Pride in belonging to Islam is required
Fatwa No: 359053

Question

Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh, Shaykhs. Can we Muslims be arrogant given that we are better than the disbelievers, who are the worst of creation while we are the best? Is this type of pride allowed?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

Islam is one of the greatest blessings bestowed upon us; it is the true religion and the only religion which Allah accepts from His slaves. It is required of the Muslim to be mindful of this blessing and to be proud of it. Allah, the Exalted, says, addressing the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam (what means): {Say, "Indeed, my Lord has guided me to a straight path - a correct religion - the way of Ibraaheem (Abraham), inclining toward truth. And he was not among those who associated others with Allah."} [Quran 6:161] Allah, the Exalted, also says, addressing His believing slaves (what means): {So, do not weaken and do not grieve, and you will be superior if you are (true) believers.} [Quran 3:139]

Finding pride in Islam and celebrating one's affiliation to it rather than one's worldly position, status, descent, and the like of worldly sources of pride urge the Muslim to be steadfast on Islam, abide by its teachings and rulings, and call others to it. This pride in no way means feeling arrogant towards others. Arrogance is dispraised. Its essence is underlined in the hadeeth narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah ibn Masʻood, may Allah be pleased with him, in which Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, "Arrogance is to reject the Truth and despise people." [Muslim]

Allah knows best.

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