The Result of Arrogance

Here I narrate an incident from the prophetic time so that Muslims may take a warning from it and save themselves, because one has often to face the same situation that is mentioned herein. The incident reported by Harrat Salmah bin Akwa' is that a man was eating with his left hand in the Holy Prophet's presence. The Holy Prophet asked him to eat with his right hand but he said that he did not have the strength to do so. At this the Holy Prophet said: "May you not have the strength!"
One can understand that it was nothing but arrogance that had prevented him from eating with his right hand. But then the result of this curse was that he could never lift his right hand up to his mouth again! That person could certainly eat with his right hand but it was merely due to his arrogance that he said that he could not eat with it and hence Allah Almighty made it such that he could never lift it again. Once it so happened that I myself told a man: "You partake your food on the table but the Sunnah practice is to sit on the floor for dining." He promptly replied: "I cannot sit down; it is difficult for me to sit down." Although not more than three or four years had passed since he had come over (to the U.K.), the pride and arrogance of having made a few pennies prevented him from acting on this sunnah; there was no other reason but this. If a man commits a sin inadvertently or misses a sunnah, but considers himself before Allah and His Apostle a sinner and a guilty person, it is strongly hoped that Allah Almighty will pardon him. But to act against the Holy Prophet's methods and then to explain away one's actions according to one's own whims and wishes and make lame excuses. And to not to act upon the prophetic Sunnah through arrogance, on the contrary to think lightly of them, not only draws Allah's punishment in the Hereafter, but in this world also very soon. The first target of the divine scourge which is struck first is his arrogance and riches, power, beauty etc. the causes of arrogance which prevented him from acting upon the Sunnah and the Shari'ah.