Page 75 - The Arrogance of Satan

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The Chiefs of the Nations

accept the fact that superiority rests on one' s nearness to
Allah rather than his power or prosperity. That is because,
the acceptance of this truth would nullify their status. They
are haughty, a quality which makes them deny the

existence of Allah. Never do they consider that, all people,
whether poor or wealthy, will ultimately be wrapped in a
few metres of shroud, and that they will be reduced to a
skeleton. Their possessions will bring no good to them in
the hereafter.
In the Qur' an, Allah informs the believers about the main
character traits of these chiefs of the nation that result from
pride and arrogance-and thus, from disbelief. In this way,
believers of all ages can come to know these people, who are
apt to hinder them from their noble cause, and thus, they
may take the necessary measures to protect themselves from
them. Believers are also expected to draw lessons from their
stories and to pay meticulous attention not to adopt a
disposition similar to theirs. No one can absolve himself from
the promises of the Qur' an, seeing himself as self-sufficient;
believers must also reflect on the verses about disbelievers,

and put forth effort to be purified of the errors peculiar to
disbelievers.
In the following section, we will consider the major
character traits of the "elites" as told in the Qur' an.

They Expend Effort to Lead People Astray
The chiefs of the nations do not tolerate their people to
have faith in Allah; this being the case, they put forth a

continuous effort to lead them astray. The people' s