Superiority Delusion Syndrome

Superiority Delusion Syndrome

In Islam, there is no religious superiority or religious subservience. Prophet Muhammad's last sermon was explicit about equality and the non-superiority of the Arab to non-Arabs. I will cite an analogy to buttress the issue. 

The Cantabrigian Analogy: A Cantabrigian from the town of Cambridgeshire also happens to be a student at the University of Cambridge. This particular student is known for constantly boasting about his Cambridge heritage and often informs others at any given opportunity that “my ancestors own this land” and states that “in fact my direct great-great-great-grandfather single-handedly donated the land University of Cambridge was built”. The student was really obsessed about his ancestry.  

This student's patrimonial obsession, combined with his arrogance and self-delusion, makes him neglect studying the course material provided by the University of Cambridge. Following this tactless decision, the student fails his examinations resoundingly. 

Based on the cited scenario of the bragging student, imagine there is another student who also attends the University of Cambridge. However, this particular student decides to withdraw from the university, because of the student rodomontading about his ancestors owning the land that the University of Cambridge was built on. Effectively, the other student deliberately abandoned university and the opportunity to become a graduate, because of some deluded fellow that brags about his ancestry.

The latter scenario typifies the problem of missing the crux of the message and a fixation on the mundane. The lesson is to not let the delusion of others affect our decisions, and ultimate success. On the other hand, the former scenario is the similitude of a deluded Arab thinking his lineage makes him special or superior and decides not to abide by the guidance of Islam yet expects to succeed. 

Evidently, there are some people who may feel that because of their Arab heritage, they are somewhat superior to non-Arabs. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ being Arab, does not actually make Arabs better than anyone who is non-Arab. From a spiritual position, if any Arab suffers from the superiority delusion syndrome, then they have an overly complex problem. Apart from the fact that such a provincial position is antithetical to the teachings of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, as emphatically stated in his last sermon, it is a position that is contradictory to Islam. Furthermore, the superiority delusion syndrome can be appreciated as a divine test and burden of responsibility for Arabs; because they happen to share the same ethnicity or geographical location with Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Instructively, the arrogance that is sometimes attributed to Arabs is potentially possible by any ethnic group that happens to be in a similar situation.  

Essentially, any supposed arrogance or superiority that Arabs are sometimes accused of exhibiting can potentially befall any ethnic group with the same privilege of geographical proximity to the Prophet. Furthermore, Arabs can be analysed from a microcosmic prism; as a reflection of any nation, society, community, ethnicity, tribe or clan that may have been tested with such a prophetic affiliation. Exhibiting arrogance and superiority because a prophet comes from your region, are misplaced attitudes that can lead to damnation. Surely, when the appointed time comes, everyone will meet their Creator and shall explain the source of their supposed superiority. Such actions are nothing but misplaced pride and baseless arrogance. 

Excerpt from pgs 322-324 of P.R.I.S.M: Primal Religious Instruction Serving Mankind by M.B.O Owolowo ©️