Q-1: How do we identify if we have got arrogance (insolent) "Takkabur" (Ghammand) within ourselves?

Sahih Muslim Hadith 164 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas`ud

The Messenger of Allah (saws) observed: ‘He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride (or arrogance) shall not enter Paradise .’ A person (amongst the hearers) asked: ‘Verily a person loves that his dress should be fine, and his shoes should be fine.’ He (the Prophet (saws)) remarked: ‘Verily, Allah is Graceful and He loves Grace. Pride (or arrogance) is disdaining the truth (out of self-conceit), and contempt for the people.’

There might be several ways to figure out for oneself if one has the disease of ‘arrogance’ or not; and the best way to determine for one’s own self whether one is arrogant or not is to determine how many times one fears that one might have acted or said something in arrogance. If one never fears for oneself that he/she might be arrogant, then chances are that that person is indeed blinded by arrogance!

If one finds oneself constantly saying: ‘I am this!’ Or, ‘I have this!’ Or, ‘I did this!’…. ‘I’, ‘I’, ‘I’…..instead of attributing every good that happens to one to Allah Subhanah….then know with conviction that pride and arrogance has made a home in that person’s heart!

Q-2: How do we get rid of this in the light of Quran and Hadith?

It is only when a person accepts, understands and comprehends the Truth of life, death, the Creator, the Hereafter, etc….that one will be able to rid himself of the disease of arrogance.

If only man were to realize and remember the humble origin (sperm) he was created from, realize and know with absolute conviction that whatever he is and whatever possessions and intelligence he has is not from his own but has been bestowed upon him as a trial from His Lord Creator, realize and know with absolute and total conviction that one Day everything will come to an end and all will be gathered and returned unto their Lord for a Day of Reckoning….such a person will have nothing to remain proud or arrogant of, and humility will become his constant cloak and companion.

Pride or arrogance is not something which one can get rid off by doing some training or practice; but these deadly viruses of the heart will only leave him when one develops ‘taqwa’ and constantly fears Allah and His Day of Accounting.

Jazak’Allah Kh’air to Br. Burhan.