The Meaning of Allah’s Saying: “And the Religion of Truth,” and a Discussion on Righteous Deeds: Sincerity and the Condemnation of Showing Off
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The Shaykh : As for His saying , the religion of truth is righteous deeds; it is righteous deeds built upon two things: first, sincerity for Allah, and second, following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Sincerity for Allah means that a person does not worship anyone alongside Allah, even if it is the closest relative to Allah, or even if it is at the highest rank of creation, for none deserves worship except Allah alone, with no partner. Allah the Exalted said: [Ali 'Imran 3:18] There is no god but Allah, meaning: there is no true object of worship except Allah. The meaning is not that no one worships anyone other than Allah, because in reality, there are those who worship others besides Allah: [An-Najm 53:19-23] Some people worship humans, some worship cows, some worship trees, and some worship stones. There are gods worshipped besides Allah, but these gods are false [Al-Hajj 22:62].
Likewise, part of sincerity is that we do not associate anyone with Allah in worship, meaning: we do not worship Allah for Allah and for other than Allah. For this reason, showing off (riya') in worship invalidates the worship. Showing off in worship invalidates it. What is showing off? Showing off is when you worship Allah so that people see you and praise you for your worship. This is showing off. A man stood up to pray and began to beautify his prayer in his bowing, prostration, and recitation so that people would see him and praise him for his devotion to Allah. This is a hypocrite (mura') whose work Allah does not accept[Al-Kahf 18:110]. In the authentic hadith from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Riyad as-Salihin 1616. This hypocrite who stood up to pray and beautified his prayer so that people would see him and praise him for the beauty of his worship—did he associate anyone with Allah or not? Answer?
The student: He associated.
The Shaykh : He associated someone with Allah, so his prayer is not acceptedSahih Muslim 2985.
Another man performed Hajj or 'Umrah so that people would say, "How much he performs Hajj! How much he performs 'Umrah!" Will he be rewarded for this Hajj or this 'Umrah?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : No, why? Because it is built upon showing off, and Allah Mighty and Majestic does not accept a deed in which a person associates someone with Him.
A third man spends a lot on the poor, in building mosques, in repairing roads, in building schools, in printing books, in buying them and distributing them to students of knowledge, so that it will be said that so-and-so spends. Will this work be accepted? No, why? Because he associated someone with Allah in it. And whoever does a deed in which he associates someone with Allah, Allah leaves him and his partner.
And based on this, compare every deed in which a person associates someone with Allah; it is invalid. And every one who associates with Allah, his work is invalid, even if it is for Allah.
How can he be an associate with Allah, and we say his work is for Allah? Yes, if a man prostrates to a grave, prostration pure for the grave, and prostrates to Allah, prostration pure for Allah, will his prostration to Allah be accepted? Answer?
The student: It is not accepted.
The Shaykh : It is not accepted, why? Because he is an associate with Allah, an association that takes him out of the religion. For whoever prostrates to other than Allah is an associate with Allah. Prostration is worship, and worship is not directed to other than Allah. So whoever directs it to other than Allah is an associate with Allah.
A man stood by the owner of a grave and said: "O so-and-so! O my master! O close friend of Allah! And the like of that. Help me, for I am overwhelmed. Enrich me, for I am poor. Heal me, for I am sick." Then he enters the mosques and prays with people for Allah. What is the ruling on his prayer?
The student: Invalid.
The Shaykh : Invalid or valid?
The student: Invalid.
The Shaykh : Invalid, why? Because he is an associate with Allah, Mighty and Majestic, who called upon other than Allah. He called upon a dead, inert corpse that cannot repel any harm from itself, let alone from others.
And the religion of truth
ودين الحقAllah witnesses that there is no deity except Him, and [so do] the angels and those of knowledge - [that He is] maintaining [creation] in justice. There is no deity except Him, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
شهد الله أنه لا إله إلا هو والملائكة وأولو العلم قائما بالقسط لا إله إلا هو العزيز الحكيم(19) So have you considered al-Lat and al-'Uzza? (20) And Manat, the third - the other one? (21) Is the male for you and for Him the female? (22) That, then, is an unjust division. (23) They are not but [mere] names you have named them - you and your forefathers - for which Allah has sent down no authority
أفرأيتم اللاّت والعزّى* ومناة الثالثة الأخرى* ألكم الذكر وله الأنثى* تلك إذن قسمة ضيزى* إن هي إلا أسماء سمّيتموها أنتم وآباؤكم ما أنزل الله بها من سلطانThat is because Allah is the Truth, and that which they call upon other than Him is falsehood, and because Allah is the Most High, the Grand.
ذلك بأن الله هو الحق وأن ما يدعون من دونه هو الباطل وأن الله هو العلي الكبيرLikewise, part of sincerity is that we do not associate anyone with Allah in worship, meaning: we do not worship Allah for Allah and for other than Allah. For this reason, showing off (riya') in worship invalidates the worship. Showing off in worship invalidates it. What is showing off? Showing off is when you worship Allah so that people see you and praise you for your worship. This is showing off. A man stood up to pray and began to beautify his prayer in his bowing, prostration, and recitation so that people would see him and praise him for his devotion to Allah. This is a hypocrite (mura') whose work Allah does not accept
So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord - let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone."
فمن كان يرجو لقاء ربّه فليعمل عملا صالحا ولا يشرك بعبادة ربّه أحداAlmighty Allah says, 'I am the One Who is most free from want of partners. He who does a thing for the sake of someone else beside Me, I discard him and his polytheism..
قال الله تعالى: أنا أغنى الشركاء عن الشرك، من عمل عملا أشرك فيه معي غيري تركته وشركهThe student: He associated.
The Shaykh : He associated someone with Allah, so his prayer is not accepted
If anyone does anything in which he associates anyone else with Me, I shall abandon him with one whom he associates with Allah.
من عمل عملا أشرك فيه معي غيري تركته وشركهAnother man performed Hajj or 'Umrah so that people would say, "How much he performs Hajj! How much he performs 'Umrah!" Will he be rewarded for this Hajj or this 'Umrah?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : No, why? Because it is built upon showing off, and Allah Mighty and Majestic does not accept a deed in which a person associates someone with Him.
A third man spends a lot on the poor, in building mosques, in repairing roads, in building schools, in printing books, in buying them and distributing them to students of knowledge, so that it will be said that so-and-so spends. Will this work be accepted? No, why? Because he associated someone with Allah in it. And whoever does a deed in which he associates someone with Allah, Allah leaves him and his partner.
And based on this, compare every deed in which a person associates someone with Allah; it is invalid. And every one who associates with Allah, his work is invalid, even if it is for Allah.
How can he be an associate with Allah, and we say his work is for Allah? Yes, if a man prostrates to a grave, prostration pure for the grave, and prostrates to Allah, prostration pure for Allah, will his prostration to Allah be accepted? Answer?
The student: It is not accepted.
The Shaykh : It is not accepted, why? Because he is an associate with Allah, an association that takes him out of the religion. For whoever prostrates to other than Allah is an associate with Allah. Prostration is worship, and worship is not directed to other than Allah. So whoever directs it to other than Allah is an associate with Allah.
A man stood by the owner of a grave and said: "O so-and-so! O my master! O close friend of Allah! And the like of that. Help me, for I am overwhelmed. Enrich me, for I am poor. Heal me, for I am sick." Then he enters the mosques and prays with people for Allah. What is the ruling on his prayer?
The student: Invalid.
The Shaykh : Invalid or valid?
The student: Invalid.
The Shaykh : Invalid, why? Because he is an associate with Allah, Mighty and Majestic, who called upon other than Allah. He called upon a dead, inert corpse that cannot repel any harm from itself, let alone from others.