A Fire that Burns An Overambitious Person, Followers
In some of the stories of the Holy Quran, there are people with this characteristic who have led themselves and others astray.
Being overambitious is a dangerous thing for the individual and the society. Those who are overambitious seek to dominate the society and want people to follow them.
Just as some use their money to reach (good or bad) worldly objectives, overambitious persons exploit people’s feelings to reach power and other worldly goals.
Although such persons may have strong power of reasoning or high capabilities and talents to rule the people, they are not free from mistakes and faults.
Because their focus of attention is this world, not the hereafter, their worldly desires and goals make them take decisions that lead not only themselves but also others into the wrong path and toward destruction.
Imam Sadiq (AS) warns us not to follow such individuals who seek domination and power because they cause themselves and others to go astray.
The Holy Quran names some of these individuals:
“Then Pharaoh made a proclamation to his people: 'My people, is the kingdom of Egypt not mine and these rivers which flow beneath me? What, can you not see? Am I not better than this contemptible (man), who can scarcely make things clear (because of the impediment of his speech)?” (Verses 50-51 of Surah Zukhruf)
These verses indicate Pharaoh’s both arrogance and too much ambition. He knew that Moses (AS) was right and had been sent by God, but he deceived people and claimed to be a god because he loved power and dominating people.
Pharaoh led himself and those with him t eternal damnation. “They will be exposed to the fire in the mornings and the evenings and on the Day of Judgment, they will be told, ‘People of the Pharaoh, suffer the most severe torment.’” (Verse 46 of Surah Ghafir)
