Refraining from Doing Good Deeds for Fear of Showing Off
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I begin in the Name of Allaah, the most Merciful, the One Who bestows Mercy
Refraining from Doing Good Deeds for Fear of Showing Off
All praise is due to Allaah and may Allaah send His Salaah and Salaam upon His last and final messenger, the best of creation, the Seal of the Prophets.
It should be noted that the Shaytaan is keen to make the Muslim fall into one of two things: either (1) to make him do a good deed in order to show off and for the sake of his reputation, and not sincerely for the sake of Allaah, or (2) to make him refrain from doing the good deed altogether.
The Muslim who is sincere in his intention will not pay any attention to the whispers that the Shaytaan tries to impart to him concerning his action, or his suggestion that it is not for the sake of Allaah. He will not pay attention to the whispers of the Shaytaan suggesting that he should refrain from doing the good deed for fear of showing off. The sincere heart is equally at ease both when doing good deeds in secret and when doing good deeds openly.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked:
A woman is asking: I am so afraid of showing off that that I cannot advise some people or tell them not to do certain things such as backbiting, gossiping, and so on. I am afraid that that will be showing off on my part, and I am afraid that people will think that I am showing off. So I do not give them any advice (naseehah). I tell myself: They are educated people, they do not need any advice. What do you suggest?
He replied:
This is one of the traps of the Shaytaan, by means of which he prevents people from calling others to Allaah and from enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil. One of the ways in which he does this is to make them think that this is showing off, or that people will think that it is showing off. You should not pay any attention to that, rather what you should do is go ahead and advise your sisters and brothers in faith, if you see them falling short in any duty or committing haraam actions such as gossiping, bucketing, or not covering in front of men. Do not be afraid of showing off, rather do it solely for the sake of Allaah, be sincere in your intention and receive glad tiding of goodness. Ignore the tricks and whispers of the Shaytaan. Allaah knows what is in your heart, your intention and your sincerity towards Him and your sincerity towards His slaves. Undoubtedly showing off is shirk and is not permissible, but it is not permissible for a believing man or woman to refrain from doing something that Allaah has enjoined, such as calling people to Him or enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, for fear of showing off, so they should beware of that. They should do what they are obliged to do among men and women, and men and women are equal in this regard. Allaah has stated that in His Holy Book where He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“The believers, men and women, are Awliyaa’ (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another; they enjoin (on the people) Al Ma‘roof (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do), and forbid (people) from Al Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden); they perform As-Salaah (Iqaamat-as-Salaah), and give the Zakaah, and obey Allaah and His Messenger. Allaah will have His Mercy on them. Surely, Allaah is All-Mighty, All-Wise”
[al-Tawbah 9:71]
End quote.
[Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 6/403]
It was narrated that Husayn ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan said: I was with Sa’eed ibn Jubayr and he said: “Which of you saw the star that fell last night?” I said, “I did.” Then I said: “I wasn’t praying, but I had been stung…”
[Muslim]
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:
He said this (may Allaah have mercy on him) lest anyone think that he was praying qiyaam and praise him for something that he had not done. This is unlike what some people do, when they are happy that the people think that they were praying qiyaam, but that is contrary to Tawheed.
What Husayn said does not come under the heading of showing off, rather it comes under the heading of good deeds. It is not like one who refrains from doing good deeds for fear of showing off, because the Shaytaan may toy with a man and make the idea of refraining from doing good for fear of showing off appear attractive to him. Rather you should do the good deed, and try to avoid showing off to people. End quote.
[Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 9/85, 86]
And Allaah knows best.
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Asalaamu Alaikun,
In regards to this topic i was wondering if you could give me an answer to a question i have insha’Allah. At times there are situations when someone asks you a question and you know the answer to it from the angle of shariaah. However when being in the same situation you may not ‘practice what you preach’ and so in this regaed you may be wary of giving out the good advice to stop yourself from being hypicritical. Although one tries his best to implement the shariah into life as best as possible there are times when you become a bit lax. As hypocracy is a sin in islam, what is the best thing to do in such situations?
Jazakallahkhair
wa ‘alaykumu’s-salaam wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh
The closest answer I could find…
Question: “If I am exhorting my brothers and I warn them against some sins, but I fall into these sins myself, am I to be considered a hypocrite? Please advise me, may Allaah reward you with good.”
ANSWER
Praise be to Allaah.
You have to repent from the sins and exhort your brothers against them. It is not permissible for you to continue committing the sin and not to advise your brothers, because by doing this you are combining two sins. You must repent to Allaah from that, whilst also advising your brothers. This does not make you a hypocrite, but it does place you in a category which is condemned as blameworthy by Allaah in the aayaat (interpretation of the meaning):
“Most hateful it is with Allâh that you say that which you do not do” [al-Saff 61:3]
“Enjoin you Al-Birr (piety and righteousness and each and every act of obedience to Allaah) on the people and you forget (to practise it) yourselves, while you recite the Scripture! Have you then no sense?” [al-Baqarah 2:44]
[From Fataawaa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 12/268]
[ Refer to: http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/10214/advise%20hypocrite ]
BaarakAllaahu feek