Assalam o Alaikum,
In do not think there is a direct relation (similarity) between "khudi" and "arrogance". If we take the meanings of "khudi" as "self esteem" then self esteem itself is a good thing sinnce you may well know the people who sell their self esteem (like beggers, flatterers etc), what kind of people they are. Khudi can be translated as “selfhood”, whick is closer to “takabbur”. But Iqbal’s philosophy of “khudi” was quite different. As used by Iqbal what comes closest to “khudi” is “Assertive will-power imbued with Moral Values”. This is apparent from these lines:
Khudi ko kar baland itna, ke har taqdeer sey pehley
Khuda bandey ko khud poocchey, bata, 'Teri raza kya hai?'
(Endow your will with such power, that at every turn of fate it so be
That God Himself asks of His slave, 'what is it that pleases you?')
I forgot a “Hadees” that could explain this concept of “khudi” very well. In fact, this could also be taken as, “Insaan jab apnay aap ko Allah ka Ahkaam kay mutabiq dhal leta hai, Allah ki raza say razi ho jata hai, tu asal main usay wahi mila jo us nay chaha kyun uski khahishaat Allah ki marzi kay tabae theen” And I should quote, Allah sent many orders (the rules of Islam) on the desires of His Prophet His Prophet’s friends (“Sahaba”). Hum sab jantay hain kay Muslim women kay liye “Hijab” ka hukam Hazrat Umer ki khahish par aya tha. Yeh unki “Khudi” hi thi ( aur aaj kal most women ki “khudi” ki yeh halat hai kay unhain “Hijab” se sharam aati hai).
And as far as “arrogance” is concerned, it is making undue claims of and taking pride in rank, dignity, estimation, knowledge, or power. It is condemned, not because they do not have power or knowledge (they may have it), because pride is for Allah only, Allah has blessed them with these qualities, He may bless anyone, if we have some good qualities blessed by Allah then it was never our right, it is Allah’s favor on us.
Is topic par ziada maloom nahi mujhay, may be I am wrong.
Allah Hafiz.
Posted on 2/9/2005 8:58:22 PM