What is the authenticity and meaning of the hadith: “The best dhikr is the hidden dhikr, the best worship is the hidden worship, and the best provision is what suffices”?
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Question:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner asks about the authenticity of this hadith and its meaning: “The best dhikr is the hidden dhikr, the best worship is the hidden worship, and the best provision is what suffices.”
Answer:
The Shaykh: I swear by Allah, I know nothing about this hadith, but there is no doubt that concealing one's deeds is further from showing off in worship, unless there is a stronger benefit in displaying them, such as teaching the ignorant or reminding the heedless. If there is a stronger benefit in displaying deeds, or if one gives charity openly so that people see it and ask for the same, then that is a good intention. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Baqarah 2:271], and among them is what [Al-Baqarah 2:271].
In any case, concealing righteous deeds is better, unless there is a stronger benefit in displaying them, in which case displaying them is better than concealing them.
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner asks about the authenticity of this hadith and its meaning: “The best dhikr is the hidden dhikr, the best worship is the hidden worship, and the best provision is what suffices.”
Answer:
The Shaykh: I swear by Allah, I know nothing about this hadith, but there is no doubt that concealing one's deeds is further from showing off in worship, unless there is a stronger benefit in displaying them, such as teaching the ignorant or reminding the heedless. If there is a stronger benefit in displaying deeds, or if one gives charity openly so that people see it and ask for the same, then that is a good intention. Allah the Exalted said:
If you disclose your charitable expenditures
إِن تُبْدُوا الصَّدَقَاتِthey are good; but if you conceal them and give them to the poor, it is better for you
هِيَ وَإِن تُخْفُوهَا وَتُؤْتُوهَا الْفُقَرَاءَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْIn any case, concealing righteous deeds is better, unless there is a stronger benefit in displaying them, in which case displaying them is better than concealing them.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، ما صحة ومعنى حديث خير الذكر الخفي وخير العبادة أخفاها وخير الرزق ما يكفي؟ لمعالي الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.