Man has been granted the power of hearing, seeing and thinking, so that by using these faculties, he may discover the right path for himself—what is referred to in the Quran as ‘the straight path’ (sirat-e-mustaqim). Deviation from the straight path is a proof of the fact that he did not make proper use of the capabilities granted to him by God. Such a man will be held accountable by God. No excuse whatsoever will be accepted by Him. (30: 57)

Moreover, an important principle of human life is avoidance of arrogance. In this regard the Quran says: “Do not walk with pride on the earth; for behold, God does not love arrogant and boastful people.” (31:18)

This verse of the Quran gives us to understand that arrogance is the source of all evil. By contrast, modesty is the greatest source of all good. According to the Quran, the kind of man desired by God is one who is totally free of arrogance and is a modest person in the full sense.

In the chapter al-Fajr of the Quran, we are told that all the pleasant or unpleasant experiences faced by man occur solely as a means of putting him to the test, but man takes such incidents in a negative manner. Having pleasant experiences causes him to suffer from a superiority complex (akraman), whereas unpleasant experiences give him an inferiority complex (ahanan). (89: 15-16)

According to the Quran, both the above mentioned complexes affect man in an extremely adverse way. The right thing for him to do is that in both sets of circumstances, pleasant or unpleasant, he should consistently tread the path of moderation. Those who prove to be moderate in personality and conduct are described in the Quran as souls at peace (nafs al-muthmainnah) (89: 27), that is, complex-free souls.

According to the Quran, the kind of man desired by God is one who is totally free of arrogance and is a modest person in the full sense. The Quran tells us that the greatest success for man is his gaining entry into Paradise in the eternal life after death. “Truly, this is a great victory! It is for the like of this that all should strive.”(37: 60-61). This is a clear indication that, according to the Quran, man’s goal should be one and only one, and that is, Paradise. The greatest feature of Paradise is that it is the realm of the Lord of the universe. And without doubt, there can be no success greater than finding oneself in close proximity to one’s Lord in the eternal life after death. This unique desirability of Paradise is expressed in this verse of the Quran which gives voice to a sincere and heartfelt human longing: “My Lord, build me a house in nearness to You in Paradise.”

Source: Spirit of Islam December 016