وَلَا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمْشِ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ 18
Translations
And do not turn your cheek [in contempt] toward people and do not walk through the earth exultantly. Indeed, Allāh does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful.
Transliteration
Wa lā tuṣaʿ'ir khaddaka li-l-nāsi wa lā tamshi fī l-arḍi marahan inna -llāha lā yuḥibbu kulla mukhtālin fakhūr
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah prohibits arrogance and pride in dealings with people and in one's conduct, specifically warning against turning one's cheek away from people in scorn and walking on earth with pride and conceit. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this as a comprehensive prohibition against all forms of arrogance and haughtiness, emphasizing that Allah despises those who combine arrogance (ikhtiyāl) with boastfulness (fakhr). The ayah teaches humility and dignified conduct as essential Islamic virtues, regardless of one's status or wealth.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Luqman's moral counsel to his son, a section of Surah Luqman (31:12-19) that deals with essential ethical teachings. While there is no specific asbab al-nuzul (occasion of revelation) recorded for this particular verse, it occurs within the broader Meccan context of the surah, which emphasizes moral and spiritual guidance during the early Islamic period when believers were often subjected to persecution and social pressure.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ṣallā -llāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said: 'Whoever has arrogance in his heart equal to the weight of an atom will not enter Paradise' (Sahih Muslim 91). Additionally, 'The best of you are those who have the best manners' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3662) relates to the conduct encouraged in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
Muslims are called to cultivate genuine humility in their interactions with others and in their walk of life, recognizing that arrogance and boastfulness are deeply displeasing to Allah regardless of one's accomplishments or status. This teaching encourages balanced self-respect combined with modesty—neither degrading oneself nor elevating oneself above others through pride.
Related Ayahs
ٱلَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَهُم بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ
Who establish prayer and give zakāh, and they, of the Hereafter, are certain [in faith].
وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا لُقْمَـٰنَ ٱلْحِكْمَةَ أَنِ ٱشْكُرْ لِلَّهِ ۚ وَمَن يَشْكُرْ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ
And We had certainly given Luqmān wisdom [and said], "Be grateful to Allāh." And whoever is grateful is grateful for [the benefit of] himself. And whoever denies [His favor] - then indeed, Allāh is Free of need and Praiseworthy.
خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَوْنَهَا ۖ وَأَلْقَىٰ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ رَوَٰسِىَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِكُمْ وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَآبَّةٍ ۚ وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَأَنۢبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوْجٍ كَرِيمٍ
He created the heavens without pillars that you see and has cast into the earth firmly set mountains, lest it should shift with you, and dispersed therein from every creature. And We sent down rain from the sky and made grow therein [plants] of every noble kind.
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُوا۟ بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَنَآ ۚ أَوَلَوْ كَانَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ يَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَىٰ عَذَابِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ
And when it is said to them, "Follow what Allāh has revealed," they say, "Rather, we will follow that upon which we found our fathers." Even if Satan was inviting them to the punishment of the Blaze?