Leaving off sin for the sake of showing off: Is it considered shirk (associating partners with Allah) or not?
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The questioner : His EminenceThe Shaykh : Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah.
The questioner : Performing obedience and worship for the sake of people is shirk (associating partners with Allah), but does leaving off sin for the sake of people also fall under shirk and be considered the same?
The Shaykh : Leaving off what?
The questioner : Leaving off sin.
The Shaykh : For the sake of showing off?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This is shirk (associating partners with Allah), because obedience is either performing what is commanded or leaving off what is prohibited, in order to draw near to Allah. So this is a type of shirk, without doubt.
That is to say: if a person leaves off sin to show off to people, not out of fear of them, there is a difference between showing off to people to appear as a worshipper and one who leaves off sins, and leaving off sin out of fear that people will eat his flesh and violate his honor. The first is shirk, and the second is not shirk, but it is a mistake.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : This falls under the second case, where one leaves it off so that people do not violate his honor, meaning it is not to display worship, because some people pretend to be ascetic and appear to be worshippers, leaving off sins in front of people, while in secret they commit them and do not care.
Are you done? We will take only one question, yes, one question that is not repeated.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah.
The questioner : Performing obedience and worship for the sake of people is shirk (associating partners with Allah), but does leaving off sin for the sake of people also fall under shirk and be considered the same?
The Shaykh : Leaving off what?
The questioner : Leaving off sin.
The Shaykh : For the sake of showing off?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This is shirk (associating partners with Allah), because obedience is either performing what is commanded or leaving off what is prohibited, in order to draw near to Allah. So this is a type of shirk, without doubt.
That is to say: if a person leaves off sin to show off to people, not out of fear of them, there is a difference between showing off to people to appear as a worshipper and one who leaves off sins, and leaving off sin out of fear that people will eat his flesh and violate his honor. The first is shirk, and the second is not shirk, but it is a mistake.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : This falls under the second case, where one leaves it off so that people do not violate his honor, meaning it is not to display worship, because some people pretend to be ascetic and appear to be worshippers, leaving off sins in front of people, while in secret they commit them and do not care.
Are you done? We will take only one question, yes, one question that is not repeated.