Showing Off: A Loathsome Disease

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Showing off is a loathsome and very dangerous disease of the heart that one should strive to rid off. No one, from the poor or the rich, the ignorant or the knowledgeable, is free from it, until one makes a conscious effort and does a lot of struggling to remove it, through a lot of remembrance of Allah and reminding oneself of death all the time.

Remember, when death overtakes you, you are on your own. All your possessions, success, status and the praises you receive cannot help you when you are alone in your grave. In fact, they can be the cause of your great torment and punishment in the life Hereafter.

The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

The slightest bit of showing off in good works is as if worshipping others with Allah.

[Hakim]

This is what the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, feared off.

The most greatest of what I fear for my Ummah is setting up partners with Allah; I do not mean [for them to] worship the sun, moon, or statue, but [to do] acts for other than Allah along with hidden desire.

[Ibn Majah]

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, also said:

Ash-Shirk-al-Khafi (minor shirk) in the Muslim nation is more inconspicuous than the creeping of black ant on black rock in the pitch-darkness of the night.

It is showing off if you are seeking a worldly benefit with by an action that is normally done for the Hereafter; for example, learning, memorizing or reciting Qur'an (with a beautiful melody) so people will think you are wonderful, learning or teaching sacred knowledge (or becoming a scholar) so you can have the title "Shaykh" or the like, leading your name or to make money, or giving charity so people can see that you are generous. This is opposite to sincerity in worship.

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

The first of people against whom judgment will be pronounced on the Day of Resurrection will be a man who died a martyr. He will be brought and Allah will make known to him His favours and he will recognize them. [ The Almighty] will say: And what did you do about them? He will say: I fought for you until I died a martyr. He will say: You have lied - you did but fight that it might be said [of you]: He is courageous. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire. [Another] will be a man who has studied [religious] knowledge and has taught it and who used to recite the Quran. He will be brought and Allah will make known to his His favors and he will recognize them. [The Almighty] will say: And what did you do about them? He will say: I studied [religious] knowledge and I taught it and I recited the Quran for Your sake. He will say: You have lied - you did but study [religious] knowledge that it might be said [of you]: He is learned. And you recited the Quran that it might be said [of you]: He is a reciter. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire. [Another] will be a man whom Allah had made rich and to whom He had given all kinds of wealth. He will be brought and Allah will make known to his His favours and he will recognize them. [The Almighty] will say: And what did you do about them? He will say: I left no path [untrodden] in which You like money to be spent without spending in it for Your sake. He will say: You have lied - you did but do so that it might be said [of you]: He is open-handed. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire.

[Muslim, Tirmidhi and Nasa'i].

The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace) said,

Whosoever mentions [his deeds to be known amongst people], Allah will mention him [by revealing the truth about him]; and whosoever shows off [his deeds], Allah will show him off to people [with the truth about him].

[Bukhari and Muslim]

It also showing off if one is seeking status or position amongst people in one's actions (e.g. going to the masjid to pray to show one is pious), in one's speech (e.g. giving lecture or khutbah to impress people), in one's body (e.g. prostrating for a long time to show that he is praying or walking with head down to show his spiritual state), in one's appearance (e.g. growing a beard and wearing a jalbiyyah to show he is following the sunnah), in ones' clothing (e.g. wearing rags to show he has zuhd), or in having many students and companions, and in frequent mention of scholars.

Abu Dhar Al-Ghifari narrated that the Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, once said,

"Three (kinds of people) will neither be spoken to by Allah on the Day of Resurrection, nor looked at, nor purified (from their sins), and shall receive a painful torment." He repeated that thrice, so Abu Dhar said, "They are failures and losers. Who are they, Messenger of Allah?" The Prophet replied, "Al-musbil (the one dragging his lower garment), the one who is used to reminding people of his generosity towards them, and the one who sells his goods through false swearing"

[Muslim].

Our goal in this life is to seek nearness to Allah through our obedience to His commands.

وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓا۟ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ حُنَفَآءَ وَيُقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ دِينُ ٱلْقَيِّمَةِ

And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion.

[Qur'an Al-Bayyina 98:5]

Everyday, we are also reminded as to Who we worship and Who the Giver is--it is not people, money, celebrities, or your favorite sports team or player, not even a great Shaykh, but Allah.

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

It is You we worship and You we ask for help.

[Qur'an Al-Fatiha 1:5]

When you read Al-Fatiha in your daily prayers, pay particular attention to this meaning.

It is recommended to make this du'a 3 times in the morning and 3 times in the evening

اللهم إني أعوذ بك أن أشرك بك وأنا أعلم وأستغفرك لما لا أعلم
اللهم إني أعوذ بك أن أشرك بك وأنا أعلم وأستغفرك لما لا أعلم
اللهم إني أعوذ بك أن أشرك بك وأنا أعلم وأستغفرك لما لا أعلم

O Allah! I take Your refuge from that I should ascribe anything as partner in Your worship, being conscious of that, and I beg Your pardon for that sin which I am not aware of.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam