Self Admiration (العجب) in the Quran — Key Verses & Related Concepts

ConceptSelf AdmirationالعجبEthics19Verses15Surahs8Connections#242of 728

Also Known As

Frenchvanité
Urduخود پسندی
Bengaliঅহংকার
Indonesianujub

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Revelation

Meccan 8Medinan 11

Domain Mix

Ethics32%
Theology32%
Cosmology11%
Prophethood11%

Across The Qur’an

Every surah, shaded by how often this concept appears. Unshaded surahs never mention it.

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Where It Appears Most

Key Verses

Showing 12 of 19 verses that mention this concept.

  1. وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يُعۡجِبُكَ قَوۡلُهُۥ فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَيُشۡهِدُ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا فِي قَلۡبِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَلَدُّ ٱلۡخِصَامِ
    And of mankind there is he whoso conversation on the life of this world pleaseth thee (Muhammad), and he calleth Allah to witness as to that which is in his heart; yet he is the most rigid of opponents.
    In context

    There is a type of person who is actually a Hypocrite, but his speech with respect to the life of this world impresses you, O Prophet, and you consider him to be honest and sincere because of his wonderful words. However, his only goal in speaking words of faith is to protect his personal and financial interests.

  2. وَلَا تَنكِحُواْ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكَٰتِ حَتَّىٰ يُؤۡمِنَّۚ وَلَأَمَةٞ مُّؤۡمِنَةٌ خَيۡرٞ مِّن مُّشۡرِكَةٖ وَلَوۡ أَعۡجَبَتۡكُمۡۗ وَلَا تُنكِحُواْ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ حَتَّىٰ يُؤۡمِنُواْۚ وَلَعَبۡدٞ مُّؤۡمِنٌ خَيۡرٞ مِّن مُّشۡرِكٖ وَلَوۡ أَعۡجَبَكُمۡۗ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ يَدۡعُونَ إِلَى ٱلنَّارِۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَدۡعُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱلۡجَنَّةِ وَٱلۡمَغۡفِرَةِ بِإِذۡنِهِۦۖ وَيُبَيِّنُ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ
    Wed not idolatresses till they believe; for lo! a believing bondwoman is better than an idolatress though she please you; and give not your daughters in marriage to idolaters till they believe, for lo! a believing slave is better than an idolater though he please you. These invite unto the Fire, and Allah inviteth unto the Garden, and unto forgiveness by His grace, and expoundeth His revelations to mankind that haply they may remember.
    In context

    Do not get married, O believers, to those women who give partners to Allah until they have faith in Him alone and enter the path of Islam. A woman who is a slave but has faith in Allah and His Messenger is better than a free woman who worships idols, even though you may be impressed by her beauty and wealth. Do not give Muslim women in marriage to men who are idolaters.

  3. قُل لَّا يَسۡتَوِي ٱلۡخَبِيثُ وَٱلطَّيِّبُ وَلَوۡ أَعۡجَبَكَ كَثۡرَةُ ٱلۡخَبِيثِۚ فَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ يَـٰٓأُوْلِي ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ
    Say: The evil and the good are not alike even though the plenty of the evil attract thee. So be mindful of your duty to Allah, O men of understanding, that ye may succeed.
    In context

    Say, O Messenger: Bad is not the same as good, even if the bad is a large amount that impresses you. A large amount of something does not mean that it is best. Be mindful of Allah, O people of intellect, by leaving the bad and doing the good, so that you successfully achieve Paradise and are saved from the fire of Hell.

  4. لَقَدۡ نَصَرَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِي مَوَاطِنَ كَثِيرَةٖ وَيَوۡمَ حُنَيۡنٍ إِذۡ أَعۡجَبَتۡكُمۡ كَثۡرَتُكُمۡ فَلَمۡ تُغۡنِ عَنكُمۡ شَيۡـٔٗا وَضَاقَتۡ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتۡ ثُمَّ وَلَّيۡتُم مُّدۡبِرِينَ
    Allah hath given you victory on many fields and on the day of Huneyn, when ye exulted in your multitude but it availed you naught, and the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for you; then ye turned back in flight;
    In context

    Allah helped the believers against their enemies, the idolaters, in many battles, despite their small numbers and shortage of weapons, when they trusted in Allah and took appropriate measures. The believers should not be simply pleased by being a great number, because this is not the reason for them beating their enemy.

  5. فَلَا تُعۡجِبۡكَ أَمۡوَٰلُهُمۡ وَلَآ أَوۡلَٰدُهُمۡۚ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُم بِهَا فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَتَزۡهَقَ أَنفُسُهُمۡ وَهُمۡ كَٰفِرُونَ
    So let not their riches nor their children please thee (O Muhammad). Allah thereby intendeth but to punish them in the life of the world and that their souls shall pass away while they are disbelievers.
    In context

    So do not be impressed by the wealth and children of these hypocrites, or think it to be something good.

  6. وَلَا تُعۡجِبۡكَ أَمۡوَٰلُهُمۡ وَأَوۡلَٰدُهُمۡۚ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُعَذِّبَهُم بِهَا فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَتَزۡهَقَ أَنفُسُهُمۡ وَهُمۡ كَٰفِرُونَ
    Let not their wealth nor their children please thee! Allah purposeth only to punish them thereby in the world, and that their souls shall pass away while they are disbelievers.
    In context

    Do not, O Messenger, let the wealth and children of these hypocrites impress you. Allah only intends to punish them with that in the life of the world, through the difficulties they face and the disasters they are afflicted with respect to them, and that their souls leave their bodies while they are in disbelief.

  7. 10:2YunusWarning
    أَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا أَنۡ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰ رَجُلٖ مِّنۡهُمۡ أَنۡ أَنذِرِ ٱلنَّاسَ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَنَّ لَهُمۡ قَدَمَ صِدۡقٍ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡۗ قَالَ ٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَسَٰحِرٞ مُّبِينٌ
    Is it a wonder for mankind that We have inspired a man among them, saying: Warn mankind and bring unto those who believe the good tidings that they have a sure footing with their Lord? The disbelievers say: Lo! this is a mere wizard.
    In context

    Are the people amazed that Allah has sent revelation to a man like themselves, instructing him to warn them about the punishment of Allah, and telling those who have faith in Allah the good news that they will have a high rank with their Lord, glory be to Him, as a reward for the good actions they did? The disbelievers said that this man who came with these verses was clearly a magician.

  8. 13:5Ar-RadWarning
    ۞وَإِن تَعۡجَبۡ فَعَجَبٞ قَوۡلُهُمۡ أَءِذَا كُنَّا تُرَٰبًا أَءِنَّا لَفِي خَلۡقٖ جَدِيدٍۗ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِرَبِّهِمۡۖ وَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلۡأَغۡلَٰلُ فِيٓ أَعۡنَاقِهِمۡۖ وَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلنَّارِۖ هُمۡ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ
    And if thou wonderest, then wondrous is their saying: When we are dust, are we then forsooth (to be raised) in a new creation? Such are they who disbelieve in their Lord; such have carcans on their necks; such are rightful owners of the Fire, they will abide therein.
    In context

    If you are amazed, O Messenger, at anything, then you should surely be amazed at their denial of resurrection and their statement of proof for their denial: What, when we die and become dust and decayed and decomposed bones, shall we be resurrected and restored to life?

  9. أَمۡ حَسِبۡتَ أَنَّ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلۡكَهۡفِ وَٱلرَّقِيمِ كَانُواْ مِنۡ ءَايَٰتِنَا عَجَبًا
    Or deemest thou that the People of the Cave and the Inscription are a wonder among Our portents?
    In context

    Do not think, O Messenger, that the story of the people of the cave and the tablet on which their names were written are from our amazing signs. In fact, other signs such as creating the heavens and earth are more amazing.

  10. قَالَ أَرَءَيۡتَ إِذۡ أَوَيۡنَآ إِلَى ٱلصَّخۡرَةِ فَإِنِّي نَسِيتُ ٱلۡحُوتَ وَمَآ أَنسَىٰنِيهُ إِلَّا ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ أَنۡ أَذۡكُرَهُۥۚ وَٱتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُۥ فِي ٱلۡبَحۡرِ عَجَبٗا
    He said: Didst thou see, when we took refuge on the rock, and I forgot the fish - and none but Satan caused me to forget to mention it - it took its way into the waters by a marvel.
    In context

    The boy said: Do you remember what happened when we rested by the rock? I forgot to tell you about the fish. It was only Satan who made me forget to mention it to you. The fish came to life and it amazingly found its way into the sea.

  11. لَّا يَحِلُّ لَكَ ٱلنِّسَآءُ مِنۢ بَعۡدُ وَلَآ أَن تَبَدَّلَ بِهِنَّ مِنۡ أَزۡوَٰجٖ وَلَوۡ أَعۡجَبَكَ حُسۡنُهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا مَلَكَتۡ يَمِينُكَۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ رَّقِيبٗا
    It is not allowed thee to take (other) women henceforth, nor that thou shouldst change them for other wives even though their beauty pleased thee, save those whom thy right hand possesseth. And Allah is ever Watcher over all things.
    In context

    O Messenger! It is not permissible for you to marry women other than your wives who are already in your protection, neither is it permissible for you to divorce them, or divorce any one of them so that you may marry another woman, even if her beauty appeals to you. However, it is permissible for you to take captive women into your possession. And Allah is a guardian over everything.

  12. بَلۡ عَجِبۡتَ وَيَسۡخَرُونَ
    Nay, but thou dost marvel when they mock
    In context

    O Muhammad! You are amazed at the power of Allah and His management of the affairs of His creation; you are astonished at the idolaters rejecting the resurrection. While these idolaters mock at what you say regarding the resurrection, due to their extreme denial of it.

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