Humility and arrogance: the cards as text
Akhlaq. Draft written with AI help: awaiting scholar review.
- Card 1
In the Qur'an's telling, the first sin was not doubt. It was pride.
- Card 2
The one who would not bow
God commanded the angels to bow to Adam. Iblis refused: "I am better than him; You created me from fire and him from clay." In the Qur'an's telling, the first fall came from pride, not ignorance.
- Card 3
Qur'an 7:12
قَالَ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَلَّا تَسۡجُدَ إِذۡ أَمَرۡتُكَۖ قَالَ أَنَا۠ خَيۡرࣰ مِّنۡهُ خَلَقۡتَنِي مِن نَّارࣲ وَخَلَقۡتَهُۥ مِن طِينࣲ ١٢
12 Allah said, “What prevented you from prostrating when I ordered you?” He said, “I am better than him; You created me from fire and created him from clay.”
- Card 4
Lesson: In the Qur'an's telling, the first sin was looking down on someone.
- Card 5
Walking gently
If pride is looking down on others, what does its opposite look like? The Qur'an describes God's servants as those who walk on the earth gently. When the ignorant speak to them harshly, they answer with peace.
- Card 6
Qur'an 25:63
وَعِبَادُ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَمۡشُونَ عَلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ هَوۡنࣱا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ ٱلۡجَٰهِلُونَ قَالُواْ سَلَٰمࣱا ٦٣
63 The slaves of the Most Compassionate are those who walk on earth humbly, and when the ignorant address them, they only say words of peace;
- Card 7
Lesson: The Qur'an's humble servants answer harshness with peace.
- Card 8
An atom of pride
The Prophet warned that no one with an atom's weight of arrogance in their heart enters Paradise. A man asked about liking fine clothes. The answer: God is beautiful and loves beauty; arrogance is rejecting truth and looking down on people.
- Card 9
Lesson: Arrogance, in this hadith, is rejecting truth and looking down on people, not loving beauty.
- Card 10
Reflect: How did the Prophet define arrogance?
Answer: Rejecting the truth and looking down on people. Rejecting the truth and looking down on people. Liking beauty is not arrogance.
- Card 11
The end of Humility and arrogance.