A seeker wrote, ‘An individual was prescribed by you, as treatment of arrogance (kibr), to announce in the mosque after every salah that I have the (spiritual) illness of arrogance, please, all of you make supplication (dua) that I am cured of this disease.

On this a thought came to my mind, that is, what would I do if I am asked to do this?

Reflecting on it neither do I find the courage to do so nor does my mind accept this happily. This displays that maybe I suffer from arrogance. At other times thought comes to mind that this is due to modesty (hiya).

Sir, I request you that if this is due to arrogance than, please, prescribe a treatment for it. It will be be a generous gift indeed.’

Hakim al Umma Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Allah have mercy on him) replied,

‘Having the thought of this possibility (of arrogance in one’s self) is proof of fear (of Allah’s displeasure).

Congratulation!

For the diagnosis of arrogance this symptom alone is not sufficient. As this reluctance maybe sometimes due to the absence of illness itself and hence no need for treatment.

Sometimes arrogance is also the cause of this. There are two criteria for this (differentiation).

Firstly, are there any other signs and symptoms (of arrogance) present?

Secondly, even on possibility (of arrogance) if the spiritual mentor prescribes this form of treatment should it be followed or not, even if one finds natural repugnance to it? (The scenario is) Similar to the repugnance of a bad tasting medicine. If the patient desires a cure and has trust in the physician he will follow it.’

Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 3, page 112