Page 76 - The Arrogance of Satan
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                                  THE ARROGANCE OF SATAN

              embracing of the faith means to them losing the grounds
              upon which they exercise their authority. Before all else, faith
              renders the worldly criteria maintained to presume
              superiority and false value judgments ineffective.

              Furthermore, in this manner the society can come to know
              the weaknesses of those to whom they had attached so much
              importance. Ultimately, no one will be left to exalt them, nor
              to submit to them.
                  It is against the interests of the chiefs of the nation to
              lose the loyalty of their subordinates, those people they
              tend despise and consider as their inferiors. They want
              people to follow them, no matter what the consequences
              may be. Hence, they employ any method, threats, if
              necessary, to divert them from the morality and the way of
              living enjoined by the Qur' an. Some of the examples
              relating to such efforts of the chiefs of the nation are
              provided by the Qur' an:
                  The chiefs of his people who were disbelievers said, "If
                  you follow Shu' ayb, you will definitely be lost." (Surat
                  al-A' raf: 90)

                  Pharaoh said "Have you believed in him before I
                  authorised you to do so? This is just some plot you have
                  concocted in the city to drive its people from it. But you
                  are going to know." (Surat al-A' raf: 123)


                  In Spite of Their Knowing the Truth,
                  They Deny It

                  What underlies the denial of the chiefs of the nations is
              their obstinate arrogance, as in the case of Pharaoh, and
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