A superiority complex is present in everyone, in varying degrees. This gives one courage and confidence. If a person has no ego, he will be deprived of self-confidence and in the absence of selfconfidence no one can perform any worthwhile task. But it is necessary that one’s feelings of self-confidence or superiority complex should be bound by limitations, that is, it should be reined in by the feeling of modesty. In the absence of such pressure, a person will lose his utility and viability in social life. He will suffer from ahankar or excessive pride. And without doubt, there is nothing more destructive than excessive pride in this world. There are two things in this world which make a person modest. One is a scientific bent of mind; the other is being God-fearing. A scientific bent of mind results from the realization of knowledge. And, a God-fearing mind is the result of the discovery and realization of God.
According to a hadith if a person has pride even the size of a seed, he will not go to Paradise. Copy Arabic text (Sunan al-Tirmidhi 1998)
This hadith is very strict: if a person has pride even the size of a seed, he will not go to Paradise Pride is a satanic quality.
Can a person who has a satanic quality ever enter Paradise?
لاَ يَدْخُلُ الجَنَّةَ مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ حَبَّةٍ مِنْ خَرْدَلٍ مِنْ كِبْرٍ
The size of a seed is smaller than the size of a grain of rice. If a person has pride even the size of a seed, he will not go to Paradise. This is indeed very alarming: such a person will be destroyed both in this world and the Hereafter. It is said that one who boasts is disgraced. One who boasts or shows arrogance is brought to disgrace in this world. In comparison, one who is modest has an angelic quality. Modesty is the quality of angels. One who is modest finds the companionship of angels in this life; angels come near him. Because there is similarity between the two. One who is modest will have angels come near him. He will receive angels' companionship. Angels will inspire him. One who in this life receives angels' inspiration, has angels' companionship, gets advice from angels, is spiritually nourished by angels, will be successful in this world and after death he will find entry to Paradise. Paradise is the abode of angels. Such a person will have angel's companionship in this world and after death he will be in angels' neighbourhood. Arrogance is indeed a great evil and modesty is a great virtue!
