Beware! This is How Ar-Riyah Could Lead You to Perversion
O you who believe! Do not render in vain your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injury, like him who spends his wealth to be seen of men, and he does not believe in Allah, nor in the Last Day. His likeness is the likeness of a smooth rock on which is a little dust; on it falls heavy rain which leaves it bare. They are not able to do anything with what they have earned. And Allah does not guide the disbelieving people. — Qur’an 2[Al-Baqarah]:264
Al-Massih Ad-Dajjal is the false messiah. Not a single prophet was sent by God except that he warned his people against him. In fact, the Messenger of Allah even recommended that we supplicate against him during tashahud in our daily prayers. However, do you know what is worse in trial than the false messiah? It is Ar-Riyah — the most fearful disease of the heart. In a very famous narration, Allah’s Apostle was reported thus:
On the authority of Abu Sa’id Al Khudri, the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Shall I not inform you of what I fear for you more than the Masih ad-Dajjal? It is the hidden shirk. It is when a man stands up for prayer, then beautifies his prayer for another to look at. — Ibn Majah
The subject of Ar-Riyah is a very complicated one because it’s a form of shirk, although a minor one. It is so difficult to distinguish between a sincere deed and an act of show-off. And this was the main reason why the famous companion, Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) said: “Ar-Riyah is more difficult than seeing a black ant, on a black stone in a moonless night”. This is an action which affects many Muslims unconsciously. At times, the one practicing it may not even be aware of it. The worst part of its complication is that the one who practices Ar-Riyah will find no reward in the side of Allah on the day of reckoning.
Beware of the Symptoms
- The love of being praised:
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, the first people to be judged on the Day of Resurrection will be a man who was martyred. He will be brought, the blessings of Allah will be made known and he will acknowledge them. Allah will say: What did you do about them? The man will say: I fought in your cause until I was martyred. Allah will say: You have lied, for you fought only that it would be said you were brave, and thus it was said. Then, Allah will order him to be dragged upon his face until he is cast into Hellfire. Another man studied religious knowledge, taught others, and recited the Quran. He will be brought, the blessings of Allah will be made known and he will acknowledge them. Allah will say: What did you do about them? The man will say: I learned religious knowledge, taught others, and I recited the Quran for your sake. Allah will say: You have lied, for you studied only that it would be said you are a scholar and you recited the Quran only that it would be said you are a reciter, and thus it was said. Then, Allah will order him to be dragged upon his face until he is cast into Hellfire. Another man was given an abundance of blessings from Allah and every kind of wealth. He will be brought, the blessings of Allah will be made known and he will acknowledge them. Allah will say: What did you do about them? The man will say: I did not leave any good cause beloved to you but that I spent on it for your sake. Allah will say: You have lied, for you spent only that it would be said you are generous, and thus it was said. Then, Allah will order him to be dragged upon his face until he is cast into Hellfire.” — Muslim
2. The fear of being criticized: A person may be negligent of Allah based on fear of friends and family. Many of us are being influenced by parents and peers. So we fear what they will say when we imbibe by Allah’s injunction. For instance, a woman may wear hijab because she wants to earn the love of her spouse. Also, a man may pray in the masjid, because he sees his companion doing so.
3. The want for what others have: When people are jealous of what others possess, they try by all means to get what doesn’t belong to them. They become envious of others while seeking the praise of people and they will unconsciously bring it into their deeds.
Fear the Repercussions
The adverse effect of Ar-Riyah (showing off) is that it leads to humiliation, wasted efforts, and loss of reward. This is apparently noted from the saying of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) thus:
Mahmood ibn Labeed may Allah be pleased with him reported that the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him said, “Indeed the thing that I fear most for you is the minor shirk.” The companions asked, “And what is minor shirk, Oh Messenger of Allah ?” He [the Prophet] said: “It is Ar-Riyah. Allah will say to the people of riyah on the Day of Judgement — when the people are being re-payed for their deeds — ‘Go to those who you showed off your deeds to in the worldly life then see if you can find any reward with them!’” — Ahmad
In a hadith-ul-Qudsi, Allah said: “Whoever does an action for other than Me, I will leave him with his shirk (associating partners with Allah).” — Muslim
10 Common Ways of Show-off
- Being boastful and publicizing your good deeds
- Doing good for people in order to be praised
- Making false claims
- Abandoning deeds because of what people say
- Adorning your worship to be noticeable
- Exaggerating your state of humility and piety
- Finding faults with others
- Withdrawing from the company of others thinking you’re better
- Abandoning worship from the fear of falling into hypocrisy
- Neglecting one’s appearance conspicuously
Embrace the Remedies
- Doing things solely for Allah’s sake: Remember the hadith — all actions will be judged by intention. So whenever you set out for a good deed, make your intention solely for Allah’s sake and do it in line with the sunnah of Allah’s messenger.
- Reciting Basmallah and other supplication: It’s very easy for shaytan to spoil your deeds. So whatever you do, remember to start with the name of Allah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated: “O Allah! Enable me to make Hajj with no riyah’ [showing off with the desire that others witness one’s good acts] or sum`ah [showing off with the desire that others hear about one’s good acts] in it.” — (Ibn Majah). In another narration, Abu Musa Al-Ashari related that the messenger of Allah peace be upon him said: “O people, save yourselves from shirk, for it is more inconspicuous than the creeping of the ant. Someone whom Allah willed (to speak) asked: ‘How do we save ourselves from it while it is more inconspicuous than the creeping of the ant O Messenger of Allah?’ He said: ‘Say: O Allah we seek refuge in You from associating anything with You knowingly, and we seek Your forgiveness for what we do unknowingly.’” — Ahmad
- Be consistent in good deeds: Al-Fudayl b. `Iyâd had harsh words for those who abandoned performing good works because of the people. He said: Abandoning deeds because of the people is showing off. While performing deed for their sake is polytheism. Sincerity is where Allah protects you from both.
- Increase your humility by remembering Allah: Abubakr As-Sideeq was of the best of this ummah. He was often praised for his good deeds, yet this was what he said whenever he gets praised: O Allah, make me better than what they think of me, and forgive me for what they do not know about me, and do not take me to account for what they say about me.
- Seek refuge with Allah when shaytan plots: The battle against Ar-Riyyah is a very hard one. Even the righteous predecessors fought with it till the end of their lives. Abdullah ibn Ahmad said:
“When death approached my father, I sat with him and in my hand was a scrap of cloth with which I wanted to tie his beard and he began to drift in and out of consciousness, then he opened his eyes and said, indicating with his hand: “No, not yet. No, not yet” And he repeated it three times. After the third repetition ,I said to him: Oh, my father! What is this thing which you have said at this time? You fall into unconsciousness so that we say that you have gone,then you return (to consciousness) and say: “No, not yet. No, not yet”
He said to me : Oh, my son! Do you not know?” I said: “No”.
He said :” Satan — May Allah’s curse be upon him — stood before me, he lowered himself on his knuckles and said to me:”Oh, Ahmad! You have eluded me.” But I replied: “No, not yet, not yet until I die.”
Let’s always remember life is too short to waste the opportunities for putting forth good deeds. We ask Allah to protect us all from shirk in all of its forms and purify our intentions to do deeds solely for His sake.
