format_quote Originally Posted by
~Zaria~
Brother, the views expressed previously are a personal view-point.
As is that, which is mentioned in the article posted by brother Muhammad, and as is your own.
And that is completely acceptable, except if you don't imply this which you haven't. If one doesn't imply that their opinions on pride are simply random thoughts on it, it means that they're assuming the person needs help with it. On the other hand, pride itself is not evil. Of course it is unreasonable for a person to be proud on purpose.
This is a public forum, and it is a platform to express our individual thoughts on different subjects freely, without being made to feel that they are 'uncalled-for and unnecessary'.
Okay. So ones approach may be better than another persons?
If the topic maker seemed to need help because of obviously coming off excessively proud or unnecessarily proud as seems to be what is emphasized by several posters. Or as in some extreme cases, if they came off as a boasting ingrate.
At that point your teachings would be almost flawless. Because you should distinguish pride into all that it can be. There are moments when a woman or man may become proud automatically, seeing how corrupted other individuals may be, they then feel proud. But if a woman says she is proud, there is also a very high chance that she is really trying to indicate that viewers need to take that as a sign that she is not to be manipulated.
In islam, we often encounter differences of opinion, and unless they are in contradiction to Quraan and sunnah, we are encouraged to respect these differences.
Thank you for the teachings on Islam. May Almighty Allah increase the knowledge of all reasonable viewers.
If we all thought in the same manner on all topics, then there will be no need to have any discussions (because everyone will be having exactly the same viewpoints).
Of course, but at least that isn't the problem on this topic. No one said we should think the same nor are we doing it.
My personal teaching has always been to distance oneself from all aspects of pride (This is not to say that we adopt a 'victim' position when we portray our deen to others).
The examples presented in the article above have been described in terms of 'pride for the deen' by the author.
However, when I read the same examples, I view it as a state of absolute submission to Allah (rather than pride) that is being portrayed by the prophet (sallalahu alaihi wasalam) and the sahaba (ra).
It is a good reminder that pride can easily come off wrong, to be careful about it and so on. But that is something one should only remind someone about if it is appropriate for the given situation. Otherwise, one could use deeper reasoning and judgement and warn people for simply coming off mean/egotistical/foolish/evil/annoying. That would be a never-ending full time job.
I am not aware of any ahadith that directly encourages any form of pride.
And neither do any of the recommended zikrullah include such a manner.
That would be bad, as mentioned above, pride can go many different ways, and a few of them are completely acceptable. There is nothing to encourage about it, that is like saying "laugh for no reason, it's good for you".
In fact, if I were to repeat to myself: 'I am proud to be a muslim' often enough, I can feel a very different effect on my heart than if I were to place all praise outwardly upon Allah and say: 'I am completely grateful to be a muslim. I am such a sinful slave; I am not even worthy of such an honor.'
Those would obviously be insane or experimental characteristics repeating to oneself that they are proud, or even if they say it for any specific reason outside of perfect situations. Like smiling or laughing, do you do it if you shouldn't? It still wouldn't be too bad depending on whether it was uncalled-for/irritating or worse.
What was meant by "experimental characteristics" is that people may read about some "Law of Attraction" nonsense which may teach that repeating that phrase will bring them success.
One would and should always feel completely different between such behavior and the glorification of Almighty God's praises.
But on the other hand, as you are teaching others, there is a lot of potential that someone can be dumb enough to assume being proud in general is the way to go. That is just something that hopefully here on this thread isn't a needed advice but a profitable one which it clearly is.
But perhaps this could be due to my own nafs being stronger and my heart being weaker than the rest.
There is no doubt that you seem to be very loving and amazingly smart, your advice about pride is exactly how everyone should feel about it. But it seems that you have misunderstood my point of view.
May Almighty Allah bless you and everyone deserving of blessings.
Peace.