Surah Al-Israa (17) — Ayah 37

(Ayah 37) ➊ {وَ لَا تَمْشِ فِي الْاَرْضِ مَرَحًا : ’’ مَرَحًا ‘‘} Actually, it refers to excessive joy, accompanied by arrogance and displaying superiority over others. The purpose of {’’ فِي الْاَرْضِ ‘‘} is to draw attention to the fact that you were created from this very earth and will return to its embrace. (See Ta-Ha: 5; Mursalat: 25 to 27) Then what is the reason for this arrogance? According to the etiquette taught by Islam, adopt humility and moderation in your walk. See Surah Luqman (18, 19) and Furqan (63).

➋ { اِنَّكَ لَنْ تَخْرِقَ الْاَرْضَ … :} In this, man is reminded of his status. The Prophet (peace be upon him) has described the evil consequences of arrogance in many hadiths. Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ لاَ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ مَنْ كَانَ فِيْ قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ مِنْ كِبْرٍ ، قَالَ رَجُلٌ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَّكُوْنَ ثَوْبُهُ حَسَنًا، وَنَعْلُهُ حَسَنَةً، قَالَ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ جَمِيْلٌ يُحِبُّ الْجَمَالَ، الْكِبْرُ بَطَرُ الْحَقِّ وَغَمْطُ النَّاسِ ] [ مسلم، الإیمان، باب تحریم الکبر وبیانہ :۹۱ ] “He will not enter Paradise who has even a mustard seed’s weight of arrogance in his heart.” A man asked: “A person likes that his clothes and shoes are beautiful?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: “Indeed, Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. Arrogance is rejecting the truth and looking down on people.” And Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ مَنْ جَرَّ ثَوْبَهُ خُيَلاَءَ لَمْ يَنْظُرِ اللّٰهُ إِلَيْهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ] [ بخاری، اللباس، باب من جر إزارہ… : ۵۷۸۴۔ مسلم : ۲۰۸۵ ] “Allah will not look at the person on the Day of Resurrection who drags his garment out of arrogance.”

It is unfortunate that Muslim men, imitating the disbelievers, have made it a habit to wear their trousers and pants below the ankles, and they excuse themselves by saying that they do not do so out of arrogance. However, if the garment hangs down unintentionally or unknowingly, it can be said that it was not done out of arrogance, but deliberately tailoring long trousers and intentionally keeping them below the ankles is clearly disobedience to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and obvious arrogance. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) himself counted dragging the garment as arrogance. Thus, in a long hadith narrated by Jabir bin Sulaim (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ وَارْفَعْ إِزَارَكَ إِلٰی نِصْفِ السَّاقِ فَإِنْ أَبَيْتَ فَإِلَی الْكَعْبَيْنِ وَإِيَّاكَ وَإِسْبَالَ الْإِزَارِ فَإِنَّهَا مِنَ الْمَخِيْلَةِ وَإِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمَخِيْلَةَ] [أبوداوٗد، اللباس، باب ما جاء في إسبال الإزار : ۴۰۸۴ ] “And raise your garment to the middle of your shin, but if you refuse, then to the ankles, and beware of letting the garment hang below (the ankles), for indeed this is arrogance, and verily Allah does not like arrogance.” Shaykh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) graded it Sahih.

As for irreligious people, there is nothing to be said, but nowadays many people, even several groups who are raising the banner of establishing the religion in Pakistan and indeed all over the world, their men openly keep their garments below the ankles, and even mock those who raise their garments. On the contrary, the majority of Muslim women, who were supposed to cover even their feet, are raising their garments and displaying their beauty, thus becoming the target of Allah’s curse.

37. 1. Walking with arrogance and pride is extremely disliked by Allah. Qarun was swallowed up by the earth along with his house and treasures for this very reason (فَخَسَفْنَا بِهٖ وَبِدَارِهِ الْاَرْضَ ۣ فَمَا كَانَ لَهٗ مِنْ فِئَةٍ يَّنْصُرُوْنَهٗ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ ۤ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُنْتَصِرِيْنَ) 28. Al-Qasas:81). In the hadith it is mentioned: "A man was walking arrogantly wearing two garments, and he was swallowed up by the earth, and he will continue to sink in it until the Day of Resurrection." (Sahih Muslim) Allah Almighty likes humility.

37. And do not walk upon the earth arrogantly [47], for you can neither split the earth apart nor reach the mountains in height.

[47]
The Arrogant Walk is Severely Condemned, and the Exception to This Principle:

The arrogant walk is extremely displeasing to Allah Almighty, and the person who walks with pride, puffing out his cheeks and dragging his lower garment on the ground—Allah certainly punishes such a person in this world. There is a famous saying: "Pride comes before a fall," so his head is indeed brought low. Being arrogant is befitting only for Allah, and no one else is worthy of this attribute. There should be humility and dignity in a person's walk, but not to the extent that a person appears contemptible and humiliated; rather, one should adopt moderation in walking. Thus, Allah Almighty has said at another place: ﴿وَاقْصِدْ فِيْ مَشْيِكَ﴾ [19: 31] meaning, "Adopt moderation in your walk," and He said: ﴿الَّذِيْنَ يَمْشُوْنَ عَلَي الْاَرْضِ هَوْنًا﴾ [63: 25] (those who walk on the earth with humility). Here, the word ﴿هَوْن﴾ is used, which includes both humility and dignity. He did not say ﴿هُوْن﴾, which means humiliation and contempt. There is also an exception to this principle: if the purpose is to demonstrate before the disbelievers, then at that time, walking with pride is pleasing to Allah. In the Battle of Uhud, when the Prophet ﷺ granted his sword to Abu Dujanah ؓ in comparison to all the other companions, he began to walk arrogantly before the disbelievers. Upon seeing this, the Prophet ﷺ said that this walk is not pleasing to Allah, except at this time. At the time of 'Umrah Qada, the Prophet ﷺ commanded the companions ؓ to perform raml . The purpose of this was also the same. At the conquest of Makkah, the Prophet ﷺ and all the companions ؓ displayed such a majestic demonstration before the disbelievers.