Selfishness and actual pride can divert a believer from the path of sincere worship. Incorrect comparisons, such as judging others without knowledge of their inner states, exemplify actual arrogance, which diminishes the quality of worship.

Pride and Faith

Pride, meaning absolute refusal and disobedience to the truth, constitutes a level of misfortune incompatible with faith. This trait, attributed to Iblis in the Qur’an, represents complete distancing from reality.

Key Concept: Pride, as the most extreme form of disobedience, is incompatible with faith and represents a state of misfortune.

In the verse:

“But he (Iblis) refused and was arrogant, and he was among the disbelievers.” (Qur’an 2:34)

Pride is mentioned as Iblis’s characteristic in his refusal to prostrate to Adam. This trait not only rejects the truth but actively opposes it. Due to the intensity of disobedience, pride has no place in a believer’s worship, but awareness of it is essential for understanding the obstacles to faith.

The Front of Truth and Falsehood

Disbelief, arrogance against the truth, and pride constitute the front of falsehood, whereas faith and sincerity represent the front of truth. Sincerity, as the higher level, and faith, as the intermediate level, are the main pillars of the front of truth.

Key Concept: The front of truth, centred on sincerity and faith, stands against the front of falsehood (disbelief, arrogance, and pride), and pure worship is meaningful within this confrontation.

This distinction is highlighted in the verse:

“Indeed, We have sent down the Book to you in truth, so worship Allah, having devoted religion purely to Him.” (Qur’an 39:2)

Sincerity, in terms of purity of intention and action, represents a state free from any impurity. This framework provides the basis for understanding the doctrinal and practical confrontations in the Qur’an, placing pure worship at the centre of this alignment.

Possibility of Combining Polytheism with Faith

Polytheism, meaning associating partners with God, can coexist with faith but is incompatible with sincerity. A believer may suffer from hidden polytheism, such as ostentation or attachment to others, while the sincere is free from all forms of polytheism.

Key Concept: Polytheism can coexist with faith, but sincerity is incompatible with it, and pure worship is only realised under the shadow of sincerity.

This is emphasised in the verse:

“Indeed, polytheism is a great injustice.” (Qur’an 31:13)

Even hidden polytheism prevents the full realisation of worship. Hidden polytheism, such as ostentation in worship or fear of others besides God, is common among believers and requires vigilance to eliminate.

Polytheism and Hypocrisy

Polytheism is similar to hypocrisy, except that hypocrisy outwardly shows faith but inwardly conceals disbelief, whereas polytheism has no clear outward or inward sign and can coexist with faith and gratitude. For instance, a believer may worship yet simultaneously practise ostentation.

Key Concept: Unlike hypocrisy, which manifests as the pretense of faith, polytheism can unconsciously infiltrate a believer’s actions.

This concept is illustrated in the verse:

“When the hypocrites come to you, they say, ‘We testify that you are the Messenger of Allah,’ and Allah knows that you are His Messenger, and Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are liars.” (Qur’an 63:1)

Due to its hidden nature, polytheism poses a greater risk for the believer, as it can infiltrate their deeds without awareness.

Doctrinal and Practical Obstacles to Worship

For the realisation of pure worship, a believer must avoid doctrinal obstacles (disbelief, arrogance against the truth, pride) and practical obstacles (ingratitude, actual arrogance, polytheism). Pride, due to its state of misfortune, has no place in a believer’s worship, whereas ingratitude and practical polytheism can reduce the quality of worship.

Key Concept: Pure worship requires distancing from doctrinal obstacles (disbelief and arrogance against the truth) and practical obstacles (ingratitude and polytheism). Pure worship is realised only under the removal of these obstacles with wholehearted attention and complete sincerity.

Ingratitude and Its Effect on Worship

Ingratitude, meaning lack of appreciation for divine blessings, unlike disbelief, can exist in believers and reduce the quality of their worship. Ingratitude includes wastefulness, extravagance, and lack of appreciation towards creation.

Key Concept: Ingratitude, as practical ungratefulness, is common among believers and can diminish the spiritual effects of worship, particularly prayer.

This is mentioned in the verse:

“And when your Lord proclaimed: ‘If you are grateful, I will surely increase you; but if you are ungrateful, indeed My punishment is severe.'” (Qur’an 14:7)

Although it does not harm faith, ingratitude reduces sincerity and thus the full efficacy of worship.

Scientific and Practical Obstacles to Worship

The problems of worship can be divided into practical (ingratitude, actual arrogance, polytheism) and scientific (ignorance of the meanings of the verses and the concepts of worship). Practical issues directly affect the quality of worship, while scientific issues lead to weakness in understanding and knowledge.

Key Concept: A believer’s worship faces practical obstacles (ingratitude and polytheism) and scientific obstacles (ignorance of the meanings of verses), and addressing them requires both behavioural reform and enhancement of religious knowledge.

For example, misunderstanding the meaning of the verse:

“It is You we worship and You we ask for help.” (Qur’an 1:5)

may lead to diminished sincerity in worship. Overcoming these obstacles requires simultaneous attention to correcting practical behaviours and improving religious knowledge.

Polytheism, Hypocrisy, and Social Factors

Polytheism and hypocrisy stem from factors such as fear, ignorance, poverty, and despotism. Despotism in society, by creating pressure and fear, provides conditions that increase polytheism and hypocrisy.

Key Concept: Despotism, by generating fear and pressure, fosters polytheism and hypocrisy in society and hinders the growth of pure faith.

This is emphasised in the verse:

“And We certainly sent to every nation a messenger, [saying], ‘Worship Allah and avoid Taghut.'” (Qur’an 16:36)

Despotism, by limiting freedom of choice, pushes individuals towards hypocrisy and polytheism and prevents the realisation of sincere faith.

Cultural Engineering and Reducing Polytheism

To reduce polytheism and hypocrisy in Islamic society, it is necessary to reduce despotism and create a free space for the growth of sincere faith. This requires designing cultural rules and doctrines that strengthen faith without coercion or fear.

Key Concept: Cultural engineering, by reducing despotism and creating freedom, facilitates the growth of sincere faith and the reduction of polytheism and hypocrisy.

This is emphasised in the verse:

“There is no compulsion in religion; the right way has become distinct from error.” (Qur’an 2:256)

Establishing a society where faith grows freely requires formulas and rules that are not yet fully implemented in many Islamic societies.

The Importance of Reflection on the Qur’an

Reflection on the Qur’an, as the primary source of guidance, is central to religious knowledge. Many scholars in their later years regretted neglecting the Qur’an, as other sciences, such as jurisprudence and philosophy, cannot replace the knowledge of the Qur’an.

Key Concept: Reflection on the Qur’an is the key to understanding religious knowledge, and neglecting it results in weakness in religious comprehension.

This is highlighted in the verse:

“This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah.” (Qur’an 2:2)