Showing Off
26 sayings
"One who performs a good deed for the sake of people, his outcome is along with those people only. Surely every showoff is polytheism. The Almighty Allah says: One who performs a good deed for Me as well as for others he has done it for others and not for Me."
Iqbal al-A`amal, page 305/306 link
Imam Musa Kazim (a.s.) narrates from his ancestors that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said, "Some people will be ordered to be thrown into Hell on the Day of Judgment. The Almighty Allah will ask the angel of fire not to burn their feet for they walked with them to the mosque. Also He will order not to burn their faces for they used to face Allah while supplicating. He will order not to burn their tongues for they used to recite Quran excessively. The attendant of Hell will ask those people about their sin. They will reply that they used to perform good deeds for others instead of Allah. Those people will be ordered to go and ask for reward from the persons for whom they performed good deeds."
Iqbal al-A`amal, page 283 link
Performing actions in secret is better than performing them publicly, except for the one who wishes to set an example
Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 5273; Mizan ul Hikmah page No. 851 link
God will not attend whoever puts on a dress of pride to show himself/herself off, until (s)he takes it off.
Nahj al Fasahah; Tradition No. 768; Page No. 109 link
Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s.) narrates that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said, "A time will come when my Ummah will become impure from inside and attractive from outside in order to acquire wealth. They will do showoff instead of gaining divine rewards. They will not fear Allah. Allah will punish all of them. At that time, people will supplicate like a drowning man but their supplications will not be accepted."
Iqbal al-A`amal, page 318 link
Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s.) narrates from his ancestors that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) was asked, "What will have salvation on the Day of Judgment?" The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) replied, "Salvation is only and only in not cheating Allah so that He also doesn't cheat you. Surely Allah cheats a person who cheats Him and takes faith away from him. A person should know that he has cheated himself." The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) was asked, "How does a person cheat Allah?" He answered, "By obeying the order of Allah but for the sake of someone else. Keep away from showoff because it is polytheism. Surely, a person who does showoff will be called with four names on the Day of Judgment viz. O disbeliever, O mischief-monger, O cunning, O loser! Your deeds are wasted. Your reward was reduced continuously and there is nothing left for you today. Go and ask for the reward from one for whom you performed good deeds."
Iqbal al-A`amal, page 321 link
Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s.) narrates from his ancestors that Allah has said in one of the books revealed on prophets, "One of My creatures has made religion a way to acquire this world. They have the heart of a wolf and are wearing the skin of a sheep. They do not have even an iota of patience but their words are sweeter than honey. All of their hidden actions are having stench more than that of a corpse. Will they cheat Me for mercy? Or they are stepping ahead of Me? I swear by My honor that I will involve them in such a calamity that they will roll in it from one corner of earth to another. It will be wise to split them in different groups so that they take revenge from other such people over there. My enemies will take revenge from My other enemies and I will not have to worry about it at all."
Iqbal al-A`amal, page 321/322 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
His Eminence, Amirul Momineen (a.s.) said, "One who makes something to boast about it will be raised on Qiyamat black-faced."
Iqbal al-A`amal, page 322 link
Woe betide those who trade their religion for the life of this world in front of people they are soft-spoken and their words are sweeter than honey, but they are wolves in sheep's clothing [lit. their hearts are wolves' hearts (ed.)], and Allah says regarding them, 'Are they trying to pull the wool over My eyes?
A`alam al-Din, no. 295; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 848 link
Verily the angel [charged with man's deeds] rises up with man's good deeds, delighted on account of them, but as he is lifting up his good deeds, Allah tells him, 'Go and place them in the Sijjin [Sijjin: proper name given in the Qur'an to a written record of the evildoers' deeds (ed.)], as he did not perform these deeds for Me
al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 295, no. 7; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 848 link
The show-off will be called on the Day of Resurrection: O shameless liar! O treacherous one! O show-off! Your deeds are lost, and the reward for your deeds is lost. Go and get your reward from those you intended to please by your actions
Munyat al-Murid, p. 318; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 848 link
Allah, glory be to Him, says, 'I am the most self-sufficient of partners, for whoever performs a deed for Me as well as for someone else alongside Me, [know that] I am free from need of his action and I leave it for the one that he associated with Me
Uddat al-Da`ai, p. 203; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 849 link
Verily Allah does not accept a deed that is performed with even an atom's weight of showing off in it
Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 1, p. 187; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 849 link
Where does salvation lie?' to which he replied, 'In that the servant must not perform acts of obedience to Allah whilst intending them for other people [to see].
Tanbih al-Khawatir, p. 186; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 849 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
How ugly the man who is sick inwardly and beautiful outwardly
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9661; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 849 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
O Allah I seek refuge in You from looking good in the gleaming mirror of people's eyes whilst my inward self that I conceal [from others] be ugly in front of You, and from guarding myself [against sins] only for show in front of people whilst You know all there is to know about me, such that I may display my good side to people, leaving the bad deeds for You, in seeking nearness to mere servants of Yours and getting further and further away from Your good pleasure
Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 276; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 849 link
He whose outward appearance is superior to his inward self will have a very light scale of good deeds
Amali al-Saduq, p. 398, no. 8; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 849 link
Beware of showing off, for whoever performs good deeds for anyone other than Allah, Allah relegates him to the one he acted for
al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 293, no. 1; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 850 link
The worst thing I fear for you is minor polytheism.' When asked what he meant by this, he replied, 'Showing off.
Uddat al-Da`ai, p. 214; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 850 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
Know that even the slightest showing off is tantamount to polytheism
Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 151; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 850 link
The Prophet (SAWA) was once asked about the interpretation of Allah's words in the Qur'an: "So whoever expects to encounter his Lord, let him act righteously, and not associate anyone with the worship of Allah"[ Qur'an 18:110]. He replied, 'He who performs prayer in order to show people is a polytheist and he who performs any act commanded by Allah to show people is a polytheist
Tafsir al-Qummi, v. 2, p. 47; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 850 link
Verily the Hellfire and its inmates rage on account of those who used to show off.' When asked how the Hellfire rages, he replied, 'It rages on account of the intense heat with which they are being punished.
Mustadrak al-Wasa`il, v. 1, p. 107, no. 109; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 851 link
On the Day of Resurrection, a servant who used to pray regularly will be brought forth, and he will beg, 'O Lord, I prayed in seeking Your pleasure', and he will be told, 'No, you prayed so that people would say how beautiful your prayer was. Take him to the Fire
Bihar al-Anwar, v. 72, p. 301, no. 44; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 851 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
Three characteristics distinguish a show off: he is energetic and active whilst in the presence of people, he is lazy when he is by himself, and he loves to be praised for everything
al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 295, no. 8; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 851 link
was once asked by his companion Zurara, about a man who performs a good deed which people happen to see, and which he feels good about as a result. Im?m replied, 'It does not matter as long as he did not [originally] perform the action for that purpose. Everyone naturally wants people to see them as good
al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 297, no. 18; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 851 link
The deed of one who performs it in secret is recorded down as a secret action. If he admits to having performed it [when asked], the previous record is erased and it is recorded instead as a public action. If he subsequently avers it himself, however, the previous record is erased and it is recorded instead as showing off
Uddat al-Da`ai, p. 221; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 852 link
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