'All Hail, Macbeth! That Shalt Be King Hereafter!': Warning About False Ambition Not A Simple Prophecy of the Macbethian Witches
Intro:
Those who do not understand their limits fall prey to false praise, such as “You’re destined for greatness.” This flattery ignites unchecked ambition in them. People who do not understand flattery lose their credibility in society and thereafter.
By Arman Neyazi, New Age Islam
15 January 2026
Those who do not understand their limits fall prey to false praise, such as “You’re destined for greatness.” This flattery ignites unchecked ambition in them. People who do not understand flattery lose their credibility in society and thereafter. The Holy Quran suggests painful punishment for them as they bring misery to society for the fulfilment of their ambitions.
Main Points:
1. Except the wise men who lead their lives in spiritual surroundings, we all are prone to the wicked prophecy of ‘Macbeth’, “All Hail, Macbeth! That Shalt Be King Hereafter!”
2. Sycophancy is in the root of the destruction society is witnessing and the downfall of the powerful human being.
3. Sycophancy is the result of ignorance and lack of knowledge of spiritualism.
4. Gentlemen who have created Macbethism on this beautiful planet earth must learn to lead their fellow brethren and live up to the trust they have bestowed.
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Except the wise men who lead their lives in spiritual surroundings, we all are prone to the wicked prophecy of ‘Macbeth’, “All Hail, Macbeth! That Shalt Be King Hereafter!” This sycophancy is in the root of the destruction society is witnessing and the downfall of the powerful human being. All those who understand the meaning of the witches’ prophecy in time save themselves from downfall. Those who take this prophecy not as a warning to come to their senses but as the fruit they deserve are doomed to ruin.
Undue Ambition is Destructive
Those who do not understand their limits fall prey to false praise, such as “You’re destined for greatness.” This flattery ignites unchecked ambition in them. People who do not understand flattery lose their credibility in society and thereafter. The Holy Quran suggests painful punishment for them as they bring misery to society for the fulfilment of their ambitions. Those who fall prey to flattery are punished hereafter as they become the cause of unbridled miseries to society. The Holy Quran says:
Do not let those who rejoice in their misdeeds and love to take credit for what they have not done think they will escape torment. They will suffer a painful punishment. (Quran: 3:188)
......Surely Allah does not like whoever is arrogant, boastful— (Quran 4:36)
“Indeed, Qarun was from the people of Musa, but he tyrannised them…”
(Qur’an 28:76–82)
Sycophancy and Sycophants
Sycophancy is the result of ignorance and lack of knowledge of spiritualism. These are the people who are unaware of human beings ‘worth. They do not know Allah, the Most Gracious, has created human beings as His vicegerents, thus as His ‘best creation’. His vicegerents cannot be worthless. But, to recognise their worth, they have to be taught spiritual tidings by the society they are a part of.
Today’s materialistic society is devoid of spiritual leanings. It prioritises material gains and worldly validation over spiritual inner growth of personality. This scenario is responsible for the creation of flatterers all over the world and in abundance. The Holy Quran calls them nearer to disbelievers and says:
......They were nearer to disbelief that day than to faith, saying with their mouths what was not in their hearts. And Allah is most Knowing of what they conceal - Surah Al-Imran Ayat 167
Give tidings to the hypocrites that there is for them a painful punishment - Surah An-Nisa Ayat 138
And of the people is he whose speech pleases you in worldly life, and he calls Allah to witness as to what is in his heart, yet he is the fiercest of opponents. Surah Al-Baqarah Ayat 204
Ambition Without Ethics Leads to Downfall
In spiritual ethics, power bestowed upon you is trust, ‘Amanah’. And betraying trust, in Urdu ‘Amanat Main Khyanat’ is one of the most heinous sins according to the Holy Quran. Allah, the Most Gracious, says:
"O you who have believed, do not betray Allah and the Messenger or betray your trusts knowingly". Al-Anfal (8:27)
"Indeed, Allah does not like the treacherous". Al-Anfal (8:58)
"If one of you entrusts another, then he who is entrusted should return the trust to his employer. And let him fear Allah, his Lord". Al-Baqarah (2:283)
"And do not be an advocate for those who betray trust". Al-Nisa' (4:105)
Cites the wives of Noah and Lot as examples of those who betrayed righteous servants, facing divine wrath. At-Tahrim (66:10)
Leadership means guiding people to the righteous path, a path that is of their development, social, economical and cultural identity, not something to violate their due rights. The Holy Quran describes leadership as:
And [mention, O Muhammad], when Abraham was tried by his Lord with commands, and he fulfilled them. [Allah] said, "Indeed, I will make you a leader for the people." (Surah Al-Baqarah Ayat 124)
In light of the Quranic Ayats mentioned above, gentlemen who have created Macbethism on this beautiful planet earth must learn to lead their fellow brethren and live up to the trust they have bestowed.
Contrary to this, Macbeths of today’s world, Donald Trump, Richard Nixon, Hitler, Stalin, and Idi Amin and maybe many others, have created a Macbethian society laced in Macbethian ideology. This is Macbethian ideology that has ruined the world of its spiritual and divine beauty. They are ruining the environment (forests, rivers, oceans and mountains), cultural identity and social ethics of brotherhood and equality. Allah, the Almighty, commands them to “render trusts to whom they are due…” (Qur’an 4:58), and they are breaking the trust put on them by their followers and the society at large.
The righteous person who obeys their Creator has a message in the Holy Quran: “That home of the Hereafter We assign to those who desire neither exaltation upon the earth nor corruption. And the best outcome is for the righteous.” (Qur’an 28:83).
Volumes and volumes have been written on the true leadership, trust and punishment of betrayal, but some among us do not take these to their notice and think they will never be answerable to anyone. Many of the Macbeths have gone to dearth and their treacherous lives have been forgotten. "Shaan o Shaukat" (شان و شوکت) that is splendour, magnificence, pomp, glory, majesty and great states of the yesteryears have befallen, and such kings and heads of states are remembered but as betrayers.
And Allah Knows the Best.
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Arman Neyazi is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com.
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