Ways To Show Off A collection of twenty Action that leads to Showing Off of ones Good deeds. From the Book 20 ways to show off. 1. Publicizing one’s good deeds: Some people go around intentionally talking about the things they have done, boastingabout their virtues.They cannot sit with others without saying: “I did this and I did that…I spent so much in charity.” Sometimes they can be a bit more subtle, saying things like:“Actually, I cannot stay up in prayer at night more than two hours…” or: “Unfortunately,I cannot cope with fasting every day, so I must suffice with fasting on Mondays andThursdays…” In this way, they want to show others just how much they are praying andfasting. They only publicize their good works and make sure to perform them in front of others inorder to earn the people’s praise. This is why it is preferable for most acts of worship to be done in private. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “O people! Pray in yourhomes, for truly the best prayers are those that a person prays at home, with the exceptionof the prescribed prayers.” (Sahîh al -Bukhârî 731). 2. Making false claims: There is a type of person who likes to boast about things he never did. He may claim thathe struggled for Islam with patience and forbearance. He may eve n claim to havesuffered persecution and hardships in the path of Allah. If he meets someone who doesnot know about his past, he goes on to tell him: “I used to do this and I used to saythat…”, speaking about a past more embroidered than true. This person goes on like this in front of others in order to earn a reputation for himself. This behavior is worse than the one we have just gotten through discussing, since itcombines between two evils: showing off and lying. The Prophet (peace be upon him)said: “A person who claims to be given things he has never been given is a double liar.” {Sahîh al -Bukhârî (5219). Sahîh Muslim (2130).} 3. Becoming a show-off after having been sincere: A person begins doing something for the sake of Allah alone, like offering prayer,spending in charity, or glorifying Allah in an audible voice. Then he realizes that peoplecan see him. This makes him do even more. He prays a little longer, spends a little more,or glorifies Allah with even greater eloquence. When a person finds himself in thissituation, he should fight against the urge to show off. He should say what the Prophet(peace be upon him) taught Abû Bakr to say to ward it off: “O Allah! I seek refuge withyou from associating partners with you knowingly and I seek your forgiveness for what Ido unknowingly.” {Al-Bukhârî, Adab al-Mufrid (716). Al-Hakîm al-Tirmidhî, Nawâdir al-`Usûl (4/142).} 4. Abandoning deeds because of the people: Al-Fudayl b. `Iyâd had harsh words for those who abandoned performing good worksbecause of the people. He said: “Abandoning deeds because of the people is showing off. Performing deed for their sake is polytheism. Sincerity is where Allah protects you fromboth.” Some people go to the mosque. Then when they get there and see the people there, theybecome afraid of showing off. They start to come to the mosque late because of this andmight sometimes miss the prayer altogether. This becomes their habit. Coming to themosque early becomes one of the most difficult things for them to do. Some people who read or memorize the Qur’ân, when they see that others are listening tothem, become afraid of showing off. They stop reading the Qur’ân. This is tragic,especially when the people who do so are among those who have memorized the Qur’ânor who teach it to others. 5. Making worship noticeable in a subtle way: A person might conceal his worship, or at least seem to be doing so, while making surepeople know about it in a roundabout way. For example, a man might be busy withpraising Allah or seeking his forgiveness. He keeps his remembrances quiet, but hemoves his lips in a conspicuous manner so that anyone who sees him will know that he isengaged in the remembrance of his Lord. He might even raise his voice once in a whileever so slightly to bring attention to himself. What he desires is for people to praise himfor what he is doing. Actions are but by intentions, and every person will have only whathe intended. Therefore, if a person inadvertently draws attention to himself, not meaningto show off, then there will be no harm. However, if he does something ever so subtlewith the intention of drawing attention to himself, then he has not only showed off butmade a pretense of sincerity while doing so. And Allah says: “Whether you hide yourwords or make them known, He certainly has full knowledge of what is in the hearts. Should He who created not know, and He is the Subtle, the Aware?”. [Sûrah al-Mulk: 13-14] 6. Conspicuous humility: A person might make a show of deprecating himself, stating all the time how deficient heis. He says how he does no good works and how his deeds are not enough. What hemeans by all this is to make a display of his humility. Whether or not he actually believes himself deficient, he goe s on in this way until Satanmakes him believe that he is free from showing off, when actually Satan has beenaccompanying him in his absurd display all along. What is needed for a person to bebalanced, neither deprecating himself for public viewing, nor praising himself. 7. Bringing attention to the faults of others: Satan can approach a person by way of the faults of others. By criticizing someone else’smistake, a person implies that he is free from the same. A man might say: “You know – God forbid! – so-and-so never gets up at night to offerprayers!” Translation: “I pray at night.” “I never saw such-and-such fast a day in his life.” Translation: “I fast a lot.” “Whats-his-name never gives in charity, though he has much more money than I have.” Translation: “I am not like him. I give in charity.” 8. Safeguarding one’s status and reputation: When a person becomes known for righteousness and piety, he tends to love building hisreputation further in the same manner. He begins to fear losing the esteem of others thathe presently enjoys. He guards himself from any apparent laxity in his conduct. He makessure to keep pace with others or to outdo them in good works, at least publicly. He doesnot do this out of any religious devotion, but in order to earn respect. He may speak to the people, preach to them, and exhort them to do what is right, notbecause he feels that they need it but because he feels that they expect it from him. Themeaning of what he says is not his concern. It is only his reputation and status that matter. This trap is a subtle one and an easy one to fall into. Actions are but by intentions. Aperson is either doing these things for Allah’s sake – for which he will be rewarded – ormerely to save his reputation. 9. Speaking about matters in a way that alludes to the idea that one is engaged in them: A person might say the following: “If a worshipper recites the Qur’ân a lot, it becomeseasy on his tongue, and he reads with more fluidity, especially when he prays late atnight.” Translation : “I did this act and had this experience.” Likewise, a person might say: “Some people think fasting is tiring and difficult.” Translation: “I am in the habit of fasting.” A person’s secret devotions can become public in this manner. A man says: “You know,so-and-so made the call for the Morning Prayer a half hour before its time.” In this way,he reveals to everyone that he is in the habit of getting up early for prayers. Let us look at how the scholars of old handled a similar situation. Sa`îd b. Jubayr askedhis fellows: “Which of you saw the shooting star that went across the sky last night?” Husayn b. `Abd al-Rahmân added: “I did.” Then he quickly added: “I had not beenpraying; I had been stung by a scorpion.” The reason he mentioned that he had been stung by a scorpion was to dispel the obviousconclusion that his companions would come to: that he had been praying throughout thenight. The early Muslims were very careful to avoid praising themselves and did not likementioning their own virtues. Those who mention such things in order to show off may earn the people’s praise, buttheir deeds lose all blessings. If somebody makes such statements without the intention ofshowing off, then his secret devotions still become public. He will be rewarded for them,but the blessings of those devotions will be less. 10. Putting oneself on a pedestal: A person embarks upon learning about a certain religious topic. He delves into it deeply,investigating every minor issue and every subtle detail. He commits whole texts tomemory and learns the opinions of many authorities. Then, when he sits among a largenumber of people, he begins to speak. Of course, he speaks on that very topic that heinvestigated so thoroughly, rattling off the names of different scholars and what they hadto say, giving every citation from memory, down to the page number. He pours out tothem everything he has memorized. What is the reason for all of this? It is so people willpoint to him and call him a scholar. He may have the pretension to use turns of phrase reserved for true people of knowledge. He might say things like: “I see the matter to be such-and such…” “What is quite evident to me is that …” “The stance that we take on this issue is…” He has the audacity to speak in the manner of an authority in the field, while he is a merebeginner. 11. Refuting the people of knowledge: A person may be incited by Satan to speak badly about the people of knowledge or to tryto refute and contradict them. His purpose in doing so is to make himself visible bystanding upon their shoulders. He wants people to say that he refuted or dumbfounded acertain scholar. He wants the news to spread that he got into a debate with a certainprominent sheikh and overwhelmed him with his arguments. He might succeed in bringing scholars down only to make himself more famous. Whiledoing so, he might even offer a prayer for them to make a show of his affection andconcern. He could say: “So-and-so – may Allah have mercy on him – said this and that.” He may even make a pretense of pity and compassion, saying: “Poor so-and-so, he hasbeen afflicted with holding such an opinion.” Another approach he may use is to feign a desire not to talk about him. If someonementions to him the name of a certain scholar, he might say: “I do not wish to getinvolved with discussing that person” or “Leave him alone. May Allah conceal both hisfaults and ours.” or “Let us not talk about him. May Allah protect us from speaking badlyabout someone.” This is a very subtle way of putting that scholar down. Only the astuteactually realize what is going on. 12. Seeking knowledge to acquire fame: A person may be incited by Satan to seek religious knowledge and to study it extensivelywith the sole purpose of becoming a muftî who people will come to with their questions ,or a scholar whose name will go down in history, or maybe an Islamic activist whopeople will rally around. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned that three people would be the first on theDay of Resurrection to be scorched by the Hellfire. One of these three was: “…a manwho acquired knowledge and taught it to others, who recited the Qur’ân. He will besummoned and asked what he did during his lifetime. He will say: ‘I acquired knowledgeand taught it to others and I recited the Qur’ân for your sake.’ Allah will tell him: ‘Youlie! You only acquired knowledge so people would call you a scholar and read theQur’ân so you would be acclaimed as a Qur’ân reciter. These things were indeed saidabout you.’ At this point an order will be given and this man will be dragged on his faceand cast into Hell.” The others mentioned in this hadîth were a man who fought inAllah’s cause and a man who gave in charity, both with the intention of showing off. (Sahîh Muslim 1905). A person like this, once he acquires the fame and status that he desires, will be approached with the people’s questions. There will be times where he will not know theanswer. At these times when he should admit he does not know, he will instead fear thepeople and worry about their opinion of him. He will not want them to say: “How comeyou don’t know the answer and you are supposed to be such a learned person?” For this reason, he will make something up and answer in ignorance. He will in this way misguidehimself and others. Once a man of knowledge ascended the pulpit and was asked a question. He answered: “Idon’t know.” One of the people in attendance spoke up and said: “The pulpit is not a place for ‘I don’tknow’!” To this the man of knowledge said: “I have ascended to this position where I am with theknowledge that I possess. If I were to ascend on par with my ignorance, I would reach thesky.” Imam Mâlik once said: “Whenever a scholar abandons saying ‘I don’t know’, then he hasmet with destruction.” 13. Feigninig humility Satan may incite a person to make a pretentious show of modesty and humbleness. He will clasp his hands together, raise his shoulders, and lower his head in an insincere and inordinate display of submissiveness. Often the behaviors exhibited in these displays go against the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him). `Abd Allah al-Qurashî relates that `Umar b. al-Khattâb once saw a young man lowering his head in prayer. `Umar said to him: “Raise your head. Humbleness does not increase on what is actually in the heart. Whenever people make their humbleness visible, they are just making a visible display of hypocrisy (Al-Daynûrî, al-Majâlisah 1692, 3434). 14. Overemphasizing certain conspicuous works, even to the point of going against the Sunnah: Some people become fixated on a certain type of work to the point where Satan can incitethem on account of it to go against the Sunnah or to violate Islamic law. Take jihad for instance , since some of our young people today have become veryinterested in it. No doubt it is a great act of devotion. The Prophet (peace be upon him)said: “There are one hundred levels in Paradise that Allah has prepared for those whoengage in jihad for the cause of Allah. The distance between any two levels is like thedistance between the sky and the Earth” (Sahîh al -Bukhârî 2790). He also said that the pinnacle of Islam is jihadin the way of Allah.{Musnad Ahmad (21542). Sunan al-Tirmidhî (2616). Sunan Ibn Mâjah (3973).} “Whoever fights so that the word of Allah is the highest word, he is the one who hasfought in the cause of Allah.” {Sahîh al -Bukhârî (123, 2810). Sahîh Muslim (1904)} A man had fought along with the Prophet (peace be upon him) until he was slain. TheProphet (peace be upon him) said: “I saw him in the Hellfire.” (Sahîh Muslim 114). Later, he mentioned that he saw the man being punished in a cloak that he had stolen. Then there is the case of another man who fought alongside the Prophet (peace be uponhim). He was severely wounded and in agony, so he placed the base of his sword on theground and its point against his chest. Then he killed himself by falling upon it until itcame out through his back. The Prophet (peace be upon him) informed his Companionsthat that man was in the Hellfire. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that we purify our intentions and acquire the requisite knowledge before engaging in such work. We have seen the children of the Islamic Awakening going fourth in ranks into thefiercest of fighting. They have demonstrated the utmost heroism, bravery, and masteryover the world. We saw the young men who had lived lives of recreation and comfort,pull themselves away from it suddenly, departing their lives of leisure and luxury and theplaces of fun and games, looking for death in the cause of Allah in the mountains andravines of places like Afghanistan, Palestine, Chechnya, and Bosnia. We have books andcassettes filled with their many heroic stories.{Sahîh al -Bukhârî (123, 2810). Sahîh Muslim (1904)}. This shows the truth of what the Prophet (peace be upon him) said when he informed usthat jihad would be going on until the Final Hour , despite all the changing circumstancesand despite how much the Muslims might lag behind in the world. He said: “There is noemigration after the conquest of Mecca but there is jihad and intention. If you are calledupon to fight, then go forth.” (Sahîh Muslim 114). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Go back to them and make them laugh just asyou have made them weep.”{Sunan Abî Dâwûd (2528). Sunan al-Nasâ’î (7/143). Sunan Ibn Mâjah (2728). The hadîth is authentic (sahîh)}. Satan entices people to go against Allah’s Law in this way. For instance, he tricks somepeople by beautifying a given Islamic duty, though other Islamic duties may be moreserious, goading him on with it until he abandons those more important duties. He mightdeceive a person into thinking that some work is an individual duty on every Muslim, when in fact the decision to engage in such duties is one of those difficult matters thatrequires the discretion of qualified people of knowledge. This person may even bedeceived into condemning those who do not participate in the same works. It is possible for one of these people to start talking to others about his experiences whileengaged in jihad, mentioning things that he saw and did and talking about miracles thathe had experienced, though such events may never have actually taken place. I sawsomeone who had his hand bound up and who claimed that he had been shot in the handduring a battle. When his matter was investigated more closely, it turned out that it wasall a charade. The scholars of the early generations – the Salaf – were the strictest people in guardingagainst the tendency to show off, especially when it came to jihad. `Abdah b. Sulayman al-Marwazî relates: “We went on an expedition against the Romans.A Roman who was very strong and severe came forth. No Muslim could draw near himwithout being struck down by his sword. The Muslims became very afraid of him. Then ashrouded man went to attack that Roman, striking him with his sword until he cut throughhim. He then hurried back to the military camp. I followed him and opened his shroud tofind that it was none other than the great philanthropist and eminent scholar of Hadîthand Law, `Abd Allah b. al-Mubârak! He became very angry about what I did and said: ‘Even you defame us!’” (`Abd Allah b. al-Mubarak meant by this that the man made hisidentity and his deeds known to the public) Look at how he tried to conceal his gooddeeds. See as well how `Abd Allah b. al-Mubârak was able to join together many types ofgood works, like acquiring knowledge, fighting in jihad, and spending in charity. 15. Making a show of religious zeal: A pious person begins to talk about sinners. He speaks at length, describing, nit picking,and bewailing. He might even go so far as to curse people and threaten them. Heexaggerates matters to the extreme as if he is trying to say: “I am very zealous about thesanctity of the religion. I am righteously indignant when it comes to my Lord, the Prophet(peace be upon him) and the believers” What he does not realize is that the way he isshowing off is a far graver sin than many of the sins that he is discussing and condemningso viciously. 16. Conspicuously neglecting one’s outward appearance: This is one of the most subtle ways of falling into the sin of showing off. Satan mightinspire an individual to go about with disheveled hair and humble attire and make anostentatious display of asceticism and humility. The Sunnah, on the other hand,encourages a person to care about his appearance. The Prophet (peace be upon him) usedto take good care of his hair. He would comb it and apply scent to it. It is , however,related that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to forbid people from oiling their hairexcessively.{Musnad Ahmad (16793). Sunan al-Tirmidhî (1756). Sunan Abî Dâwûd (4159). Sunan al-Nasâî (5055).Al-Tirmidhî declared it a good and authentic hadîth. (hasan sahîh)} It is also related that he said: “Whoever has hair should honor it.”{Sunan Abî Dâwûd (4163). Mustadrak al-Hâkim (8485). Al-Manâwî discusses this hadîth in Fayd al-Qadîr (11439), saying: “(Al-Suyuti) indicates that it is a good hadîth.} It is befitting for an Islamic worker to dress nicely, be tidy, take care of his hair, staypresentable, and smell nice. He should keep his hair combed and nicely arranged. Heshould take care of his appearance without going overboard and wasting his time on it. 17. Making a display of lowering one’s gaze: A person can make turning away from something into a conspicuous act. When a mansees a pretty woman or some other sight that a Muslim should divert his eyes from, he notonly diverts his eyes but lowers his head or turns away. Now, this is not necessary. Allthat is required from him is to divert his gaze. He does not have to make a big show of it. Such behavior is pretentious. It may be that Satan causes this same individual to continueto sneak discreet glances. Allah says: “Allah knows the treachery of the eyes and all that the hearts conceal.” [Sûrah Ghâfir : 19] 18. Abandoning one’s worship from fear of falling into hypocrisy: Among the most serious of problems is when Satan fools somebody into abandoning hisworship of Allah to avoid being a hypocrite or being called one. Take, for example, areciter of the Qur’ân, a teacher, or an Islamic worker who falls into some unseen sinfulacts on some occasions, like looking at someone unlawfully. Such a person should repentto Allah and try to avoid falling into the sin again. Satan, though, does not give up thateasy. He suggests to that person that he is a hypocrite, since he presents an image of pietyto the people but commits sins in secret. Now, Satan is not going to suggest as a solution that the person should strive to overcomehis sins and rectify himself. Instead, Satan encourages him to give up the good works thathe is doing and to forsake the company of righteous people. He encourages him to giveup teaching others and leading prayers. His argument is that it is not fitting for thatindividual to do such outwardly good deeds while sinning inwardly. Satan may say tohim something like : “If the people know what you do when you are alone, they wouldspit in your face and avoid you like the plague.” Satan keeps at him like this until he gives up doing any good deeds. Allah says: “And establish regular prayers at the two ends of the day and at the approaches of the night. Indeed, good works remove evil deeds. This is a reminder forthose who are mindful.”[Sûrah Hûd: 114] 19. Withdrawing from the company of others and going into seclusion: A person may turn away from the company of his fellow men and eschew their companybecause he thinks he is better than they are. If he had, on the other hand, decided to avoidothers so they could be safe from his harm and abuse, he may have had a point. This iswhat Imam Ahmad did when he limited his interactions with others at the end of his life. People said to him: “O Imam! It is being said that you are renouncing the company ofothers.” Imam Ahmad replied: “Who am I to renounce other people? Quite the contrary, it is thepeople who are renouncing my company.” It is wrong to renounce the company of people out of a sense of superiority to them. Thisis nothing but pride and arrogance. It is a way of praising oneself. In a hadîth it is related: “Whoever says: ‘The people are in ruination!’ he is the most ruined of the lot.(Sahîh Muslim 2623). 20. Being deceived by some fleeting act of devotion: Satan can trick a person into thinking that some singular act of devotion, like sheddingpious tears, is good enough to suffice him. Some people bring themselves to weep duringprayer in the nights of Ramadân – and maybe only one night out of the year – or maybe they will attend the Tarâwîh prayer, then Satan convinces them that this made up foreverything wrong that they have so far committed. In this way, he encourages them tokeep up their sinful ways. We ask Allah to protect us all from the wiles of Satan and from this special type ofpolytheism that he likes to cultivate in our hearts. We seek refuge with Allah from theevils of ourselves and our deeds.
Posted on: Sun, 01 Dec 2013 09:13:04 +0000
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