Ramadan 1445 AH — Day 19: Love for Anonymity
“Any person who loves fame has not been true to Allah.” — Ibrahim Ibn Adham
Indeed the times have changed and standards have been lowered. What was once considered a show of horror is now seen as a yardstick for success. With social media's advent, fame has become an indispensable addiction and a life objective for many.
Our beloved prophet ﷺ was so humble that you could barely distinguish between him and his companions in a gathering. He never classed himself to be special, except that Allah elevated his status. He ﷺ encouraged anonymous deeds for various reasons, emphasizing sincerity, humility, and the purity of intentions.
In the famous hadith recorded in the Saheehayn, Allah’s Apostle ﷺ mentioned seven people whom Allah will shade under His shade on the day when there will be no shade except His. Among them is a person who gives a charity and conceals it to such an extent that the left-hand does not know what the right hand has given. This is how honored the one who loves anonymous deeds will be.
On the authority of Saad ibn Abi Waqas may Allah be pleased with him, who said that he heard Prophet Muhammad ﷺ saying:
Allah loves His servant who is pious, who is self-sufficient, and who is obscured, unnoticed. (Muslim)
When Abu Bakr became a caliph, Umar used to see him going in a direction different from his house. One day, Umar started to follow him. He saw Abu Bakr visiting a house, he spent some time, and after the sun was up, he left the house.
Umar needed to inspect the matter. So, he knocked the door and an old lady opened up. She was so old, frail, and blind. He asked her: “Who’s that visitor coming to you everyday?” She said: “I don’t know who he is! May Allah reward him. He cleans my house, swaps my clothes, and sometimes, he would cook some food for breakfast, then he leaves.” Umar said: “Does he do this everyday?” She said: “Yes everyday. May Allah bless this man.” Umar said: “Do you know who’s that man? He was the Caliph Abu Bakr.”
For these excellent virtues of Abubakr, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said to him that he would be given the privilege to enter from any door of Paradise. And when the people praise him for all this goodness, he will respond humbly by saying:
اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِى خَيْرًا مِمَّا يَظُنُّونَ وَاغْفِرْ لِى مَا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ وَلَا تُؤَاخِذْنِى بِمَا يَقُولُون
“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.”
Fame was so detestable to the righteous predecessors and they loved to be anonymous in executing good deeds. If your circle of influence is small, thank Allah that your mistakes aren’t displayed to a wider audience, that your heart is better guarded against insincerity, and that your good deeds are better protected from destruction.
Among the benefits a servant of Allah can derive from reviving this sunnah of anonymity are:
- Sincerity: Performing anonymous deeds allows individuals to ensure that their actions are solely for the sake of pleasing Allah, without seeking praise or recognition from others.
- Humility: Concealing one’s good deeds fosters humility and guards against arrogance, as it prevents individuals from feeling superior or self-righteous due to their acts of charity.
- Preservation of Dignity: Anonymity protects the dignity and privacy of those in need, preserving their honor and allowing them to receive assistance without feeling indebted or ashamed.
- Greater Reward: Concealed acts of charity are often rewarded more generously by Allah, as they demonstrate a higher level of sincerity and selflessness.
Let’s all strive to revive this sunnah of anonymity. Being anonymous in deeds is a sign of selflessness, which encapsulates sincerity and hopefully will make you an inhabitant of paradise. May Allah make this easy on us. Amin!
Action Points
- Strive so much to conceal your deeds as you like to hide your sins.
- Do not let the love of fame affect the sincerity of your deeds. Learn the dua’ of Abu Bakr above and say it when people praise you.
- Always purify your intention before deeds, and after execution ask Allah for acceptance.
That’s it for today, take action on this Daily Revival and if you missed yesterday’s episode, you can find it here. I ask Allah to make it easy for you and me. Amin!
Yaumul Jum’ah 19th Ramadan 1445 AH // Friday 29th March 2024.
- If you’d like to support a charitable cause this Ramadan, donate to Rafeeqee Foundation
- You may join my WhatsApp Broadcast channel called “Islamic Reminders” where you can find some more beneficial stuff.
- Finally, I made a practical video on how to crush your Ramadan goals using two non-conventional methodologies. You’ll find it on Pure Masculinity Podcast, don’t forget to subscribe.
