Ikhtiyal (strutting pride in gait, dress and building)

In the lexicon ikhtiyal means arrogance or self-admiration, and the technical sense keeps to these two meanings. ¹

Kibr (arrogance) is first an inner trait, and the outward acts of the limbs are its fruit; it requires someone looked down upon, when the proud person sees himself above that person in qualities of perfection. ² Ujb (self-admiration) means in the lexicon conceit, and for scholars praising oneself and forgetting that the blessing is a gift from God. It does not require someone looked down upon and may come from the causes of arrogance, such as knowledge, lineage or beauty, or from others. ^{2 3} Tabakhtur is a particular gait, the walk of a self-admiring man, and is one form of arrogance and self-admiration. ³

The rule is that ikhtiyal is forbidden and is one of the major sins, since God and His messenger forbade it. It may appear in gait, riding, dress and building. ³ In gait it is exceeding moderation, either hurrying like a leaper or dragging like a feeble man; God ordered moderation in walking and praised those who walk gently. Scholars cite the verses that forbid haughty walking, and the fact that God linked it with the major sins, as proof of its blame. ³ A reported warning against one who magnifies himself and struts in his gait is also cited as evidence of its prohibition. ⁴

Excess in dress arises when moderation is exceeded without a reason; intention is the root of the matter, and the measure of moderation is to follow what is reported about the cut of clothes and avoid what is forbidden, with custom admitted where the law has not set it aside. Clothing worn as pride is clearly forbidden; clothing worn by custom is not forbidden unless it drags the hem in the forbidden way. ⁴ Wearing fine clothes is permitted, and a report says that pride is rejecting the truth and scorning people, while loving a handsome garment or shoe is not pride. ^{4 6} Adornment may be obligatory, as when a duty depends on it for those in authority, recommended for prayer, congregations, war to terrify the enemy, a wife for her husband, or scholars to honour knowledge, and forbidden when it is a means to a forbidden end, such as adorning oneself for strangers. ⁶ A woman may let her garment hang: a span is recommended, and a cubit is the most permitted, and no more. ⁶

Pride may lie in owning or using a mount; a Muslim who keeps a handsome mount for show must not intend pride by it. The permission for a handsome mount for adornment is that it is part of the goods of this world which God allowed. ⁵ A Muslim may own a house to keep off heat, cold, rain, harm and prying eyes, and should not intend or lead to pride in it. ⁵ Some pride is praised: that which is meant to terrify and enrage the unbelieving enemy through dress, gait or mount. ⁵