What is arrogance (kibr) in Islam, and why is it so serious?

The short answer

The Prophet ﷺ defined arrogance as "disdaining the truth" and "contempt for the people", and warned that whoever has even a mustard seed's weight of it in his heart will not enter Paradise. It was the sin of Iblis, who refused to bow and said, "I am better than him."

Evidence 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Explanation

The definition. The Prophet ﷺ said, "He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride shall not enter Paradise." When asked about loving fine clothes, he said that is not it: "Pride is disdaining the truth (out of self-conceit) and contempt for the people" 1. So arrogance has two faces: refusing to accept what is right because of who said it or because it bruises your ego, and looking down on people.

Iblis's arrogance. When Allah commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam, Iblis "refused and was arrogant" 2. His reasoning was pure comparison: "I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay", and he was told, "it is not for you to be arrogant therein" 3.

Why it is so serious. Greatness belongs to Allah alone. In a hadith qudsi, Allah says that glory and majesty are His garments, and "He who contends with Me in regard to them I shall torment him" 4. The Quran says plainly, "Indeed, He does not like the arrogant" 5, and the Prophet ﷺ described the people of Hell as "violent, arrogant and stubborn" 6. The home of the Hereafter is for "those who do not desire exaltedness upon the earth" 7.

Signs to check in yourself:

  • Do I find it hard to say "I was wrong", especially to someone younger or less educated?
  • Do I dismiss advice because of who is giving it?
  • Do I treat people differently by wealth, race, looks or status?
  • Do I walk, talk or post in a way meant to make others feel small 8?

The cure is to know Allah's greatness and your own need of Him, to serve others, and to accept the truth wherever it comes from. The related answer on humility gives practical steps.

The evidence

  1. 1
    Hadith Sahih Muslim 91
    Sahih Muslim

    A mustard seed of pride keeps one from Paradise; pride is disdaining truth and despising people.

    It Is narrated on the authority of Abdullah b. Mas'ud that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), observed:He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride shall not enter Paradise. A person (amongst his hearers) said: Verily a person loves that his dress should be fine, and his shoes should be fine. He (the Holy Prophet) remarked: Verily, Allah is Graceful and He loves Grace. Pride is disdaining the truth (out of self-conceit) and contempt for the people

    العربية

    وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ دِينَارٍ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ حَمَّادٍ، - قَالَ ابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ حَمَّادٍ، - أَخْبَرَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبَانَ بْنِ تَغْلِبَ، عَنْ فُضَيْلٍ الْفُقَيْمِيِّ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ النَّخَعِيِّ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ لاَ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ مِنْ كِبْرٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ رَجُلٌ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَكُونَ ثَوْبُهُ حَسَنًا وَنَعْلُهُ حَسَنَةً ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ جَمِيلٌ يُحِبُّ الْجَمَالَ الْكِبْرُ بَطَرُ الْحَقِّ وَغَمْطُ النَّاسِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  2. 2
    Quran Al-Baqara · 2:34

    Iblis refused to prostrate, was arrogant and became of the disbelievers.

    وَإِذۡ قُلۡنَا لِلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ ٱسۡجُدُواْ لِأٓدَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِبۡلِيسَ أَبَىٰ وَٱسۡتَكۡبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ ۝٣٤

    And [mention] when We said to the angels, "Prostrate before Adam"; so they prostrated, except for Iblees. He refused and was arrogant and became of the disbelievers

  3. 3
    Quran Al-A'raaf · 7:12–13

    Iblis claimed he was better than Adam, and was expelled for his arrogance.

    قَالَ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَلَّا تَسۡجُدَ إِذۡ أَمَرۡتُكَۖ قَالَ أَنَا۠ خَيۡرࣱ مِّنۡهُ خَلَقۡتَنِي مِن نَّارࣲ وَخَلَقۡتَهُۥ مِن طِينࣲ‏ ۝١٢ قَالَ فَٱهۡبِطۡ مِنۡهَا فَمَا يَكُونُ لَكَ أَن تَتَكَبَّرَ فِيهَا فَٱخۡرُجۡ إِنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰغِرِينَ ۝١٣

    12 [Allah] said, "What prevented you from prostrating when I commanded you?" [Satan] said, "I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay 13 [Allah] said, "Descend from Paradise, for it is not for you to be arrogant therein. So get out; indeed, you are of the debased

  4. 4
    Hadith Sahih Muslim 2620
    Sahih Muslim

    Glory and majesty belong to Allah; whoever contends with Him in them will be punished.

    Abu Sa'id Khudri and Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said: Glory is His lower garment and Majesty is His cloak and (Allah says, ) He who contends with Me in regard to them I shall torment him

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ الأَزْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ حَفْصِ بْنِ غِيَاثٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ أَبِي مُسْلِمٍ الأَغَرِّ، أَنَّهُ حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، وَأَبِي، هُرَيْرَةَ قَالاَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ الْعِزُّ إِزَارُهُ وَالْكِبْرِيَاءُ رِدَاؤُهُ فَمَنْ يُنَازِعُنِي عَذَّبْتُهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  5. 5
    Quran An-Nahl · 16:23

    Allah does not like the arrogant.

    لَا جَرَمَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعۡلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعۡلِنُونَۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُسۡتَكۡبِرِينَ ۝٢٣

    Assuredly, Allah knows what they conceal and what they declare. Indeed, He does not like the arrogant

  6. 6
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 4918
    Sahih Bukhari

    The people of the Fire are the violent, arrogant and stubborn.

    Narrated Haritha bin Wahb Al-Khuza`i:I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying. "May I tell you of the people of Paradise? Every weak and poor obscure person whom the people look down upon but his oath is fulfilled by Allah when he takes an oath to do something. And may I inform you of the people of the Hell-Fire? They are all those violent, arrogant and stubborn people

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ مَعْبَدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ حَارِثَةَ بْنَ وَهْبٍ الْخُزَاعِيَّ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِأَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ كُلُّ ضَعِيفٍ مُتَضَعِّفٍ لَوْ أَقْسَمَ عَلَى اللَّهِ لأَبَرَّهُ، أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِأَهْلِ النَّارِ كُلُّ عُتُلٍّ جَوَّاظٍ مُسْتَكْبِرٍ ‏"‏‏.‏

  7. 7
    Quran Al-Qasas · 28:83

    The Hereafter is for those who do not desire exaltedness on the earth or corruption.

    تِلۡكَ ٱلدَّارُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةُ نَجۡعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوࣰّ ا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا فَسَادࣰ اۚ وَٱلۡعَٰقِبَةُ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ ۝٨٣

    That home of the Hereafter We assign to those who do not desire exaltedness upon the earth or corruption. And the [best] outcome is for the righteous

  8. 8
    Quran Luqman · 31:18

    Do not turn your cheek in contempt toward people or walk exultantly; Allah does not like the boastful.

    وَلَا تُصَعِّرۡ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمۡشِ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مَرَحًاۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخۡتَالࣲ فَخُورࣲ‏ ۝١٨

    And do not turn your cheek [in contempt] toward people and do not walk through the earth exultantly. Indeed, Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful

This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-24

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