Ar-Riyaa
Ar Riyaa: The Other Shirk
-Shirk
noun
To worship other than Allah or associate partners with Allah.
Allah The Majestic and Exalted says in Surah Al Kahf verse 110:
"Say (O Muhammad (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) ): I am only a man like you. It has been inspired to me that your Ilah (God) is One Ilah (God -i.e. Allah). So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord."
The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, said: "What I fear for you the most is the minor shirk, that is ar-riyaa. Allaah will say on the Day of Judgement when He is rewarding the people for their actions: "Go to those for whom you did riyaa for in the world then see if you find the reward with them." [Related by Ahmad (5/428, 429)]
The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, said: "Shall I not inform you of what I fear for you more than the maseeh ud-dajjaal? It is the hidden shirk. It is when a man stands up for prayer, then beautifies his prayer for another to look at." [Related by Ibn Maajah (2604) from the hadeeth of Abu Sa`eed al-Khudree, radiyallaahu `anhu. The hadeeth is hasan.]
Some time or another we have all been guilty of doing something to be seen and praised by people, either for a worldy gain or to be seen by men as a 'pious' person. This is dangerous. A Satanic trap. A major sin in Islam. A form of Shirk. A form of hypocrisy. It does not benefit a person. And it brings the wrath of Allah. Should we really be compromising our Deen in order to be praised by the people? Do we only feel worthy in the eyes of the people whilst becoming heedless of the ayah "Indeed, Allah is an All-Watcher over you." (An-Nisaa 4:1)?
The Messenger of Allah (Sallallhu 'alaihi wa Sallam) said:
"He who allows the people to hear of his good deeds intentionally to win their praise, Allah will allow the people to know his real intention (i.e. on the Day of Judgement) and he who does good things in public to show off and win the praise of people, Allah will disclose his real intention and humiliate him (i.e. on the Day of Judgement)." [Al-Bukhari & Muslim].
Abu Hurairah (RadhiAllahu ‘anhu), narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa Sallam) said:
"People will come on the Day of Judgement with good deeds like the mountains of Tihaamah and Allah will make their deeds like scattered dust." The Sahabah asked, "Will they not be Muslims?" He (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam) replied: "Of course! They will have prayed as you pray, they will have fasted as you fast, they will have spent in charity from their excess wealth and will have given their portion to the night (i.e. in Salaatu Tahajjud); however, WHEN THEY WERE ALONE THEY WOULD VIOLATE THE SANCUTARY OF ALLAH (i.e. fall into the Haraam)." [Collected by Ibn Maajah from Thawbaan and authenticated by Shaikh Al-Albaanee in his Saheeh Ibnu Maajah, #3423].
The above hadiths are enough to strike terror into the hearts of the believer. The severity of the trial that awaits us in the akhirah should be enough to wake us up from our ignorance, our arrogance and our constant need for assurance. The Sahabah (RadhiAllahu anhum) were the best of generations and were much more concerned about the matters of the Hereafter than we are today. SubhanaAllah these are the blessed companions whom Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala talks about in the Qur'an in Surah Al Ma'idah verse 119:
"...Allรขh is pleased with them and they with Him. That is the great success ."
Imam Ahmad (Rahimuhullah) reports in his musnad that the Prophet (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam) said:
"Ar-Riyaa (showing off) is (a form of) Shirk (associating partners with Allah)."
The successful are those who meet Allah with a clean heart free from Shirk. Our earthly life is short we must strive to do good deeds with the sincere intention of achieving Allah's Pleasure InshaAllah.
So how can we overcome this disease of the heart?
#1-Get to know Allah. Know what pleases Him Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and what angers Him.
#2- Understand and try to not transgress the limits set by Allah.
#3- Follow the Sunnah of Rasulullah (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam).
#4- Understand that it is only Allah who can reward you or punish you. No human/Jinn/animal etc. can benefit you in any shape or form.
#5- Constantly make dua to Allah and seek refuge in Him from Ar Riyaa.
There were many other points I wanted to include but It would make the post extremely long.
I ask Allah to forgive us, protect us from ar 'Riyaa and envelope us in His infinite mercy. Ameen!
And i remind myself before anyone else.
-Shirk
noun
To worship other than Allah or associate partners with Allah.
Allah The Majestic and Exalted says in Surah Al Kahf verse 110:
"Say (O Muhammad (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) ): I am only a man like you. It has been inspired to me that your Ilah (God) is One Ilah (God -i.e. Allah). So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord."
The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, said: "What I fear for you the most is the minor shirk, that is ar-riyaa. Allaah will say on the Day of Judgement when He is rewarding the people for their actions: "Go to those for whom you did riyaa for in the world then see if you find the reward with them." [Related by Ahmad (5/428, 429)]
The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, said: "Shall I not inform you of what I fear for you more than the maseeh ud-dajjaal? It is the hidden shirk. It is when a man stands up for prayer, then beautifies his prayer for another to look at." [Related by Ibn Maajah (2604) from the hadeeth of Abu Sa`eed al-Khudree, radiyallaahu `anhu. The hadeeth is hasan.]
Some time or another we have all been guilty of doing something to be seen and praised by people, either for a worldy gain or to be seen by men as a 'pious' person. This is dangerous. A Satanic trap. A major sin in Islam. A form of Shirk. A form of hypocrisy. It does not benefit a person. And it brings the wrath of Allah. Should we really be compromising our Deen in order to be praised by the people? Do we only feel worthy in the eyes of the people whilst becoming heedless of the ayah "Indeed, Allah is an All-Watcher over you." (An-Nisaa 4:1)?
The Messenger of Allah (Sallallhu 'alaihi wa Sallam) said:
"He who allows the people to hear of his good deeds intentionally to win their praise, Allah will allow the people to know his real intention (i.e. on the Day of Judgement) and he who does good things in public to show off and win the praise of people, Allah will disclose his real intention and humiliate him (i.e. on the Day of Judgement)." [Al-Bukhari & Muslim].
Abu Hurairah (RadhiAllahu ‘anhu), narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa Sallam) said:
"People will come on the Day of Judgement with good deeds like the mountains of Tihaamah and Allah will make their deeds like scattered dust." The Sahabah asked, "Will they not be Muslims?" He (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam) replied: "Of course! They will have prayed as you pray, they will have fasted as you fast, they will have spent in charity from their excess wealth and will have given their portion to the night (i.e. in Salaatu Tahajjud); however, WHEN THEY WERE ALONE THEY WOULD VIOLATE THE SANCUTARY OF ALLAH (i.e. fall into the Haraam)." [Collected by Ibn Maajah from Thawbaan and authenticated by Shaikh Al-Albaanee in his Saheeh Ibnu Maajah, #3423].
The above hadiths are enough to strike terror into the hearts of the believer. The severity of the trial that awaits us in the akhirah should be enough to wake us up from our ignorance, our arrogance and our constant need for assurance. The Sahabah (RadhiAllahu anhum) were the best of generations and were much more concerned about the matters of the Hereafter than we are today. SubhanaAllah these are the blessed companions whom Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala talks about in the Qur'an in Surah Al Ma'idah verse 119:
"...Allรขh is pleased with them and they with Him. That is the great success ."
Imam Ahmad (Rahimuhullah) reports in his musnad that the Prophet (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam) said:
"Ar-Riyaa (showing off) is (a form of) Shirk (associating partners with Allah)."
The successful are those who meet Allah with a clean heart free from Shirk. Our earthly life is short we must strive to do good deeds with the sincere intention of achieving Allah's Pleasure InshaAllah.
So how can we overcome this disease of the heart?
#1-Get to know Allah. Know what pleases Him Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and what angers Him.
#2- Understand and try to not transgress the limits set by Allah.
#3- Follow the Sunnah of Rasulullah (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam).
#4- Understand that it is only Allah who can reward you or punish you. No human/Jinn/animal etc. can benefit you in any shape or form.
#5- Constantly make dua to Allah and seek refuge in Him from Ar Riyaa.
There were many other points I wanted to include but It would make the post extremely long.
I ask Allah to forgive us, protect us from ar 'Riyaa and envelope us in His infinite mercy. Ameen!
And i remind myself before anyone else.
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