What does « Pride / Arrogance » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Pride / Arrogance (بطر) in the Quran, with 2 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

بطر

Pride / Arrogance

Root: ب - ط - ر

Creed (aqida) 2 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of Pride / Arrogance

Al-batar (arrogance): pride facing blessings, by denying them or misusing them.

Allah says: 'Do not be like those who left their homes with arrogance (bataran)' (Al-Anfâl: 47).

Batira: he became arrogant.

Batar is more than excessive joy.

Pride / Arrogance in the Quran (2)

Meccan: 1 Medinan: 1

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-Anfal 1

Al-Qasas 1

Surah Al-Anfal : 47 Medinan

﴿وَلَا تَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّذِينَ خَرَجُوا۟ مِن دِيَٰرِهِم بَطَرًا وَرِئَآءَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ﴾

And do not be like those who came forth from their homes insolently and to be seen by people and avert [them] from the way of Allah. And Allah is encompassing of what they do.

Surah Al-Qasas : 58 Meccan

﴿وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَرْيَةٍۭ بَطِرَتْ مَعِيشَتَهَا فَتِلْكَ مَسَٰكِنُهُمْ لَمْ تُسْكَن مِّنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا وَكُنَّا نَحْنُ ٱلْوَٰرِثِينَ﴾

And how many a city have We destroyed that was insolent in its [way of] living, and those are their dwellings which have not been inhabited after them except briefly. And it is We who were the inheritors.