There are certain things that the Prophet (SAW) did and if we do them, it counts as Sunnah and we get reward for them but there are other things that the Prophet (SAW) did but we cannot call them Sunnah exclusively and hope to get reward for it. For example, praying the Ar-Rawatib (sunnahs associated with Fard prayers) would be Sunnah for us and we would get reward for doing so because it is a religious act. Some people think that when they wear the amamah (turban) or eat with their fingers or on the floor, they are acting upon the Sunnah but that is not so. The turban was simply a part of the Prophet (SAW)’s culture, it was not a religious practice. Also, he (SAW) ate with his fingers and on the floor simply because dining tables and utensils weren’t available at the time. European nobles later started eaing on tables and it was kinda like a royal thing. But today, it is quite common to eat on dining tables and with utensils, etc. However, if it becomes a show of pride or arrogance, then I agree with you that it should be avoided. Also, about patched clothes, they simply wore those because they were poor and they didn’t have clothes. It is the sunnah to be dressed in a humble yet dignified manner. Ostentatious display of humility by going out with a shaggy appearance can be a sign of showing off as I read in an article by a sheikh. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1JFpeVHBJY (please see video desc.) But yes, arrogance should not stop a person from wearing ‘low-quality’ or ‘patched-up’ clothes if there is a necessity.
In regards to the educated vs. uneducated, hijabi vs. non-hijabi, I agree with you sister. I myself fell into that trap before as do many people. May Allah (SWT) forgive all of our sins and make us His humble and sincere, believing slaves and grant us Jannatul-Firdaus. Ameen.

Imam Al Shafi’ee, raheematullah, said that manhood consists of four pillars:

1. Worship
2. Generosity
3. Good Manners
4. Humility

He also said that if someone studies Qur’an then this person gains high spiritual status. If this person studies fiqh then then this person becomes noble. If this person studies language and languages then this knowledge can make the person well-mannered. The studying of mathematics help a person to gain unerring judgement, while those who love to write may gain powerful logic.

The more we learn the humbler we become because a little knowledge can make a person feel arrogant and load, but as more knowledge increases the more the humility increases and pride decreases. Insha’Allah.

Jazakumullahu Khairan readers, for your input and feedback.
May Allah indeed make us among the ones who have not even one iota of arrogance in our hearts when we die. Ameen.

One aspect which I missed mentioning in the article is the arrogance that pious people become a victim of. When a person becomes very knowledgeable in Islam, perhaps climbing to the status of scholar/da’ee/aalim, writes several books and preserves a vast sea of ilm/knowledge in his heart, has thousands of students, and leads prayer in mosques — such a person can also be targeted by Satan in that he might start thinking he is above or better than the rest, or more guided, or that his school of thought regarding jurisprudence, or his fatawa are always the most correct.

Pious people also tend to look down upon people who dress in a certain so-called “sinful” way, or who might be known to do the party circuit, perhaps with drugs and drinking. Hence, trying to tread Sirat Al-Mustqeem is not a surefire way of saying that arrogance won’t enter one’s heart. Rather, one needs to constantly be on the lookout for this vice, lest it has affected one unknowingly.

Allah is the Source of Knowledge.

JazakAllah Khair

Masha’Allah, how true are these words!! :) BarakAllahu Feeki!

When I see arrogant people, I feel pity for them. Bragging about a race they had no hand in choosing, or a tribe, family name, etc. SubhanAllah, I just think to myself, how big are these people (in their own minds) in this dunya, they abuse and oppress others and look down on them, and how SMALL will these same people be on Qiyamah? How much regret will they feel when those that they oppressed will come to take their good deeds and possibly also ‘transfer’ their sins to them?

Ya Rabb, cure our hearts, words and actions from kibr and make us from the humble, sincere Muslims, ameen!

Mashaallah! Jazakumallahu khairaa sister .

salaam

I have heard of a couple of Hadith that went something like this :
1. that our beloved prophet Muhammad SAWS was once served food on something that was just a little elevated off the floor, and his face turned red with anger.

2. that 4 habits of the time of Jahiliyyah would be in his Ummah, one of them being taking pride in lineage.

3. that they used to wear ‘patched’ clothes, and so occasionally wearing old clothes that are patched up would be sunnah for us.

If somebody can paste the actual hadith concerning these issues, i think we could all learn a lesson or two from them.

One more kind of arrogance that we see so often is that a lot of people treat less ‘intellectual’ or articulate people like trash, even their own parents who maybe don’t speak/act the way ‘educated’ people do. A lot of times people make their own ‘cliques’, and anybody who is an outsider is looked down upon, even when it comes to the often-witnessed issue of bearded v/s non-bearded or hijabis/non-hijabis, or even wearing un-fashionable beards/jilbabs/hijabs, and it becomes so second-nature, that unless someone explicitly reminds us (like this post)that what we are doing is wrong, we wouldn’t ever even realise it. May Allah cleanse our hearts and our souls, and make us all people of ‘jannati’ character.