Steps Towards Happiness -Does Ostentation Enter Upon the Righteous?
The paths of Satan to deceive the servant are numerous. He dresses in the attire of each category of people to mislead them. He pushes the traders towards consuming usury, and he beautifies forbidden adornments for women. He enters upon the righteous through the door of ostentation.
At-Taybi1, may Allah have mercy on him, said about ostentation: "It is among the most harmful diseases of the soul, with hidden motives and concealed intentions. The scholars, worshippers, and those who struggle to be on the path of the Hereafter are tested with it."2
It is one of the most hidden and dangerous doors that Satan uses against the servant. It was mentioned in Taysir al-'Azeez al-Hameed3: "Ostentation is more fearsome for the righteous than the trial of the Dajjal (Antichrist)."
The Prophet, peace be upon him, used to warn his companions about it and said to them: “Shall I not tell you of that which I fear more for you than Dajjal?’ We said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘Hidden polytheism when a man stands to pray and makes it look good because he sees a man looking at him.”
(Narrated by Ahmad)4
And the righteous person, if they show off with their actions, will be punished in the afterlife before others. The Prophet, peace be upon him, says: "The first to be judged on the Day of Resurrection will be a man who had died as a martyr. He will be brought forward. Allah will remind him of the favours He had bestowed upon him and the man will acknowledge them. Then He will ask him: 'What did you do to express gratitude for it?' The man will reply: 'I fought for Your Cause till I was martyred.' Allah will say: 'You have lied. You fought so that people might call you courageous, and they have done so.' Command will then be issued about him and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into Hell.
Next, a man who had acquired and imparted knowledge and read the Qur'an will be brought forward, Allah will remind him of the favors He had bestowed upon him and the man will acknowledge them. Then He will ask him: 'What did you do to express gratitude for it?' The man will reply: 'I acquired knowledge and taught it, and read the Qur'an for Your sake.' Allah will say to him: 'You have lied. You acquired knowledge so that people might call you a learned (man), and you read the Qur'an so that they might call you a reciter, and they have done so.' Command will then be issued about him, and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into Hell.
Next, a man whom Allah had made affluent and to whom Allah had given plenty of wealth, will be brought forward, Allah will remind him of the favors He had bestowed upon him and the man will acknowledge them. He will ask him: 'What did you do to express gratitude for it?' The man will reply: 'I did not neglect any of the ways You liked wealth to be spent liberally for Your sake'. Allah will say to him: 'You have lied. You did it so that people might call you generous, and they have done so.' Command will then be issued about him and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into Hell." (Muslim)1 Reflect upon this hadith. The first people whose cases will be decided on the Day of Resurrection are the martyr, the scholar, and the generous person. If their intentions were corrupted, they will be dragged on their faces into the Hellfire, despite their actions being done for the sake of Allah. But the deviation of intention from sincerity deepened their fall into the abyss.
1 He is Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad ibn Abdullah At-Taybi, who passed away in 743 AH. Ad-Durar al-Kamimah fi A'yan al-Miah ath-Thaminah (185/2).
2 Explanation of At-Taybi on Mishkat al-Masabih (3374/11).
3 (p. 461).
4 In Musnad, Hadith number (11252) from the narration of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him.
1 Book of Governance, Chapter: "Whoever fights with the intention of ostentation deserves to go to the Hellfire," Hadith number (1905), narrated by Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased
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