Condemnation of Pride and Self-Conceit
Abdullah bin Mas`ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "He who has, in his heart, an ant's weight of arrogance will not enter Jannah.'' Someone said: "A man likes to wear beautiful clothes and shoes?'' Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Allah is Beautiful, He loves beauty. Arrogance means ridiculing and rejecting the Truth and despising people.'' [Muslim]. This Hadith says that a man who has even an iota of pride in his heart will be barred from entering Jannah. The Hadith word used for the smallest amount means in Arabic either the smallest ant or the particle which is radiated by sun-rays and seen through a wall-chink. Obviously, such a particle has almost a non-existent amount, but even this much is disapproved by Allah. If pride incites a man to deny the existence of Allah and His Revelation, he is sure to be thrown into Hell. He also faces Divine displeasure and the danger of infernal fire if mere consideration of riches, physical beauty, social and intellectual prominence and family status makes him proud and self-conceited and he looks down upon others, or persists in the denial of Truth. First he will receive punishment and only then will be admitted into Jannah. A good dress, however, is not counted the sign of pride.
Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "There was a dispute between Hell and Jannah, and Hell said: `The haughty and proud are in me.' The Jannah said: `In me are the weak and the humble.' Thereupon Allah, the Exalted, judged between them saying: `You the Jannah are My Mercy, and through you I shall show mercy to those whom I wish.' (And addressing the Hell) He said: `You are My punishment to punish whom I wish amongst My slaves, and each one of you will have its fill.'''
[Muslim]. This Hadith warns us against haughtiness and pride and urges us to observe modesty and humility. Jannah and Hell - two otherworldly phenomena - have been called as the manifestations of Allah's Mercy and punishment. True, only the Will of Allah prevails everywhere but the decision to send a man either to Jannah or to Hell will not be taken capriciously. Rather set Divine rules will be working behind it. Allah, will place some people in Jannah due to their good deeds; similarly he will place some people in Hell due to their bad deeds. Allah does not wrong anyone.
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will not look at him who trails his lower garment out of pride.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. Here Allah's refusal to see an arrogant man means the restraint of the flow of His Grace towards him. Instead of Allah's Mercy, His Wrath will smite the arrogant. The garment which man wears to cover the lower half of his body is called Izar in Arabic. Hence pyjamas, trousers, Shalwar and Tahband will be taken as Izar. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) has emphatically said that Izar should remain above the ankle of men as its dragging down signifies arrogance. Indeed it displays the attitude of the haughty whose grim fate can be seen in this Hadith.