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wa-lā tamshi fī l-ʾarḍi maraḥan ʾinnaka lan takhriqa l-ʾarḍa wa-lan tablugha l-jibāla ṭūlan
Do not walk exultantly on the earth. Indeed, you will neither pierce the earth, nor reach the mountains in height.
— Ali Quli Qarai
17Al-Isrā’الإسراءVerse 37 of 111
The Night Journey17. Al-Isrā’الإسراء
Al Isrā’
The Night Journey
MeccanVerse 37 of 111
Surah Isra’ – Verse 37
37. “And do not walk around exultantly on the earth; certainly you will never rend the earth; nor attain the mountains in height.”
Islam does not only provide rules and regulations for ideological, political, military and economic issues, but it also offers commandments with regard to such minor matters such as going and coming to the house as well, owing to its encompassing and all-inclusiveness inherent in it. Thus, it launches a campaign in this noble verse against arrogance and, while clearly dissuading the believers, it addresses the Prophet (S) saying:
“And do not walk around exultantly on the earth; certainly you will never rend the earth; nor attain the mountains in height.”
Here, in this holy verse, there is an explicit allusion made to those proud and arrogant people who take their steps with pride, pounding them on the ground so as to make people aware of their comings and goings, and stay with their necks up so as, base on their imagination, to prove their superiority to others. The objective of the Qur’an is to denounce arrogance in all its forms in general; not only in its apparent aspects as i.e. in the case of walking which is a particular aspect of it, but also in all of its aspects, for arrogance is the source of all kinds of alienation from Allah, from oneself, as well as errors in one’s judgment, losing of one’s way in his truth-seeking effort, joining the ranks of the Satan, and pollution with all kinds of sin.
The practical program offered by the pioneers of Islam can serve as the most instructive paradigm for each and every true Muslim in this regard. We have it in the biography of the Prophet (S) that he would never allow others to walk while he was riding on the back of a horse. We also have it that the Prophet (S) used to squat on the earth and he used to have a simple meal just like that of the slaves; he also used to milk the sheep, and used to ride on the back of a donkey with no saddles.
We also have it in the biography of Hadrat-Ali (as) that he used to carry over water for the house and he used to sweep the house occasionally. We have it in the biography of Imam Mujtab a (as) that in spite of having and owning numerous animals for riding, he made the pilgrimage to Mecca twenty times on foot, saying:
“I practice this way out of sheer modesty for the Lord’s sake.”