Page 73 - The Basic Concepts in the Qur’an

To those who reject Our signs and treat them with arrogance, no opening will there
be of the gates of heaven, nor will they enter the garden, until a camel can pass
through the eye of a needle. Such is Our reward for those in sin. For them there is
Hell, as a couch (below) and sheets of fire will cover them: such is Our requital of
those who do wrong.
(Al-Araf, 40-41)

But those who reject Our signs and treat them with arrogance,- they are companions
of the Fire, to dwell therein for ever.
(Al-Araf, 36)

Those who opposed and rebelled against the Messengers were arrogant, as were those
who fought against them. The people, defined as “leaders of the unbelievers”, or “those who
behaved proudly ” in the Qur’an, declined to obey the messenger due to their pride and
arrogance. They simply rejected the guidance of another human being to the righteous way.
Their perverseness knew no bounds. The pride of the leaders of communities is frequently
mentioned in the Qur’an.
The leaders of those who behaved proudly among his people said to those who were
reckoned powerless - those among them who believed: “Do you really believe that
Salih is a messenger from his Lord?” They replied: “We do indeed believe in the
revelation which has been sent through him.Those who were haughty said: “For our
part, we reject what you believe in.”
(Al-Araf, 75-76)

The leaders those who were proud from among his people said: “O Shu’aib! we shall
certainly drive you out of our city - you and those who believe with you; or else you
and they shall have to return to our ways and religion.” He replied: “What! even
though we detest them?
(Al-Araf, 88)

Arrogant people set the highest value upon social status, prosperity and fame. Any
messenger who cannot lay claim to any of these material props will therefore be rejected
outright by them as a person they presume to be incapable of leading humanity to the right
path. The commonest shared trait of unbelievers is their propensity to revolt against Allah’s
chosen messengers.
In the Qur’an, the rebellion of the children of Israel against Talut, a leader sent to them, is
thus narrated:
Their Prophet said to them: “Allah had appointed Talut as your king.” They said:
“How can he exercise authority over us when we are better fitted than He to exercise
authority, and he is not even gifted with wealth in abundance?” He said: “Allah has
chosen him above you, and has gifted him abundantly with knowledge and bodily
prowess: Allah grants His authority to whom He pleases. Allah cares for all, and He
knows all things.”
(Al-Baqara, 247)

During the period of Prophet Mohammed also, the prominent people of the community
vehemently opposed him saying, “Why has this Qur’an not been sent down to some leading
man in either of the two (chief) cities?” (Az-Zukhruf, 31). Their antagonism resulted quite simply
from their habit of assessing people according to their wealth, properties or reputation. If the
messenger had been a “leading man in either of the two (chief) cities” then they would have
obeyed him. However, obeying someone only because he had been chosen by Allah seemed