Showing Off
الرياءDoing acts of worship or good deeds to be seen and praised by people
Qur'an
القرآن الكريميَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُبْطِلُوا صَدَقَاتِكُم بِالْمَنِّ وَالْأَذَىٰ كَالَّذِي يُنفِقُ مَالَهُ رِئَاءَ النَّاسِ وَلَا يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ۖ فَمَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ صَفْوَانٍ عَلَيْهِ تُرَابٌ فَأَصَابَهُ وَابِلٌ فَتَرَكَهُ صَلْدًا ۖ لَا يَقْدِرُونَ عَلَىٰ شَيْءٍ مِّمَّا كَسَبُوا ۗ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِينَ
O you who have believed, do not invalidate your charities with reminders or injury as does one who spends his wealth [only] to be seen by the people and does not believe in Allah and the Last Day. His example is like that of a [large] smooth stone upon which is dust and is hit by a downpour that leaves it bare. They are unable [to keep] anything of what they have earned. And Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.
Translation: Saheeh International
وَالَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ رِئَاءَ النَّاسِ وَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلَا بِالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ۗ وَمَن يَكُنِ الشَّيْطَانُ لَهُ قَرِينًا فَسَاءَ قَرِينًا
And [also] those who spend of their wealth to be seen by the people and believe not in Allah nor in the Last Day. And he to whom Satan is a companion - then evil is he as a companion.
Translation: Saheeh International
إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَهُوَ خَادِعُهُمْ وَإِذَا قَامُوا إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ قَامُوا كُسَالَىٰ يُرَاءُونَ النَّاسَ وَلَا يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
Indeed, the hypocrites [think to] deceive Allah, but He is deceiving them. And when they stand for prayer, they stand lazily, showing [themselves to] the people and not remembering Allah except a little,
Translation: Saheeh International
فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَاءُونَ
So woe to those who pray, [but] who are heedless of their prayer - those who make show [of their deeds].
Translation: Saheeh International
Hadith
الحديث النبويعَنْ مَحْمُودِ بْنِ لَبِيدٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ إِنَّ أَخْوَفَ مَا أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمُ الشِّرْكُ الأَصْغَرُ قَالُوا وَمَا الشِّرْكُ الأَصْغَرُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ الرِّيَاءُ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِذَا جُزِيَ النَّاسُ بِأَعْمَالِهِمْ اذْهَبُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ كُنْتُمْ تُرَاءُونَ فِي الدُّنْيَا فَانْظُرُوا هَلْ تَجِدُونَ عِنْدَهُمْ جَزَاءً
Mahmud ibn Labid reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, my greatest fear for you is the lesser idolatry.” They said, “What is the lesser idolatry, O Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet said, “It is ostentation. Allah Almighty will say to them on the Day of Resurrection, when people are being recompensed for their deeds: Go to those for whom you made a show in the world and look, do you find any reward with them?”
عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ يَسَارٍ ، قَالَ تَفَرَّقَ النَّاسُ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ نَاتِلُ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ أَيُّهَا الشَّيْخُ حَدِّثْنَا حَدِيثًا سَمِعْتَهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ نَعَمْ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ إِنَّ أَوَّلَ النَّاسِ يُقْضَى يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ اسْتُشْهِدَ فَأُتِيَ بِهِ فَعَرَّفَهُ نِعَمَهُ فَعَرَفَهَا قَالَ فَمَا عَمِلْتَ فِيهَا قَالَ قَاتَلْتُ فِيكَ حَتَّى اسْتُشْهِدْتُ قَالَ كَذَبْتَ وَلَكِنَّكَ قَاتَلْتَ لأَنْ يُقَالَ جَرِيءٌ فَقَدْ قِيلَ ثُمَّ أُمِرَ بِهِ فَسُحِبَ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ حَتَّى أُلْقِيَ فِي النَّارِ وَرَجُلٌ تَعَلَّمَ الْعِلْمَ وَعَلَّمَهُ وَقَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ فَأُتِيَ بِهِ فَعَرَّفَهُ نِعَمَهُ فَعَرَفَهَا قَالَ فَمَا عَمِلْتَ فِيهَا قَالَ تَعَلَّمْتُ الْعِلْمَ وَعَلَّمْتُهُ وَقَرَأْتُ فِيكَ الْقُرْآنَ قَالَ كَذَبْتَ وَلَكِنَّكَ تَعَلَّمْتَ الْعِلْمَ لِيُقَالَ عَالِمٌ وَقَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ لِيُقَالَ هُوَ قَارِئٌ فَقَدْ قِيلَ ثُمَّ أُمِرَ بِهِ فَسُحِبَ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ حَتَّى أُلْقِيَ فِي النَّارِ وَرَجُلٌ وَسَّعَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَأَعْطَاهُ مِنْ أَصْنَافِ الْمَالِ كُلِّهِ فَأُتِيَ بِهِ فَعَرَّفَهُ نِعَمَهُ فَعَرَفَهَا قَالَ فَمَا عَمِلْتَ فِيهَا قَالَ مَا تَرَكْتُ مِنْ سَبِيلٍ تُحِبُّ أَنْ يُنْفَقَ فِيهَا إِلاَّ أَنْفَقْتُ فِيهَا لَكَ قَالَ كَذَبْتَ وَلَكِنَّكَ فَعَلْتَ لِيُقَالَ هُوَ جَوَادٌ فَقَدْ قِيلَ ثُمَّ أُمِرَ بِهِ فَسُحِبَ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ ثُمَّ أُلْقِيَ فِي النَّارِ
It has been narrated on the authority of Sulaiman b. Yasar who said:
People dispersed from around Abu Huraira, and Natil, who was from the Syrians, said to him: O Shaikh, relate (to us) a tradition you have heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He said: Yes. I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say:
The first of men (whose case) will be decided on the Day of Judgment will be a man who died as a martyr. He shall be brought (before the Judgment Seat). Allah will make him recount His blessings (i. e. the blessings which He had bestowed upon him) and he will recount them (and admit having enjoyed them in his life). (Then) will Allah say: What did you do (to requite these blessings)? He will say: I fought for Thee until I died as a martyr. Allah will say: You have told a lie. You fought that you might be called a "brave warrior". And you were called so. (Then) orders will be passed against him and he will be dragged with his face downward and cast into Hell.
Then will be brought forward a man who acquired knowledge and imparted it (to others) and recited the Qur'an. He will be brought and Allah will make him recount His blessings and he will recount them (and admit having enjoyed them in his lifetime). Then will Allah ask: What did you do (to requite these blessings)? He will say: I acquired knowledge and disseminated it and recited the Qur'an seeking Thy pleasure. Allah will say: You have told a lie. You acquired knowledge so that you might be called "a scholar," and you recited the Qur'an so that it might be said: "He is a Qari" and such has been said. Then orders will be passed against him and he shall be dragged with his face downward and cast into the Fire.
Then will be brought a man whom Allah had made abundantly rich and had granted every kind of wealth. He will be brought and Allah will make him recount His blessings and he will recount them and (admit having enjoyed them in his lifetime). Allah will (then) ask: What have you done (to requite these blessings)? He will say: I spent money in every cause in which Thou wished that it should be spent. Allah will say: You are lying. You did (so) that it might be said about you: "He is a generous fellow" and so it was said. Then will Allah pass orders and he will be dragged with his face downward and thrown into Hell.
عَنْ طَرِيفٍ أَبِي تَمِيمَةَ ، قَالَ شَهِدْتُ صَفْوَانَ وَجُنْدَبًا وَأَصْحَابَهُ وَهُوَ يُوصِيهِمْ فَقَالُوا هَلْ سَمِعْتَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم شَيْئًا قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ مَنْ سَمَّعَ سَمَّعَ اللَّهُ بِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَمَنْ يُشَاقِقْ يَشْقُقِ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَقَالُوا أَوْصِنَا فَقَالَ إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَا يُنْتِنُ مِنَ الإِنْسَانِ بَطْنُهُ فَمَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ أَنْ لاَ يَأْكُلَ إِلاَّ طَيِّبًا فَلْيَفْعَلْ وَمَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ أَنْ لاَ يُحَالَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْجَنَّةِ بِمِلْءِ كَفِّهِ مِنْ دَمٍ أَهْرَاقَهُ فَلْيَفْعَلْ
Narrated Tarif Abi Tamima:
I saw Safwan and Jundab and Safwan's companions when Jundab was advising. They said, "Did you hear something from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)?" Jundab said, "I heard him saying, 'Whoever does a good deed in order to show off, Allah will expose his intentions on the Day of Resurrection (before the people), and whoever puts the people into difficulties, Allah will put him into difficulties on the Day of Resurrection.'" The people said (to Jundab), "Advise us." He said, "The first thing of the human body to purify is the `Abdomen, so he who can eat nothing but good food (Halal and earned lawfully) should do so, and he who does as much as he can that nothing intervene between him and Paradise by not shedding even a handful of blood, (i.e. murdering) should do so."
سَمِعْتُ جُنْدَبًا ، يَقُولُ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَلَمْ أَسْمَعْ أَحَدًا يَقُولُ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم غَيْرَهُ فَدَنَوْتُ مِنْهُ فَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَنْ سَمَّعَ سَمَّعَ اللَّهُ بِهِ، وَمَنْ يُرَائِي يُرَائِي اللَّهُ بِهِ
Narrated Jundub:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "He who lets the people hear of his good deeds intentionally, to win their praise, Allah will let the people know his real intention (on the Day of Resurrection), and he who does good things in public to show off and win the praise of the people, Allah will disclose his real intention (and humiliate him)."
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى أَنَا أَغْنَى الشُّرَكَاءِ عَنِ الشِّرْكِ مَنْ عَمِلَ عَمَلاً أَشْرَكَ فِيهِ مَعِي غَيْرِي تَرَكْتُهُ وَشِرْكَهُ
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as stating that Allah the Most High and Exalted said:
"I am the One, One Who does not stand in need of a partner. If anyone does anything in which he associates anyone else with Me, I shall abandon him with one whom he associates with Allah."
عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ مَنْ يُسَمِّعْ يُسَمِّعِ اللَّهُ بِهِ وَمَنْ يُرَاءِ يُرَاءِ اللَّهُ بِهِ
It was narrated from Abu Saʿeed Al-Khudri that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"Whoever wants to be heard of, Allah will make him heard of, and whoever wants to be seen, Allah will show him (i.e., make known to the people his true motives and intentions)."
وعنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ عِلْمًا مِمَّا يُبْتَغَى بِهِ وَجْهُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لاَ يَتَعَلَّمُهُ إِلاَّ لِيُصِيبَ بِهِ عَرَضًا مِنَ الدُّنْيَا لَمْ يَجِدْ عَرْفَ الْجَنَّةِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who does not acquire knowledge with the sole intention of seeking the Pleasure of Allah but for worldly gain, will not smell the fragrance of Jannah on the Day of Resurrection."
عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ الْبَاهِلِيِّ ، قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ رَجُلاً غَزَا يَلْتَمِسُ الأَجْرَ وَالذِّكْرَ مَا لَهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لاَ شَىْءَ لَهُ فَأَعَادَهَا ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ يَقُولُ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لاَ شَىْءَ لَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَقْبَلُ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ إِلاَّ مَا كَانَ لَهُ خَالِصًا وَابْتُغِيَ بِهِ وَجْهُهُ
It was narrated that Abu ʿUmamah Al-Bahili said:
"A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: 'What do you think of a man who fights seeking reward and fame - what will he have?' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'He will not have anything.' He repeated it three times, and the Prophet (ﷺ) said to him: 'He will not have anything.' Then he said: 'Allah does not accept any deed, except that which is purely for Him, and seeking His Face.'"
عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى ، قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا الْقِتَالُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ أَحَدَنَا يُقَاتِلُ غَضَبًا وَيُقَاتِلُ حَمِيَّةً فَرَفَعَ إِلَيْهِ رَأْسَهُ وَمَا رَفَعَ إِلَيْهِ رَأْسَهُ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ كَانَ قَائِمًا فَقَالَ مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ
Narrated Abu Musa:
A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and asked, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! What kind of fighting is in Allah's cause? (I ask this), for some of us fight because of being enraged and angry and some for the sake of his pride and haughtiness." The Prophet (ﷺ) raised his head (as the questioner was standing) and said, "He who fights so that Allah's Word (Islam) should be superior, then he fights in Allah's cause."
الْمُرَادُ بِكَلِمَةِ اللَّهِ دَعْوَةُ اللَّهِ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ وَيَحْتَمِلُ أَنْ يَكُونَ الْمُرَادُ أَنَّهُ يَعْنِي الْجِهَادَ لَا يَكُونُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا مَنْ كَانَ سَبَبُ قِتَالِهِ طَلَبَ إِعْلَاءِ كَلِمَةِ اللَّهِ فَقَطْ بِمَعْنَى أَنَّهُ لَوْ أَضَافَ إِلَى ذَلِكَ سَبَبًا مِنَ الْأَسْبَابِ الْمَذْكُورَةِ أَخَلَّ بِذَلِكَ
The meaning of the ‘word of Allah’ is the invitation to Islam. It is interpreted to mean that jihad would not be in the cause of Allah unless the purpose is only to raise the word of Allah, such that if anyone were to add another reason to it that would violate it.
عَنْ شَدَّادِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَنْ صَلَّى يُرَائِي فَقَدْ أَشْرَكَ وَمَنْ صَامَ يُرَائِي فَقَدْ أَشْرَكَ
Shaddad ibn Aws reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever prays to be seen has associated partners with Allah. Whoever fasts to be seen has associated partners with Allah.”
عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ قَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّ هِشَامَ بْنَ الْمُغِيرَةِ كَانَ يُطْعِمُ الطَّعَامَ وَيَقْرِي الضَّيْفَ وَيَصِلُ الرَّحِمَ وَيَفُكُّ الْعَانِيَ فَلَوْ أَدْرَكَكَ أَسْلَمَ فَهَلْ لَهُ فِي ذَلِكَ أَجْرٌ قَالَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّهُ عَمُّكِ كَانَ يُعْطِي لِلدُّنْيَا وَذِكْرِهَا وَجَمَالِهَا وَمَا قَالَ يَوْمًا قَطُّ اغْفِرْ لِي يَوْمَ الدِّينِ
Umm Salamah reported:
She said, “O Messenger of Allah, Hisham ibn al-Mughirah used to feed the hungry, entertain the guest, uphold family ties, and free captives. Were Islam to have reached him, he would have embraced it. Will he be rewarded for any of it?” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, your uncle used to give charity for the sake of the world and to be remembered fondly therein. He did not say for even a single day: Forgive me on the Day of Judgment.”
عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " يَكْشِفُ رَبُّنَا عَنْ سَاقِهِ فَيَسْجُدُ لَهُ كُلُّ مُؤْمِنٍ وَمُؤْمِنَةٍ، وَيَبْقَى مَنْ كَانَ يَسْجُدُ فِي الدُّنْيَا رِئَاءً وَسُمْعَةً، فَيَذْهَبُ لِيَسْجُدَ فَيَعُودُ ظَهْرُهُ طَبَقًا وَاحِدًا ".
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported:
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Our Lord will reveal His shin and every believing man and woman will prostrate to Him, but there will remain those who prostrated in the world for ostentation and respectability. They will try to prostrate, but their back will be as stiff as a single bone.”
عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لَا تَعَلَّمُوا الْعِلْمَ لِتُبَاهُوا بِهِ الْعُلَمَاءَ وَلَا لِتُمَارُوا بِهِ السُّفَهَاءَ وَلَا تَخَيَّرُوا بِهِ الْمَجَالِسَ فَمَنْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ فَالنَّارُ النَّارُ
Jabir ibn Abdullah reported:
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Do not acquire knowledge to impress the scholars, nor to argue with the fools, and do not seek the best seat in the gatherings through it. Whoever does so, then to the Hellfire, to the Hellfire!”
عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا هَذَا الشِّرْكَ فَإِنَّهُ أَخْفَى مِنْ دَبِيبِ النَّمْلِ فَقَالَ لَهُ مَنْ شَاءَ اللهُ أَنْ يَقُولَ وَكَيْفَ نَتَّقِيهِ وَهُوَ أَخْفَى مِنْ دَبِيبِ النَّمْلِ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ قَالَ قُولُوا اللهُمَّ إِنَّا نَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ أَنْ نُشْرِكَ بِكَ شَيْئًا نَعْلَمُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُكَ لِمَا لَا نَعْلَمُ
Abu Musa reported:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “O people, beware of this idolatry, for it is more hidden than a crawling ant!” It was said, “How do we protect ourselves from it while it is more hidden than a crawling ant?” The Prophet said, “Say: O Allah, we seek refuge in You from associating any partners with You while we know, and we seek Your forgiveness for what we do not know.”
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَعَوَّذُوا بِاللَّهِ مِنْ جُبِّ الْحَزَنِ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَمَا جُبُّ الْحَزَنِ قَالَ وَادٍ فِي جَهَنَّمَ تَتَعَوَّذُ مِنْهُ جَهَنَّمُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ يَدْخُلُهُ قَالَ الْقُرَّاءُ الْمُرَاءُونَ بِأَعْمَالِهِمْ
Abu Huraira reported:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Seek refuge in Allah from the pit of sorrow.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah, what is the pit of sorrow?” The Prophet said, “It is a valley in Hell from which Hell itself seeks refuge one hundred times a day.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah, who will enter it?” The Prophet said, “The reciters who only acted to be seen.”
عَنْ أُبَيِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ بَشِّرْ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةَ بِالسَّنَاءِ وَالنَّصْرِ وَالتَّمْكِينِ فَمَنْ عَمِلَ مِنْهُمْ عَمَلَ الْآخِرَةِ لِلدُّنْيَا لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ نَصِيبٌ
Ubayy ibn Ka'b reported:
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Give glad tidings to this nation of honor, victory, and stability. Yet, whoever does a deed of the Hereafter for the sake of the world, he will have no share of it in the Hereafter.”
عَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ الْغَزْوُ غَزْوَانِ فَأَمَّا مَنْ ابْتَغَى وَجْهَ اللَّهِ وَأَطَاعَ الْإِمَامَ وَأَنْفَقَ الْكَرِيمَةَ وَيَاسَرَ الشَّرِيكَ وَاجْتَنَبَ الْفَسَادَ فَإِنَّ نَوْمَهُ وَنُبْهَهُ أَجْرٌ كُلُّهُ وَأَمَّا مَنْ غَزَا فَخْرًا وَرِيَاءً وَسُمْعَةً وَعَصَى الْإِمَامَ وَأَفْسَدَ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَرْجِعْ بِالْكَفَافِ
Mu'adh ibn Jabal reported:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Military expeditions are two kinds. As for one who seeks the countenance of Allah, obeys the leader, spends in charity from his precious possessions, shows leniency to his colleagues, and avoids corruption, then the entirety of his sleep and vigilance is rewarded. As for one who fights out of pride, showing off, and seeking a reputation, who disobeys the leader and commits corruption in the land, then he will return with nothing of importance.”
Statements of the Salaf
أقوال السلفلَا تَكُنْ ذَا وَجْهَيْنِ وَذَا لِسَانَيْنِ تُظْهِرُ لِلنَّاسِ لِيَحْمَدُوكَ وَقَلْبُكَ فَاجِرٌ
Do not be one with two faces and two tongues, making a show for people to praise you while your heart is wicked.
اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ عَمَلِي صَالِحًا وَاجْعَلْهُ لَكَ خَالِصًا وَلَا تَجْعَلْ لِأَحَدٍ فِيهِ شَيْئًا
O Allah, make my deeds righteous, make them purely for Your sake, and do not let anyone else have a share of them.
Source: Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, al-Zuhd 617
لَا تَعْمَلْ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ فَيَكِلُكَ اللَّهُ إِلَى مَنْ عَمِلْتَ لَهُ
Do not do a good deed for anyone besides Allah, for Allah will leave you in the charge of the one for whom you did it.
اسْتَعِيذُوا بِاللَّهِ مِنْ خُشُوعِ النِّفَاقِ قِيلَ لَهُ وَمَا خُشُوعُ النِّفَاقِ قَالَ أَنْ تَرَى الْجَسَدَ خَاشِعًا وَالْقَلْبَ لَيْسَ بِخَاشِعٍ
Seek refuge in Allah from the reverence of hypocrisy. It was said, “What is the reverence of hypocrisy?” Abu Darda said, “It is that you see the body in reverence, but the heart is not reverent.”
Source: al-Bayhaqī, Shuʿab al-Īmān 6474
مَا خَافَهُ إِلَّا مُؤْمِنٌ وَلَا أَمِنَهُ إِلَّا مُنَافِقٌ
No one fears hypocrisy but a believer. No one feels safe from hypocrisy but a hypocrite.
عَنْ ٱلْبُخَارِي قَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ أَدْرَكْتُ ثَلَاثِينَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كُلُّهُمْ يَخَافُ النِّفَاقَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ مَا مِنْهُمْ أَحَدٌ يَقُولُ إِنَّهُ عَلَى إِيمَانِ جِبْرِيلَ وَمِيكَائِيلَ
Al-Bukhari reported: Ibn Abi Mulaykah, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “I met thirty companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and each one of them feared hypocrisy for himself. None of them said they had faith like the Angel Gabriel or the Angel Michael.”
أَدْرَكْتُ ثَلَاثِينَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كُلُّهُمْ يَخَافُ النِّفَاقَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ مَا مِنْهُمْ أَحَدٌ يَقُولُ إِنَّهُ عَلَى إِيمَانِ جِبْرِيلَ وَمِيكَائِيلَ
I met thirty companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and each one of them feared hypocrisy for himself. None of them said they had faith like the Angel Gabriel or the Angel Michael.
عَلَيْكَ بِالصِّدْقِ فِي الْمَوَاطِنِ كُلِّهَا وَإِيَّاكَ وَالْكَذِبَ وَالْخِيَانَةَ وَمُجَالَسَةَ أَصْحَابِهَا فَإِنَّهَا وِزْرٌ كُلُّهُ وَإِيَّاكَ يَا أَخِي وَالرِّيَاءَ فِي الْقَوْلِ وَالْعَمَلِ فَإِنَّهُ شِرْكٌ بِعَيْنِهِ وَإِيَّاكَ وَالْعُجْبَ فَإِنَّ الْعَمَلَ الصَّالِحَ لَا يُرْفَعُ وَفِيهِ عُجْبٌ
You must be honest in all things. Beware of lying and treachery and sitting with those who commit them; it will all be a burden of sin. Beware, my brother, of ostentation in words and deeds, as it is a form of idolatry. Beware of vanity, for good deeds within which is vanity will not be exalted.
كَيْفَ أَنْتُمْ إِذَا لَبِسَتْكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ يَهْرَمُ فِيهَا الْكَبِيرُ وَيَرْبُو فِيهَا الصَّغِيرُ وَيَتَّخِذُهَا النَّاسُ سُنَّةً فَإِذَا غُيِّرَتْ قَالُوا غُيِّرَتْ السُّنَّةُ قَالُوا وَمَتَى ذَلِكَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ قَالَ إِذَا كَثُرَتْ قُرَّاؤُكُمْ وَقَلَّتْ فُقَهَاؤُكُمْ وَكَثُرَتْ أُمَرَاؤُكُمْ وَقَلَّتْ أُمَنَاؤُكُمْ وَالْتُمِسَتْ الدُّنْيَا بِعَمَلِ الْآخِرَةِ
How will you be when you are afflicted with trials that make the old grow senile and the young grow old? And the people take the Sunnah, change it, and say it has been changed? They said, “O Abu Abdur Rahman, when will this be?” Ibn Mas'ud said, “It will be when you have many reciters but few people of understanding, many leaders but few of them trustworthy, and the world is sought by the deeds of the Hereafter.”
Source: al-Dārimī, Sunan al-Dārimī 185
قَالَ الْعُلَمَاءُ مَعْنَاهُ مَنْ رَاءَى بِعَمَلِهِ وَسَمَّعَهُ النَّاسَ لِيُكْرِمُوهُ وَيُعَظِّمُوهُ وَيَعْتَقِدُوا خَيْرَهُ سَمَّعَ اللَّهُ بِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ النَّاسَ وَفَضَحَهُ
The scholars said it means whoever is ostentatious in his deeds and he publicizes it to people so that they honor him, aggrandize him, and believe he is virtuous, Allah will publicize it to people on the Day of Resurrection and disgrace him.
Source: al-Nawawī, Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 18/116