Surah Al-A'raaf: Verse 146 - سأصرف عن آياتي الذين يتكبرون... - English

Commentary

The verse 146 spoke of the arrogant people as showing arrogance unjustly. The word without truth or unjustly indicates that assuming arrogance in response to the arrogant people is a justified act, since it is the act of arrogance in appearance, and not in reality. It is a known dictum: اَلتَّکَبُّرُ مَعَ المُتَّکبِّرِینَ تواضُعُ "Showing arrogance to the arrogant is an act of humbleness". (Masail as-Suluk).

The effects of Arrogance

By saying, "I shall keep away from My verses those who show arrogance," the verse implies that the people who have an offensive sense of superiority over others are deprived of knowledge and understanding. They are rendered incapable of benefitting themselves from the signs of Allah. The term 'Signs of Allah', may have a reference to the revealed verses of the Torah, Evangel and the Qur'an, as well as to the signs inherent in all the things of the heavens and the earth. The false sense of superiority is, therefore, the worst habit which keeps man away from deliberations in the signs of Allah and getting awareness of the truth.

We find it stated in Ruh-al-Bayan that arrogance is such a wicked habitude as raises a wall between man and the knowledge from Allah. Since divine knowledge comes only through the mercy of Allah, and the mercy of Allah visits those who are humble. The spiritual leader Sheikh Rumi has said:

ھر کجا آب پستی آب آنجا رود ھر کجا مشکل جواب آنجا رود

"Water flows down towards the slope, and solution goes where difficulty appears."

Arrogant People will be deprived of Allah's Ayat

Allah said,

(I shall turn away from My Ayat those who behave arrogantly on the earth, without a right). Allah says, "I shall deprive the hearts of those who are too proud to obey Me, and arrogant with people without right, from understanding the signs and proofs that testify to My Might, Law and Commandments." And just as they acted arrogantly without justification, Allah has disgraced them with ignorance. Allah said in another Ayah,

(And We shall turn their hearts and their eyes away (from guidance), as they refused to believe therein for the first time) 6:110, and,

(So when they turned away (from the path of Allah), Allah turned their hearts away (from the right path).) 61:5 Sufyan bin `Uyaynah commented on this Ayah,

(I shall turn away from My Ayat those who behave arrogantly on the earth, without a right), "(Allah says) I shall snatch away comprehension of the Qur'an from them and turn them away from My Ayat. " Ibn Jarir commented on Sufyan's statement that, "This indicates that this part of the Ayah is addressed to this Ummah." This is not necessarily true, for Ibn `Uyaynah actually meant that this occurs in every Ummah and that there is no difference between one Ummah and another Ummah in this regard. Allah knows best. Allah said next,

(and (even) if they see all the Ayat, they will not believe in them). Allah said in a similar Ayah,

(Truly, those, against whom the Word (wrath) of your Lord has been justified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come to them, until they see the painful torment.) 10:96-97 Allah's statement,

(And if they see the way of righteousness, they will not adopt it as the way,) means, even if the way of guidance and safety appears before them, they will not take it, but if the way that leads to destruction and misguidance appears to them, they adopt that way. Allah explains why they do this,

(that is because they have rejected Our Ayat), in their hearts,

(and were heedless of them.), gaining no lessons from the Ayat. Allah's statement,

(Those who deny Our Ayat and the meeting in the Hereafter, vain are their deeds.) indicates that whoever among them does this, remaining on this path until death, then all his deeds will be in vain. Allah said next,

(Are they requited with anything except what they used to do) meaning, `We only recompense them according to the deeds that they performed, good for good and evil for evil. Surely, as you bring forth, you reap the harvest thereof.'