Hadith #1948

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. May peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), his pure progeny, and his noble companions.

The Hadith of Imam Ali (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) states,

The ignorant person is one who is deceived by his vain desires and his arrogance.

This Hadith highlights the characteristics of an ignorant person, emphasizing the dangers of being swayed by one's base desires and being blinded by arrogance.

Let us delve deeper into the key words of this Hadith. The term (الجاهِلُ) "ignorant" refers to someone who lacks knowledge and understanding. It is not merely about lacking information, but rather about lacking the wisdom and insight to discern between right and wrong, truth and falsehood. This ignorance stems from being oblivious to the guidance of Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ).

The Hadith further describes the ignorant person as one who is (انْخَدَعَ) "deceived" by his (لِهَواهُ) "vain desires" and (غُروُرِهِ) "arrogance". Vain desires refer to the base desires and whims that lead a person away from the path of righteousness. These desires can manifest in various forms, such as greed, lust, and materialistic pursuits, which divert one's attention from seeking knowledge and spiritual growth.

Arrogance, on the other hand, refers to a sense of superiority and self-importance that blinds a person to their own shortcomings and prevents them from accepting the truth. It is a barrier to seeking knowledge and understanding, as it hinders one from acknowledging their own ignorance and learning from others.

To understand the significance of this Hadith, let us turn to the Quran for guidance. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) warns us in Surah Al-Jathiya (45:23):

Have you seen he who has taken as his god his [own] desire, and Allah has sent him astray due to knowledge and has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart and put over his vision a veil? So who will guide him after Allah? Then will you not be reminded?

This verse highlights the consequences of being deceived by one's own desires. When a person prioritizes their own whims over the guidance of Allah, they become misguided, and their hearts and minds become sealed off from receiving divine guidance. They become trapped in their own ignorance, unable to recognize the truth.

Furthermore, in Surah Al-Qasas (28:50), Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) warns against arrogance:

But if they do not respond to you - then know that they only follow their [own] desires. And who is more astray than one who follows his desire without guidance from Allah? Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.

This verse emphasizes that those who follow their desires without seeking guidance from Allah are indeed astray. Arrogance blinds a person to the truth and leads them further away from the path of righteousness.

Reflecting on the Hadith of Imam Ali (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) in light of these Quranic verses, we can understand the wise message it conveys. The ignorant person is not merely someone lacking knowledge, but rather someone who is deceived by their own desires and arrogance. They prioritize their base desires over seeking knowledge and guidance from Allah, leading them astray and sealing their hearts and minds from receiving divine enlightenment.

This Hadith serves as a reminder for all Muslims to be vigilant against the traps of ignorance, vain desires, and arrogance. We must strive to seek knowledge, humble ourselves before Allah, and constantly evaluate our intentions and actions. By doing so, we can protect ourselves from falling into the category of the ignorant and instead become seekers of truth and righteousness.

May Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) grant us the wisdom to recognize and overcome our own ignorance, the strength to resist the temptations of our base desires, and the humility to avoid the pitfalls of arrogance. Ameen.