A behavior disorder to be avoided: Hubris

A hubristic  person may not realize the repulsiveness of his behavior. However, a person should not do something he does not want to be done to him by others. People who step forward in almost every situation, thinking that they know best,  and know all the answers, are considered “hubristic.” People who possess this quality are known as having something to say in every matter  and putting forward an idea – whether they have information or not- on every matter in question. Hubristic people see themselves as highly  important, as if the whole world is turning only around them. They think that they are in the middle of every incident. They believe that if they are not there, if they do not talk, if they do not put forward  an idea, people will lack some  important information. Therefore, they cannot help but intervene in every subject mentioned. This way of behavior is like a sickness in these people. They believe that they are saying the most important things  even on matters that do not concern them, and they have no knowledge of.

Even in situations when their help is not required, their ideas are not asked for, and even when they are asked to keep out, they cannot control themselves and insist upon interfering.

Common Behavior Disorders of Hubristic People

Continuously reminding of matters that others can think of: One of the most important indicators of this behavior disorder is continuously reminding people of matters that others can easily think of , acting out before others  can even say a word, and pointing something out  as if they are the ones who discovered it first and others do not know about this . For example, if there are two alternatives of going to some particular place, it is obvious that the person in question would  prefer one of these. This is a known fact. But a pretentious  person cannot help but ascertain  this. He would say, “You can go from here, and if not, you can go from there,” as if he discovered those two alternatives for the first time.

They think that they are sympathetic: One of the most important matters these people are mistaken about is that despite this style of behavior , they are considered to be very sympathetic by the people around them.  They assume that their discourses are appreciated, that the ideas they give are considered important and that people absolutely need the information they will provide. They believe that if they do not get involved into the matters being discussed, give ideas or speak their piece of mind, things will screech to a halt, vital matters will not be solved and people cannot think for themselves what must  be done.

However, there is nothing of the sort. Let alone being sympathetic, a hubristic manner causes a person to appear as repulsive to others. . Even though what they say may very well be  correct when  they mention a subject or detail, which is needed, people are disturbed by this contribution.  What is important in an incident, is not merely solving  the matter at hand ; but the morality followed during this process; allowing people to be  in a peaceful, comfortable and relaxed environment as a community is just as important as the desired  result. Hubris brings tension, discomfort and restlessness to the environment. People prefer to be at peace and resolve issues through a more thoughtful  way, instead of being concerned with such hostile conditions and benefiting from that person’s ideas, even if they yield  any benefit.

They do not realize the harm they cause the environment:The important thing here is that this situation, which everyone is openly aware of and disturbed by, is not recognized  by the person who does it. That person thinks that life’s normal course continues and he is only helping  the people around him with his ideas. However, he is unaware  that the disturbance he causes is greater than the benefits of the ideas he will give.

The Reason of Hubris is to Admire One’s Own Intellect

People who embrace hubris as a life style are far removed from the sharpness of intelligence and reason revealed in the Qur'an. Despite this, these people admire their own intellect and think themselves to be smarter than other people. They are certain that they have the intelligence required  to put forth  an idea about every subject. They think that they acquire great life experience by synthesizing the secondhand information they acquire randomly  and the summaries  they form from these incidents enter  into their own opinion. They try to prove to everyone within earshot this “experience” at every opportunity. Here qualities such as mind, intelligence, morality and culture are of secondary importance. One of the most emphasized factors is that of age. This so-called superiority is emphasized through phrases such as “We have been through that already” or “I know your childhood.”

Even though it is found that these people were wrong about any subject they were so quick to inform  about, it  is a very rare situation that they accept it. Being wrong, making a mistake or being proven wrong are not things hubris people would enjoy. For the hubris  the important thing is not to get proper results per se,  or to reach the facts and truths, but to satisfy one’s own complexes.

In children who are raised in such an environment, similar qualities begin to develop at a very young  age. For example, the child of a cultured, intellectual, wealthy family that is distant  from the moral values of Islam, often develops a hubris and highbrow personality, and sees others as inferiors and assumes himself to be right and knowledgeable  about every subject. This child, who has the appearance of a “precocious” person, carries this structure on him throughout his life, for as long as he is not educated.

How Is Hubris to be  Avoided?

What a hubris person must try to bear in mind is that even if he didn't exist, the world would continue apace, the sun and moon would continue their ceaseless revolutions, and the stars in the heavens above would continue to give forth their brilliant light. Even if he is not there, matters will be handled, and people will provide solid  answers to solve problems. Such a person tends to believe that everything will fall apart if they are not present; however, there are means and ways of dealing with this personality type in a manner that is just, compassionate, and keeping in concordance with Islamic morality. One of the ways of telling this to such a person is to ask him analyze a hubris  person he knows. He would certainly admit that he is very disturbed by this person who knows all the answers, who gets involved in things even if he is not asked to, who continuously gives ideas about things, who gives advice, who criticizes, who says that he does not like the methods and actions of others and who has the mentality of “know-it-all”. However, despite this, he is not aware that he does this very same thing, which he does not want to be done to him, to others.

Because he does not think deeply and thoroughly about his inner self in this aspect, he cannot see the boundaries of repulsiveness and disturbance his hubris causes. Here, by showing this truth to him,  we can invite this person to think more sincerely (by Allah’s leave) and to change his actions. When he realizes this truth even for a little, he would change  his character, insha’Allah (if Allah wills it to be so), and obtain a more sincere and better morality.

Almighty Allah is the Sole Owner of Intelligence

The intelligence seen in people is not an independent ability; it is given to them. The real owner of intelligence is Almighty Allah, the Creator of man. Allah is the Owner of an infinite and boundless intelligence, and He grants this blessing to the one He wishes according to his faith. A person who cannot act or think outside of the Will of Almighty Allah and who takes up only a small space on earth, believing that what comes to his mind as his own thought and stroking  his ego would be ascribing partners to Allah, which is one of the greatest sins. Believers, who know these truths and so avoid ascribing partners to Allah, cannot develop a hubris attitude by admiring their own intellect and thus do not become arrogant. On the contrary, they believe that Almighty Allah is the Source of this intelligence and they realize their weakness in His Sight. When they take decisions that result in goodness by Allah’s inspiration, they again turn to Almighty Allah, our Lord, and give their thanks to Him. It is revealed in the Qur'an that the owners of a clean mind has to praise only Allah as the true Owner of intelligence:

“They said, ‘Glory be to You! We have no knowledge except what You have taught us. You are the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.’”(Surat al-Baqara, 32)

There Are Many Verses in the Quran About the Condition of Those Who Act Sapiently

Hubris is a behavior often used by people who turn away from the moral values of religion, and it is used by satan. Some of the verses about the subject revealed in the Qur'an are as follows:

“When they are told, ‘Follow what Allah has sent down to you,’ They say, ‘We are following what we found our fathers doing.’ What, even though their fathers did not understand a thing and were not guided!”(Surat al-Baqara, 170)

“Their Prophet said to them, ‘Allah has appointed Talut to be your king.’ They said, ‘How can he have kingship over us when we have much more right to kingship than he does? He has not even got much wealth!’ He said, ‘Allah has chosen him over you and favoured him greatly in knowledge and physical strength. Allah gives kingship to anyone He wills. Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing.’” (Surat al-Baqara, 247)

“Those who were left behind were glad to stay behind the Messenger of Allah. They did not want to do jihad with their wealth and themselves in the Way of Allah. They said, ‘Do not go out to fight in the heat.’ Say: ‘The Fire of Hell is much hotter, if they only understood.’” (Surat at-Tawba, 81)

“They say, ‘We will not believe you until you make a spring gush out from the earth for us;or have a garden of dates and grapes which you make rivers come pouring through;or make the sky, as you claim, fall down on us in lumps; or bring Allah and the angels here as a guarantee;or possess a house built out of gleaming gold; or ascend up into heaven – and even then we will not believe in your ascent unless you bring us down a book to read!’ Say: ‘Glory be to my Lord! Am I anything but a human messenger?’”(Surat al-Isra’, 90-93)