Superiority and Inferiority Complexes: Islamic perspective

By Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam 30 December 2023 Either A Superiority Complex Or An Inferiority Complex Has A Detrimental Effect On An Individual's Personality. Both Circumstances Seriously Impede Human Development. A Person Who Is Arrogant Loses Respect And Social Standing. Respect For Him Is Limited To What Occurs In Front Of Him. People Frequently Make Fun Of Him Or Mistreat Him When He's Not Around. Comparable To This, A Person Who Harbours An Inferiority Complex Withdraws From Society And Fears Meeting New People. ------ Many people around us experience feelings of superiority, or it can even affect us occasionally. Individuals who have a sense of superiority believe they are better than everyone else and wish to use their speech to demonstrate this belief. Quite the reverse—many people experience inferiority complexes. When they attend a gathering or party, they start to believe that everyone else is superior to them and that they are the worst. Their depression makes them feel that it would be best to quit the celebration. In this group, they begin to feel suffocated. There needs to be moderation and balance between these two psychological scenarios because they are both extreme. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Also Read: Superiority Complex Is A Virus Islam Warns Against ---------------------------------------------------------------- A feeling of superiority is a state that forms a wall or barrier between you and other people. Not only do they not like to listen to others, but they disagree with everything others say. They believe others have poor speech. They believe that they are the only ones with any worth. Because they built a solid wall around themselves, the drawback is that their personality does not change. Those with the superiority complex have those who, upon receiving a blessing from Allah Ta'ala, claim that it was the product of their own work rather than expressing gratitude to Allah for it. Because of their accomplishments, individuals start to think of themselves as superior to other people. Their tendency to treat people poorly and with contempt becomes ingrained in them. There are a lot of these people all around us. Wealth, high status, ancestry, and—above all—knowledge and religiosity are the primary sources of arrogance and pride. Caste and ancestry pride have diminished somewhat in contemporary metropolitan society, but discrimination based on them is still evident in rural areas. Even now, people still take great pride in their money and status. Extremist religious thinkers typically experience pride in their piety and knowledge. Some people who possess less information regard themselves as superior to others, despise them, and treat the term "ignorant" with extreme hate and disdain. After participating in religious activities for a few days, some people declare everyone to be a sinner. They brand everyone as heretics, infidels, idlers, impudent, and lie behind them with sticks. Islam vehemently condemns all of these viewpoints, declaring that "Allah does not like the arrogant" (16:23). Those who tread arrogantly on the earth are said to, "Do not walk stubbornly on the earth." (17:37) On the other hand, some people have an inferiority complex and think that everyone is superior to them. The drawback is that, even when they have a good idea, they won't provide it out of concern that someone else will make fun of them. Make sure that your sense of inadequacy prevents you from submitting your proposal, as this will result in the loss of many excellent concepts. People who experience feelings of inferiority are usually those who have had a major setback. Children who grow up with high levels of stress are more likely to develop an inferiority complex. People who suffer from this ailment usually lack self-control and determination. Either a superiority complex or an inferiority complex has a detrimental effect on an individual's personality. Both circumstances seriously impede human development. A person who is arrogant loses respect and social standing. Respect for him is limited to what occurs in front of him. People frequently make fun of him or mistreat him when he's not around. Comparable to this, a person who harbours an inferiority complex withdraws from society and fears meeting new people. Islam instills in us the values of humility and modesty in place of pride and arrogance, as well as the values of self-respect in place of an inferiority complex. To be humble is to acknowledge one's lowly status before Allah, not to feel inferior. A humble individual bows before his Lord, considering all of his accomplishments to be the consequence of His grace rather than his own ability. He accords everyone the same standing as himself. Mutual respect is mandated by Islam. In the Farewell Sermon, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) compared the honour of a human being to that of the Sacred Kaaba. A person with an inferiority complex should consider the fact that, despite one failure, they have achieved numerous triumphs in life. He is living this life because of Allah's favour. It is wisely advised by Shaykh Saadi that the person without shoes should look at the person without feet rather than at the person wearing shoes. The sufferer of the superiority complex can receive treatment if he so desires. However, individuals who are feeling inferiority might also get assistance from friends and family. Give your friend or family member who is going through this hope for a better future in order to encourage them. The life of a human being will be enlightened, and your goodness will never be squandered. Remember that rude behaviour must never be accepted; instead, this treatment must always be provided with love and compassion. As a result, you should be aware of who you are, embrace it, and develop your personality every day. Don't think of yourself as better or worse than anyone else; instead, concentrate on your personality and keep going. Escape these two situations and take up a moderation attitude; moderation is excellence. ----- Kaniz Fatma is a classic Islamic scholar and a regular columnist for New Age Islam. 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