Love of Leadership, Pride and Self-Amazement Leads to Persistence Upon Falsehood
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful The Bestower of Mercy
Returning to the truth is better than persistence upon falsehood; because persistence upon falsehood is proof of being forsaken, as Imaam Ibnul Qayyim (rahimahullaah) stated in Al-Fawaa’id: ”To be forsaken is that Allaah leaves you to yourself.” The reasons behind persisting in falsehood- after it has been made manifest -are many. From them:
[1]The First Affair:
Love of authority and Leadership:
Imaam Shaatibee (rahimahullaah) said in Al-Itisaam: ‘’The last thing that lands upon the hearts of the righteous people is love of authority and leadership.’’
Ibraaheem Bin Adham (rahimahullaah) said: ‘’The person who loves fame will not be sincere to Allaah.’’
Al-Haafidh Adh-Dhahabee (rahimahullaah) added a commentary (on the above statement), saying: ‘’The signs of the sincere one who loves fame and is unaware of it, is that when he is scolded about it he neither becomes furious nor does he free himself from it; rather he acknowledges and says: May Allaah have mercy upon the one who shows me my faults. He does not become amazed with himself–being unaware of those faults, rather being unaware that he is unaware; for this is a chronic illness.’’
Abu Nu’aym (rahimahullaah) said: ‘’By Allaah, the one destroyed is not destroyed except through love of leadership.’’
[2] The Second Affair:
Pride and refusing to accept the truth:
Imaam Sufyaan Bin Uyaynah (rahimahullaah) said: ‘’The sensible person is not the one who knows good and bad, rather the sensible person is the one who follows the truth when he sees it and keeps away from evil when he sees it.’’
Imaam Ibnul Qayyim (rahimahullaah) said in Al-Fawaa’id: And from the signs of well-being and success is that whenever the slave is increased in his knowledge, he increases in humility and mercy. And whenever he is increased in action, he increases in his fear and caution; and whenever his age is increased, he decreases in eagerness (for worldly things); and whenever he is increased in wealth, he increases in his generosity and spending; and whenever his status and honor is increased, he increases in coming close to the people, in fulfilling their needs and being humble in (their presence).
And the signs of wretchedness are: Whenever he is increased in knowledge, he increases in pride and haughtiness; and whenever he is increased in actions, he increases in his boasting, mockery of the people and having a good opinion of himself; and whenever he is increased in his status and honor, he increases in pride and haughtiness. These affairs of (wellbeing and wretchedness) are a trial and a test from Allaah by which He puts His slaves to the test. He brings about wellbeing and wretchedness to a people by way of these affairs.
Abu Ad-Dardaa (radiyallaahu-anhu) said: ‘’The signs of ignorance are three: Self-amazement, excessive speech in that which does not concern (a person) and that you do forbid something you do.’’
It is reported from Ali Bin Abee Taalib (radiyallaahu-anhu) that he said: ‘’Self-amazement is the plague of the Al Al-baab (i.e. the heart, mind, intellect etc).’’ And others besides him said: ‘’You do not see a person amazed with himself, except that he is a seeker of leadership.’’
A person must fully know that Allaah is absolutely acquainted with his (affairs), and that He knows the treachery of the eyes and what the hearts conceal. And that the hearts are between two fingers from the fingers of Allaah, and He turns them how He pleases. Ibn Abee Haatim reported in Az-Zuhd from Al-Hasan who said: ‘’Indeed, the hearts are more severe in losing control than feathers are on a stormy day.’’ [End of quote]
Abridged and slightly paraphrased
Source: http://www.sahab.net/home/?p=739]