The characteristics of arrogance and its effects in the teachings of Imam Ali (AS)

Master's thesis in the field of Nahj al-Balagha

Abstract:

Since arrogance in the view of Imam Ali (AS) is a product of wrong understanding of the self, neglect of the ultimate goal of human creation, disregard for the power of reason, lack of concern for the transcendental nature, departure from monotheism and negation of God's legislative lordship, and this issue is based on the above principles, narcissism and love of nature, and outburst of instincts and deviation from therefore, the present treatise under the title: "Characteristics of Arrogance and Its Effects in the Teachings of Imam Ali (AS)", while examining the role of instincts and nature in the formation of arrogance and explaining its consequences and effects, with regard to the practical course, political behavior and speech of Amir Mominan, plans strategies for the prevention and treatment of arrogance, based on the teachings of Nahj al-Balaghah, leaving the circle of monotheism and moving in the path of Satan, the main basis for entering Culture is arrogant, and wealth, power, position, even sometimes science and worship are the tools of arrogance. Also, today's human industry and progress and everything that leads people to rebellion and arrogance is the main reason for the appearance of arrogance, individual and social bad morals in this area. The general view of Nahj al-Balagheh on the concept of arrogance is an individual view and in the field of moral issues. With this approach, the result is that arrogance is a moral pest that provides the grounds for the degeneration of man like the devil, although with a broader view, it can be said that arrogance today has other examples such as emerging mysticisms and hegemonic powers. The following treatise has been compiled in a fundamental way, in a library and documentary manner, based on religious and moral texts, with the centrality of the words of the pious master.

Key words: pride, arrogance, Satan, taghut, wonder

Introduction:

Arrogance is one of the words that after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, More than in the past, it received the attention of justice seekers, as from the perspective of the founder of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA), not only colonial governments were examples of arrogance, but in his opinion, whenever a person oppresses his subordinates and humiliates them, he is also arrogant and is subject to the same meaning that is obtained from arrogant.[1] The supreme leader of the revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei, who was the helmsman of the Islamic revolution ship after the death of the Imam, has a special view on the concept of arrogance, and in his view, arrogance is the opposite point of the Islamic system.                           

Indeed, where is the importance of the matter? Why in the religion of Islam, from the beginning until now, there have been so many orders to negate relations with arrogant people? What moral principle was the root of arrogance? Why are some governments oppressive and oppressive? Islam is neither a religion of isolation, nor a domineering one, nor a domineering one. It considers the principle of isolation to be invalid, and it does not endorse domination, and it considers domination to be a shame. Therefore, this sample of questions prompted us to join the Amir of the Faithful and examine the roots of arrogance and its causes and contexts from his point of view, and discuss how the Prophet dealt with the arrogance of our time in order to set an example.                                                                  . Arrogance is the infinitive of passiveness and is from the root of arrogance, which is one of the moral vices, which is the main basis for man's fall into the abyss of many sensualities and the main axis of man's deviation from humanity and the predominance of material and animal dimensions in man. And this term in religious literature has been the opinion of many researchers to assess and examine the roots and consequences of this moral scourge in the individual and social spheres. And even in the transcendental thought of Ahl al-Bayt, this issue has been paid attention to on a large scale, as in Alavi culture. Pride is mentioned as the root of many religious and political deviations in the individual and social spheres, and pride has been interpreted as submissiveness to self and self-love, as Imam Ali (a.s.) introduces Satan as the leader of the fanatics and the head of the arrogant dynasty, and he says: Whoever steps in his path will undoubtedly become a prisoner of the insurgence of animal instincts. And also, in the word of God, more than any word, it is recommended to avoid arrogance and its derivatives, and Satan is introduced as the manifestation of pride in the door of the Almighty.        The teachings of Nahj al-Balagheh, as the words of the spoken Qur'an, like the words of God, have different layers of knowledge that anyone can take advantage of according to their understanding and tact. Just as Imam Ali's view on the concept of arrogance has upper and lower layers, and the deeper we think about it, the more precise concepts and deeper teachings we get.Paying attention to the concept of arrogance in Imam's words is not an exception to this rule, and it seems that a new approach to this concept will lead us to more important knowledge. The view that the author of this treatise is looking for is an in-depth view to get a full and sufficient benefit, not on the mustache of the predecessors who were satisfied with the literal and sometimes idiomatic meaning of this important thing. According to the author, in the thought of Imam Ali (AS), arrogance can be considered as the meaning of all tyrannical, rebellious and overbearing governments in the international arena and the world today, as well as all new mysticisms and schools that have arrogantly stepped on the path of rebellion, such as satanism and so on. They are rooted in this moral vice, and the foundations of Nahj al-Balagha have the capacity to introduce examples of arrogance to us in the present era, so that we can more consciously follow the path of monotheism.                                                                                                                                                                                                            The present treatise is compiled in six chapters, in the first chapter, the general and concepts of this topic are discussed. In the second chapter, the discussion of instincts and their role in the formation of arrogance has been discussed, and based on this, if the instinct of self-love, which is rooted in all instincts, deviates from the path of balance and deviates from the supervision of reason, then a person will become arrogant. Also, if a person's pure nature deviates from its path, it leads to a deviation from the dignity of humanity, and a nature that stops growing and leaves a black mark on itself will suffer from many moral vices, including arrogance. The third chapter mentions the instinctive and acquired aspects of arrogance that make people fall into the abyss of this moral vice, and while examining the characteristics and characteristics of arrogance, Satan Ramsadaq, a prominent example of arrogance, is introduced and his attributes and states and his party are examined, and finally, its worldly and afterlife effects for people to avoid. The fourth chapter presents methods for prevention for those who want to avoid being caught by this disease and describes the scientific and practical ways of treatment so that this moral vice can be cured by using them. The fifth chapter is the chapter of modeling the Prophet's dealings with arrogance, during his reign and before that, and the most correct way to fight arrogance has been proposed by him, as during his lifetime, the Prophet did not take the flag of jihad against disbelief and arrogance from his shoulder for a moment. The sixth chapter is devoted to summarizing the results of the chapters and presenting suggestions. In this treatise, the author has used the Holy Qur'an translated by Mahdi Elahi Qomshei and Nahj al-Balagheh translated by Mohammad Dashti and Faiz al-Islam. 

Arrogance from the point of view of Islamic political culture is the existence of a kind of dominance, domination, colonialism and cultural, political and economic exploitation by a limited, tyrannical and profit-seeking minority over the vast majority of the deprived masses. Therefore, it can be said that arrogance means arrogance and arrogance in all aspects of human life, which is widely seen in the religious literature of Muslims in Quranic verses, and its meaning, from moral arrogance to political arrogance, is all manifested in the Quran and Islamic traditions.                                                                               .                                                                                                                                                           The concept of arrogance in the Alevi culture can be examined and observed in the field of moral and political concepts and in individual and social aspects. What is intended in this treatise is a descriptive and analytical study of the concept of arrogance in the teachings of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and specifically deals with this issue in order to explain the meanings and concepts of arrogance and arrogance in the words of Amir al-Mu'minin by bringing witness examples and applying and adapting the concept to the method of reasoning and inference. (arrogance) as a moral pest underlying human degeneration. Scrutiny in the sources seems to reveal deeper layers of the concept of arrogance, which can be proven by challenging existing research and theories. The practical field of this research is to observe the methods of arrogance in the present era and the methods of combating it as a condition for entering the fence of monotheism and there is no god but God.