According to search-discovered classical Islamic scholarship, pride (Al-Kibr) is a grave spiritual malady of the heart, defined by the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) as the dual act of rejecting divine truth and holding people in contempt. Classical authorities like Imam Al-Ghazali elaborate that it is an internal sense of self-aggrandizement that positions oneself above others and, ultimately, above the truth itself. Across the 11 key Quranic verses on this topic, from the 'pride in sin' (2:206) to turning away from people scornfully (31:18), a consistent theme emerges: pride is the primary veil that blinds the heart to guidance and severs the connection with Allah. Ibn Kathir's tafsir confirms that this was the foundational sin of Iblis and the cause of ruin for past nations who rejected their prophets. This synthesis establishes pride not merely as a negative trait but as a direct challenge to divine authority and a fundamental obstacle to spiritual purification (Tazkiyah).