Okay so this will be a bit techy and something slightly different. But I’m random you know ๐ถ Following is a reminder for all of us, in shaa Allah. May Allah (swt) protect us. Ameen.
What is ‘Ujb?
‘Ujb is the sense of self-amazement directed at oneโs own abilities and capabilities.
ููุซูุฑุงู ู
ุง ููุฑู ุงูุฑูุงุก ุจุงูุนุฌุจุ ูุงูุฑูุงุก ู
ู ุจุงุจ ุงูุฅุดุฑุงู
ุจุงูุฎููุ ูุงูุนุฌุจ ู
ู ุจุงุจ ุงูุฅุดุฑุงู ุจุงูููุณุ ููุฐุง ุญุงู
ุงูู
ุณุชูุจุฑุ ูุงูู
ุฑุงุฆู ูุง ูุญูู ูููู }ุฅูุงูุงูู ู ุนููุจูุฏู{ุ ูุงูู
ุนุฌุจ ูุง
ูุญูู ูููู: }ูุฅูุงูุงูู ููุณูุชูุนูููู{ุ ูู
ู ุญูู ูููู: }ุฅูุงูุงูู ู ุนููุจูุฏู
{ ุฎุฑุฌ ุนู ุงูุฑูุงุกุ ูู
ู ุญูู ูููู: }ูุฅูุงูุงูู ููุณูุชูุนูููู{ ุฎุฑุฌ
ุนู ุงูุฅุนุฌุงุจ
โUjb and riyฤ (showing off) are often coupled. Riyฤ is an act of shirk involving other creatures whereas ‘ujb is an act of shirk involving the self, and the latter is the condition of the arrogant. The one who shows off does not actualize, “You alone we worship” and the one in awe of himself does not actualize, “In You alone we seek assistance”. He who actualizes “You alone we worship” exits riyฤ and he who actualises “In You alone we seek assistance” exits ‘ujb. โIbn Taymiyyah
Here are a few references regarding what Allฤh and His messenger (saw) have said about โujb:
ุงูุงุฐูููู ุถููุง ุณูุนููู ููู
ู ููู ุงููููููุงุฉู ุงูุฏูููู ููุง ููููู
ู ููุญูุณูุจูููู ุฃูุงููููู
ู ููุญูุณูููููู
ุตููู ุนูุง
[ 18: ูกู ูค]
[They are] those whose effort is lost in worldly life, while they think that they are doing well in work. (18:104)
ุจ ููู ููู
ูุง ุฑูุฌููู ููููุดูู ููู ุญููุงุฉู ุช ุนููุฌูุจููู ู ูููุณููู ู
ูุฑูุฌููููู ุฌููุงุชููู ุฅูุฐู ุฎูุณููู
ุงููู ุจูููุ ูู ูููู ู ุชููุฌูููุฌููู ุฅูููู ู ูููู
ู ุงููููููุงู
ูุฉู
While a man was walking, clad in a two-piece garment and proud of himself with his hair well-combed, suddenly Allah made him sink into the earth and he will go on sinking into it till the Day of Resurrection. (Bukhฤrฤซ)
ุซููููุซู ู
ูููููููุงุชู ููุซููููุซู ู
ูููุฌูููุงุชู ุ ููุฃูุงู
ุง ุงููู
ู ููููููุงุชู ููุดูุญูู
ู
ูุทูุงุนู ุ ููููููู ู
ูุชุง ุจูุนู ุ ููุฅูุนูุฌูุงุจู ุงููู
ูุฑูุกู ุจููู ููุณููู ุ ููุงูุซุงูููุซู
ุงููู
ูููุฌูููุงุชู ุชู ููููู ุง ุง ููููู ููู ุงูุณูููุฑููู ููุงููุนููููููููุฉู ุ ููููููู
ูุฉู ุงูููููููู ููู ุงูุฑูููุถูุง
ููุงู ุง ุณุฎูุทู ุ ููุงููุงููุชูุตูุงุฏู ููู ุงููุบูููู ููุงููููููุฑู
Three things destroy, and three things save. As for the three things that destroy, they are: greediness that is obeyed, and desires that are followed, and a person becoming self-conceited (and in awe) with himself. As for the three things that save, they are: the fear of Allฤh in secret and public, and fairness in anger and pleasure, and moderation in poverty and richness. (Bayhaqฤซ)
What a couple of early Muslims have mentioned reagrding ‘ujb
ุงููููู ูู ุงุซููู: ุงููููุท ูุงูุนุฌุจ
Destruction is in two things: despair and โujb. โIbn Mas’ลซd
ููู ุฃุจูุช ูุงุฆู
ุงู ูุฃุตุจุญ ูุงุฏู
ุงู ุฃุญุจ ุฅูููู ู
ู ุฃู ุฃุจูุช ูุงุฆู
ุงู
ูุฃุตุจุญ ู
ุนุฌุจ ุงู
I would rather sleep and wake up regretful than pray the night and wake up with ‘ujb. โMuแนญarrif
It may be that the diseases of โujb enclose upon a person until the matter reaches kufr and expulsion from Islฤm like in the case of iblฤซs, the damned, where he was so impressed [and deluded] by his origin and worship that he became arrogant and self-conceited and disobeyed the command of his Lord to prostrate to ฤdam (as).
[Allฤh] said, “What prevented you from prostrating when I commanded you?” [iblฤซs] said, “I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay.” [7:12]
ูุฑุจูุง ุทูุช ุขูุฉ ุงูุนุฌุจ ุนูู ุงูู ุฑุก ุญุชู ูุตู ุจู ุงููู ุฑ ุฅูู ุงูููุฑ ูุงูุฎุฑูุฌ ู ู ู ูุฉ ุงูุฅุณููู ูู ุง ูู ุงููุงู ู ุน ุฅุจููุณ ุงููุนูู ุญูุซ ุฃุนุฌุจ ุจูุตูู ูุนุจุงุฏุชูุ ูุฏูุนู ุฐูู ุฅูู ุงููุจุฑูุนุตูุงู ุฃู ุฑ ุงูุฑุจ ุชุนุงูู ุจุงูุณุฌูุฏ ูุขุฏู ุนููู ุงูุณููู
ููุงูู ู ูุง ู ููู ุนููู ุฃูุงูุง ุชูุณูุฌูุฏู ุฅูุฐู ุฃูู ูุฑูุชููู ููุงูู ุฃููุงู ุฎูููุฑู ู ููููููู ุฎูููููุชูููู ู ูู ุงูุงุฑู ููุฎูููููุชููู ู ูู ุทูููู
[7:12]
ูุงู ุงุจู ูุฏุงู
ุฉ: ุงุนูู
ุฃู ุงูุนุฌุจ ูุฏุนู ุฅูู ุงููุจุฑุ ูููู ุฃุญุฏ
ุฃุณุจุงุจูุ ููุชููุฏ ู
ู ุงูุนุฌุจ ุงููุจุฑุ ูู
ู ุงููุจุฑ ุงูุขูุงุช ุงููุซูุฑุฉ ููุฐุง ู
ุน ุงูุฎูู
There are several ways and means of limiting and eliminating the disease of โujb, and protecting oneself from it:
โ Witness the realities of Allฤh whilst witnessing your own origins and realities
โ Acknowledge the inner weaknesses and defects that you continue to fail in getting rid of
โ Be in a team that are greater and more skilled than you, and work alongside them
โ Perform โIbฤdฤt of Essences with the intention to eliminate โujb
โ Spend time with people who are like you, but due to a disaster are in need of humanitarian help and assistance
โ Speak of other peopleโs talents, skills and achievements A LOT, and appreciate them
โ Learn about your role models and their achievements, and also their humility
โ Engage in meaningful isthighfฤr, tawbah, gratitude and always seek His assistance from the heart
MashaAllah, it was a very, very good reminder. One question though: in what way is Ujb different to Takabbur – or are they just the same?
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Thank you. Good question. From my understanding They are very similar but not the same.
Kibr is arrogance whereby one thinks other people are lower than them and they show this via their actions by belittling others, making unjust statements or even having that thought intentionally. Someone thinks they are the best in comparison to others. Like the way Iblees thought he was better than Adam (as) and he displayed his kibr by disobeying Allah (swt) and not bowing down to Adam (as) – out of obedience to Allah (swt), not worship.
On the other hand, ujb is self-amazement/being vain – the belief in oneself being better than others in whatever aspect it may be and it possibly may not be the case. It is when one has EXCESSIVE pride with respect to oneself and becoming deluded that they are great. It is also believing you have something that others don’t have whether this be qualities, physique, achievements, faith, etc. However, the individual may not necessarily look down on others, but rather put themselves on a high pedestal. May Allah safeguard us, ameen.
The problem arises here when one doesn’t recognise that the blessings they may have are indeed from Allah (swt) – they become mindless of this or do not acknowledge it to the full extent. All greatness belongs to Allah (swt). Any gifts/blessings/talents we may possess is ultimately given by Allah’s generosity, will and mercy. SubhanAllah. And for someone to believe they are the best in a particular regard and not have humility, really is leading to one’s downfall. I guess ‘ujb can be class as a subcategory of kibr, in relation to oneself.
It is important to be pleased with the bounties Allah (swt) bestowed upon us (wealth, beauty, health, faith, strength, achievements, knowledge, memory, etc…..). One should never allow themselves be belittled or stepped on. They must recognise their worth and have izzah (honour/dignity). This should be done by keeping Allah in mind and knowing the ultimate source of all their bounties and great blessings they may have. This ensures that we remain humble and do not enter a state of ‘ujb. Nor are we humiliated. Allah (swt) has dignified us and this must be recognised.
I hope this has shed some light. If anyone else would like to share their thoughts feel free to do so.
[Any good that I have said it is from Allah (swt). Any mistakes I have made it is from my self and the shayateen. Feel free to correct me]. May Allah protect us all from such evil states and downfalls, Ameen.
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Jazakallah for answering my question, and ameen!
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