Staying Committed to Attending Lessons Despite a Friend’s Taunts

Question:
The questioner says: Honorable Shaykh, my friend taunts me, calling me a hypocrite because I enter the mosque early and because I attend religious lessons. Before this, I used to listen to songs, but now I have stayed away from them. However, my friend taunts me with these words. I am afraid of showing off (riya’), and I am considering going back to what I was doing before. Please advise us, may Allah reward you with good. What should I do in this situation, O Shaykh?

Answer:
Continue with the remembrance and with attending the lessons, and do not pay attention to the words of this discourager. This is from the speech of Satan; he is the one who incites a person and says these things to him. So you must continue with attending the gatherings of knowledge, the remembrance of prayer, and the remembrance of good deeds. Do not pay attention to these whispers, whether they are from the devils of the jinn or from the devils of mankind. Do not pay attention to them. It is clear that he calls attending the gatherings of knowledge hypocrisy. So what is faith in his view? Faith in his view is neglecting the prayer, and faith in his view is turning away from knowledge. That is what faith is in his view, if that is how he feels. He is in great danger. No one says such a statement except one who is afflicted with hypocrisy. He must repent to Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Yes.