1. Kibr — Pride and Arrogance
The definition: Kibr is considering oneself superior to others and rejecting truth because of one’s sense of superiority. The Prophet (SAW) defined it with precision: “Kibr is rejecting truth and looking down on people.” (Muslim)
The Quranic severity: “Indeed, He does not like the arrogant.” (16:23) The first creature to display kibr was Iblis — “He refused and was arrogant and became of the disbelievers.” (2:34) This establishes kibr as the primordial spiritual disease.
The hadith warning: “Whoever has in his heart an atom’s weight of pride will not enter Paradise.” (Muslim) — A companion asked: “What about a man who loves his clothes to be beautiful and his shoes to be beautiful?” The Prophet (SAW) replied: “Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. Pride is rejecting truth and looking down on people.” — Loving beauty is not kibr; kibr is the internal attitude of superiority.
The cure: Tawadu’ (humility) — the opposite of kibr. Regularly reflect on your origins (you came from a drop of fluid), your current state (sustained entirely by Allah’s mercy), and your end (you will return to dust). Serve others, particularly the poor, regularly. Say the truth even when it humiliates you.
2. Hasad — Envy
The definition: Hasad is wishing for the disappearance of a blessing from another — not just wanting the same blessing for yourself (ghibtah — positive emulation — is not hasad) but specifically wanting them to lose it.
The Quranic prohibition: “Or do they envy people for what Allah has given them of His bounty? But We had already given the family of Ibrahim the Scripture and wisdom and given them a great kingdom.” (4:54) — The verse connects envy to the rejection of divine distribution.
The prophetic warning: “Beware of envy, for envy devours good deeds as fire devours firewood.” (Abu Dawud) — Hasad does not harm the envied person (unless it leads to action against them) but destroys the envier’s own spiritual deeds.
The special case of the evil eye (nazar): Hasad unchecked can manifest as the evil eye — inadvertently causing harm through intense envy. The Quran references this: “Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of the Daybreak… and from the evil of an envier when he envies.” (113:1,5) See [[nazar-evil-eye]]
The cure: Make du’a for those you feel envious toward; when you notice envy rising, immediately say “Allahumma barik lahu/laha” (O Allah, bless them). Regularly recite the last two surahs (al-Mu’awwidhatain) which protect from envy’s spiritual harm.
3. Riya’ — Ostentation and Showing Off
The definition: Riya’ is performing acts of worship or goodness with the intention of being seen and praised by people — rather than for Allah’s sake alone. The Prophet (SAW) called it al-shirk al-khafi — the hidden shirk: “The thing I fear most for you is al-shirk al-asghar (the minor shirk).” They asked: “What is al-shirk al-asghar?” He said: “Riya’.” (Ahmad)
The mechanism of invalidation: “Whoever does a deed and associates partners with Allah [in it], Allah leaves the partnership to the partner.” — In other words, a deed done for show is given its “reward” by the people’s praise in this world; no divine reward remains.
The nuance: Riya’ begins in the heart; not everything visible is riya’. Performing good deeds in public is permitted and sometimes encouraged — the Prophet (SAW) prayed in congregation (publicly). Riya’ is the specific intention to perform for the audience, not with the audience as witnesses to a sincere act.
The cure: Practice secret deeds — give sadaqah anonymously, pray extra prayers without telling anyone, fast voluntary fasts without mentioning them. The habit of secret worship builds the internal orientation toward Allah’s alone, which then sustains public worship against riya’.
4. Hubb al-Dunya — Excessive Love of the World
The definition: Not all engagement with the world is hubb al-dunya — the Prophet (SAW) was a merchant, had children, led a state. Hubb al-dunya is when the world becomes the goal rather than the means — when the desire for its pleasures competes with or supersedes one’s orientation toward Allah and the Hereafter.
The prophetic diagnosis: “Love of the world is the root of every evil.” (Bayhaqi — though scholars debate its chain, its meaning is substantiated by many authentic hadith and Quranic verses)
“What comparison is there between this world and the Hereafter? The world compared to the Hereafter is only like one of you putting his finger in the ocean — let him see how much water remains on it.” (Muslim) — The hadith establishes scale: worldly attachment to something so small against an eternal reality is a form of spiritual blindness.
The cure: Regularly contemplate death — the Prophet (SAW) said: “Visit the graves, for they remind you of the Hereafter.” (Muslim) Spend time with the sick and dying. Give generously from what you love — the antidote to attachment is practice in letting go.
5. Ghadab — Uncontrolled Anger
The nature of anger: Anger (ghadab) is not inherently a disease — it is a natural human emotion and appropriate anger (at injustice, at violations of divine limits) is mentioned of the prophets. The disease is uncontrolled anger — anger that leads to harm, injustice, or loss of self-control.
The prophetic guidance: A man came to the Prophet (SAW) three times asking for advice; each time the Prophet (SAW) said: “Do not get angry.” (Bukhari) — Repeated three times for emphasis.
“The strong person is not the one who wrestles others; the strong person is the one who controls themselves when angry.” (Bukhari, Muslim)
The cures: The Prophet (SAW) gave specific practical techniques:
- If standing, sit; if sitting, lie down
- Seek refuge with Allah from Shaytan (A’udhu billahi min al-shaytani al-rajim)
- Be silent — most damage from anger is in words said in anger
- Make wudu — the heat of anger is cooled by water (Abu Dawud)
6. Ghafla — Heedlessness
The definition: Ghafla is spiritual forgetfulness — the heedlessness that comes from total absorption in worldly preoccupations such that the heart becomes disconnected from Allah’s remembrance. “And do not be like those who forgot Allah, so He made them forget themselves.” (59:19)
The antidote: Dhikr — remembrance of Allah. “Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.” (13:28) Regular, structured dhikr is the treatment for ghafla — reciting subhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar, la ilaha ill-Allah throughout the day. The Prophet (SAW) prescribed specific adhkar (remembrances) for waking, sleeping, eating, traveling — the effect is to punctuate daily life with divine remembrance, leaving no room for total ghafla. See [[understanding-dua]] and [[post-namaz-routine]]
See also: Muhasaba, Akhlaq, Tawba Sincere Repentance, Muslim Character, Tawakkul Trust In Allah, Nazar Evil Eye, Understanding Dua