has an atom’s weight of faith in his heart.” A man said, “O Messenger of Allah, I like my clothes and shoes to look fine. Is that arrogance?” He replied, “No. Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. Arrogance is rejecting the truth and looking down on people.” Rejecting the truth means repudiating and denying it; looking down on people means despising and belittling them. This is the condition of those who seek supremacy and corruption.

The second category consists of those who seek corruption without supremacy, such as thieves and criminals among the basest of people.

The third category consists of those who seek supremacy without corruption, such as people with religious devotion who seek thereby to rise above others.

As for the fourth category, they are the people of Paradise, who seek neither supremacy on earth nor corruption, even though they may be above others. As Allah Most High says:

“Do not lose heart or grieve, for you will have the upper hand if you are believers.”

He also says:

“So do not lose heart and call for peace while you have the upper hand. Allah is with you and will never deprive you of the reward of your deeds.”

And He says:

“To Allah belongs all honour, and to His Messenger and the believers.”

How many seek supremacy, only to sink ever lower! And how many are raised above others without seeking supremacy or corruption! This is because the desire for supremacy