Between Gratitude, Ujub, &Takabbur is a Thin Difference

Every believer will certainly be grateful to Allah and say “Alhamdulillah”. When Allah saves them from calamity. Physical disasters (accidents, losses, etc.) or spiritual disasters (avoiding immorality).

Gratitude is an obedience that can be done with the heart and limbs. Gratitude is the mark of a pious servant.

However, immeasurable gratitude often crosses “boundary line” a very thin, subtle, which those who are just grateful are barely aware of.

Then enter a very dangerous area, an area that is fertile ground for seeds because the devil is expelled from His jannah, Ujub, feels proud of himself and Takabbur, arrogant.

Gratitude that is immeasurable can be an ujub that penetrates into the heart, and the peak is takabbur. How is it possible that gratitude which is a noble practice can become a despicable practice, ujub and even takabbur (arrogant)?

Pay attention, and think about it. Have we ever heard or seen a friend or stranger who had an accident, such as an accident, being hit by a car, falling while riding a motorcycle, falling on a ladder?

While we haven’t even had a disaster like that, then what do we do? Of course we are grateful and say “Alhamdulillah”.

However, it is very unfortunate, we often don’t realize gratitude and the words “Alhamdulillah” are done with a cynical intonation, as well as body language and additional sarcastic words. It’s just those who are affected by the disaster are friends or people that we don’t like.

Moreover, if what we hear is our friend or other person is committing a sin; stealing, courting, adultery, and so on; then it was revealed that he had repented of that sin.

Be careful, your gratitude is immeasurable, you feel proud that you have never made a mistake, you feel proud that you have never committed a sin, you finally feel that you are the purest and others are despicable.

Yes, ujub has replaced gratitude, even worse, if it is not realized it can turn into takabbur. Na’udzubillah mindzalik.

Ujub is the behavior of admiring oneself and always being proud of oneself. Feeling of having certain advantages that others do not have.

Ibnul Mubarak said, “Ujub is when you feel that you have certain advantages that others do not have.”

Ujub is a despicable trait that must be avoided by every Muslim, because Ujub can plunge a Muslim into the nature of Takabbur (arrogance). Imam Al-Ghazali said, “Ujub is a person’s love for a gift and feels he has it himself, without returning his virtue to Allah.”

There are many reasons that can cause a sense of Ujub in someone, it can be because people are often praised, have achieved success, have power and the like.

These are all causes that can be seen by the eyes and felt by oneself and others.

However, there are also causes that are invisible and cannot be felt by oneself but others can see and feel them. Feeling safe from sin because they have never sinned and are proud of themselves being “purified” from sin.

“Alhamdulillah , I have never stolen like so and so”

“Maa shaa-Allah, do you know that?! I’ve never been in a relationship like fulanah”

“Alhamdulillah, I’ve never been like this, never been like that, blah blah blah”

Not advice full of wisdom that comes after the sentence of gratitude, but a series of words with disparaging intonation and followed by mocking body gestures .

Then it is no longer an expression of gratitude. It has turned into an attitude of ujub and takabbur.

Suffice the words of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam reflection for

مَن عَيَّرَ أَخَاهُ بِذَنْبٍ لَم يَمُتْ حَتَّى يَعْمَلَهُ.

“Whoever mocks his brother (believer) with a sin that his brother commits, then he will not die until he commits that sin” (HR. At-Tirmidhi)

Imam Ahmad commented on hadith “Meaning the sin that he has repented of”. Imam Ibnul Qoyyim said in his book Madarijus Salikin, “Every disobedience that you make a reproach to your brother, then the sin is for you (you will do it)”

So, be grateful with measurable gratitude, sincere without feeling yourself the most given so that you feel the most holy

Wallahu a’lam bish-showwab