Steps Towards Happiness - The Punishment of Ostentatious

The hopes of the ostentatious are lost, and his efforts are in vain. He is treated contrary to his intention and is punished with two types of punishment: punishment in this worldly life and punishment in the Hereafter.

The punishment in the worldly life.

Allah exposes the ostentatious in this world and reveals his hidden intentions. The Prophet, peace be upon him, says, “He who wants to publicize (his deeds to get praised by people), Allah will publicize (his humility), and he who makes a display (of his deeds, to get praised by people), Allah will make a display of him” (Agreed upon).

Al-Khattabi1, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "Whoever performs a deed without sincerity, seeking to be seen and heard by people, will be punished by Allah exposing and disgracing them, and revealing what they used to conceal2."

Even if the ostentatious try to conceal his hidden intentions and secrets of the heart, Allah will make them clear and apparent. The Prophet, peace be upon him, says, "The one who creates a false impression of receiving what one has not been given is like one who wears two garments of falsehood" (Agreed upon)3

2. The Punishment in The Hereafter:

The ostentatious has been threatened with the Hellfire in the Hereafter. Allah, glorified be He, says: 

Whoever desires the life of this world and its adornments - We fully repay them for their deeds therein, and they therein will not be deprived;

مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَزِينَتَهَا نُوَفِّ إِلَيْهِمْ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ فِيهَا وَهُمْ فِيهَا لَا يُبْخَسُونَ١٥ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ إِلَّا ٱلنَّارُ ۖ وَحَبِطَ مَا صَنَعُوا۟ فِيهَا وَبَـٰطِلٌۭ مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ ١٦

'Those are the ones for whom there is not in the Hereafter but the Fire. And lost is what they did therein, and worthless is what they used to do.” 

(Surah Hud, 11:15-16)

the prophet, peace be upon him, said: "The first of the people whose case will be decided on the Day of Resurrection will be a man who died as a martyr. He will be brought forward..." and he mentioned among them the martyr, the reciter of the Quran, the one who gave in charity, and those whose deeds were for other than Allah. Until he said: "Then it will be said to him: 'You have lied, but you did so in order to be called brave, and it has been said.' Then a command will be issued about him, and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into Hell."

Thus, the ostentatious is humiliated in this world, and will face punishment in the Hereafter; we seek refuge in Allah.

1 Abu Suleiman Hamad bin Muhammad bin Ibrahim al-Khattabi was born in 300 AH and died in 388 AH. Siyar A'lam al-Nubala (23/17).

2 A'lam al-Hadith (Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari) (3/2257).

3 Narrated by Bukhari, Book of Marriage, Chapter: "The one who wears two garments of falsehood that he did not deserve" (5219), and Muslim, Book of Clothing and Adornment, Chapter: "Prohibition of counterfeiting in clothing and other things, and wearing what one does not deserve" (2130), from the narration of Asmaa, may Allah be pleased with her.