If the previous chapter praised humility, this one names its opposite and warns against it without flinching. The Arabic title pairs al-kibr, arrogance, with al-ijab, being impressed with oneself. The Prophet gives kibr a precise definition here so we do not confuse it with simply enjoying good things: it is rejecting the truth and looking down on people.
Read these hadith as a series of warnings about where pride leads. An atom's weight of it bars Jannah, it can harden into ruin that even punishes the body, and Allah claims greatness and pride as belonging to Him alone. Notice that the arrogant are repeatedly placed among the people of the Fire, while Jannah is described as the home of the weak and the humble.
Hadith 611
'Abdullah bin Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن عبد الله بن مسعود رضي الله عنه عن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: “لا يدخل الجنة من كان في قلبه مثقال ذرة من كبر” فقال رجل” إن الرجل يحب أن يكون ثوبه حسناً ونعله حسناً؟ قال: “إن الله جميل يحب الجمال الكبر بطر الحق وغمط الناس” ((رواه مسلم)).
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "He who has, in his heart, an ant's weight of arrogance will not enter Jannah." Someone said: "A man likes to wear beautiful clothes and shoes?" Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Allah is Beautiful, He loves beauty. Arrogance means ridiculing and rejecting the Truth and despising people." [Muslim].
In plain words
Even the tiniest amount of arrogance keeps a person out of Paradise; and since loving beautiful things is not arrogance, the Prophet defined real arrogance as rejecting truth and looking down on people.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 611 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 611
Hadith 612
Salamah bin Al-Akwa' (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن سلمه بن الأكوع رضي الله عنه أن رجلاً أكل عند رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بشماله، فقال: “كل بيمينك” قال: لا أستطيع! قال: “لا اتسطعت” ما منعه إلا الكبر. قال: فما رفعه إلى فيه”. ((رواه مسلم)).
A man ate in the presence of Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with his left hand. He (ﷺ) said, "Eat with your right hand." He said: "I cannot." Thereupon he (the Prophet (ﷺ)) said, "May you never be able to do that." It was arrogance that prevented him from doing it, and he could not raise it (the right hand) up to his mouth afterwards. [Muslim].
In plain words
A man refused, out of pride, the Prophet's instruction to eat with his right hand, and was left unable to raise that hand again, a warning of where stubborn arrogance can lead.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 612 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 612
Hadith 613
Harithah bin Wahab (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن حارثة بن وهب رضي الله عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: ألا أخبركم بأهل النار؟: كل عتل جواظ مستكبر” ((متفق عليه)). وتقدم شرحه في باب ضعفة المسلمين.
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Shall I not inform you about the inmates of Hell? It is every violent, impertinent and proud person." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
The Prophet identified the people of Hell as those who are harsh, overbearing, and full of pride.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 613 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 613
Hadith 614
Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبى سعيد رضي الله عنه، عن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: “احتجت الجنة والنار، فقالت النار: في الجبارون والمتكبرون، وقالت الجنة: في ضعفاء الناس ومساكينهم. فقضى الله بينهما: إنك الجنة رحمتي، أرحم بك من أشاء، وإنك النار عذابي أعذب بك من أشاء ولكليكما علي ملؤها” ((رواه مسلم)).
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "There was a dispute between Hell and Jannah, and Hell said: 'The haughty and proud are in me.' The Jannah said: 'In me are the weak and the humble.' Thereupon Allah, the Exalted, judged between them saying: 'You the Jannah are My Mercy, and through you I shall show mercy to those whom I wish.' (And addressing the Hell) He said: 'You are My punishment to punish whom I wish amongst My slaves, and each one of you will have its fill."' [Muslim].
In plain words
In a description of Hell and Paradise, the proud are linked with the Fire while the weak and humble belong to Paradise, which Allah calls His mercy.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 614 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 614
Hadith 615
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبى هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: “لا ينظر الله يوم القيامة إلى من جر إزاره بطراً” ((متفق عليه))
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will not look at him who trails his lower garment out of pride." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
Trailing one's garment out of pride is so serious that, on the Day of Resurrection, Allah will not look upon the one who does it.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 615 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 615
Hadith 616
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: “ثلاثة لا يكلمهم الله يوم القيامة، ولايزكيهم، ولا ينظر إليهم ، ولهم عذاب أليم: شيخ زان وملك كذاب، وعائل مستكبر” ((رواه مسلم))
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "There are three (types of) people to whom Allah will not speak on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them, nor look at them, and they will have a painful punishment. These are: An aged man who commits Zina (illicit sexual act), a ruler who lies, and a proud poor person." [Muslim].
In plain words
Among those Allah will refuse to speak to, purify, or look upon on the Last Day is a poor person who is nonetheless arrogant, showing pride is condemned even without wealth.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 616 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 616
Hadith 617
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: “قال الله عز وجل: العز إزاري والكبرياء ردائي، فمن ينازعني في واحد منهما فقد عذبته” ((رواه مسلم)).
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Allah, the Exalted, says: 'Honour is My Izar and Pride is My Cloak. Whoever vies with Me regarding one of them, shall be tormented."' [Muslim].
In plain words
Allah describes honour and pride as belonging to Him alone, and warns that whoever competes with Him over them will be punished.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 617 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 617
Hadith 618
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال:"بينما رجل يمشى في حلة تعجبه نفسه، مرجل رأسه، يختال في مشيته، إذ خسف الله به، فهو يتجلجل في الأرض إلى يوم القيامة” ((متفق عليه)).
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "While a man was walking, dressed in clothes admiring himself, his hair combed, walking haughtily when Allah caused the earth to swallow him. Now he will continue to go down in it (as a punishment) until the Day of Resurrection." [Muslim].
In plain words
A man who walked in self-admiring vanity was swallowed by the earth, a vivid warning against strutting through life full of pride.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 618 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 618
Hadith 619
Salamah bin Al-Akwa' (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن سلمه بن الأكوع رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: “لا يزال الرجل يذهب بنفسه حتى يكتب في الجبارين، فيصيبه ما أصابهم” ((رواه الترمذي وقال: حديث حسن. ((“يذهب بنفسه” أى: يرتفع ويتكبر)).
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Man continues to display haughtiness and arrogance until he is recorded among the arrogant and will be therefore afflicted with what afflicts them." [At- Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hadith Hasan].
In plain words
Persisting in arrogance and haughtiness gets a person recorded among the arrogant, so that they share in the punishment that befalls such people.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 619 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 619