No. 17 – Bite Size Ramadan 1444 AH -2023
Day 17 – Whoever Shows Off His Deeds
Translated & Compiled
By
Abbas Abu Yahya
From Jundab bin Abdullaah bin Sufyaan رضى الله عنه who said that the Prophet ﷺ said:
من سمَّع سمَّع الله به، ومن يرائي يرائي الله به
‘Whoever showed off his deeds so the people would hear about them, then Allaah exposes him, and whoever shows off his deeds so the people can see them, then Allaah exposes his secrets in front of everyone.’
[Saheeh al-Bukhari and Muslim]
An Explanation
Shaykh Muhammad bin Salih al-Uthaymeen -Rahimahullaah- (d.1421 A.H.) said:
‘[Whoever shows off] means whoever says a statement with which Allaah is worshipped and raises his voice with that so that the people can hear him and say so and so remembers Allaah a lot, and reads Qur’aan a lot, etc.
So, this person has shown off to the worshippers of Allaah and gets people to look at him. We ask Allaah for pardon.
[then Allaah exposes him] meaning, humiliates him and exposes his matters.
Allaah makes evident his mistakes to the people, and illustrates to them that this person is someone who wants the people to see his deeds.
The hadeeth does not limit it to the worldly life or in the Hereafter.
It is possible that Allaah exposes him in the worldly life and unveils his mistakes to the people, and it is possible that it will be in the Hereafter and that is more severe and disgraceful, and Allaah’s refuge is sought.
Like Allaah Ta’ala said:
وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلۡـَٔاخِرَةِ أَخۡزَىٰۖ وَهُمۡ لَا یُنصَرُونَ
《 but surely the torment of the Hereafter will be more disgracing, and they will never be helped.》
[Surah Fussilat 16]
As for [‘whoever shows their deeds then Allaah exposes his secrets in front of everyone.’] Meaning whoever does an action so the people can see it and praise him for it.
Indeed Allaah Ta’ala exposes him and illustrates his mistakes to the people and humiliates him, -and Allaah’s refuge is sought- so to make clear that this person shows off.
In this hadeeth is a great warning against ‘ar-Riyyah’ (showing off) and that the one who shows off his deeds no matter who he is, and no matter where he hides, it is necessary that he will be exposed, – and Allaah’s refuge is sought- because Allaah Ta’ala takes responsibility of this, so whoever showed off his deeds to the people then Allaah exposes him and whoever shows their deeds then Allaah exposes his secrets in front of everyone.’
[Summarised from the ‘Sharh Riyadh as-Saliheen’ 6/351]
Hiding Good Deeds
Ibn al-Jawzi said:
‘Of the strangest matter I saw was a man praying the morning prayer on the day of Friday with the people, then he turned around and read the Muawathataan (Surah Falaq and Surah Naas) and make Dua with a Dua for the completion of a reading of the Qur’aan to let the people know that he had completed a reading of the Qur’aan.
This is not the way of the Salaf. The Salaf used to hide their worship. The deeds of ar-Rabeea bin Khuthaym were all done secretly. Perhaps a person would visit him and his Mus’haf (Qur’aan) would be out so he would rush to cover it with his clothing (so the visitor would not see it).
Ahmad bin Hanbal would read the Qur’aan so much that it would not be known when he would finish reading the whole Qur’aan.’
[Talbees Iblees p. 203]
Arabic
عن جندب بن عبد اللَّه بن سفيان رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قال، قال النبي ﷺ
من سمَّع سمَّع اللَّه به، ومن يرائي يرائي اللَّه به
صحيح البخاري (٢٣٨٣/٥) ومسلم (٢٢٨٩/٤)
قال إبن عثيمين رحمه الله تعالى
“من سمَّع” يعني من قال قولا يتعبد به الله ورفع صوته بذلك حتى يسمعه الناس ويقولون فلان كثير الذكر كثير القراءة وما أشبه ذلك فإن هذا قد سمع عباد الله يرائي بذلك نسأل الله العافية
سمع الله به أي فضحه وكشف أمره وبين عيبه للناس وتبين لهم أنه مرائي والحديث لم يقيد هل هو في الدنيا أو في الآخرة فيمكن أن يسمِّع الله به في الدنيا فيكشف عيبه عند الناس ويمكن أن يكون ذلك في الآخرة وهو أشد والعياذ بالله وأخزى كما قال الله تعالى {ولعذاب الآخرة أخزى وهم لا ينصرون} [ فصلت ١٦]
قوله “من راءى راءى الله به” يعني من عمل عملا ليراه الناس ويمدحوه عليه فإن الله تعالى يرائي به ويبين عيبه للناس ويفضحه والعياذ بالله حتى يتبين أنه يرائي
وفي هذا الحديث التحذير العظيم من الرياء وأن المرائي مهما كان ومهما اختفى لابد أن يتبين والعياذ بالله لأن الله تعالى تكفل بهذا من سمع سمع الله به ومن راءى راءى الله به .
📚 منتقى من شرح رياض الصالحين للشيخ محمد بن عثيمين رحمه الله تعالى ص ٣٥١ : ج ٦
وقال ابن الجوزي: “ومن أعجب ما رأيت فيهم أن رجلًا كان يصلي بالناس صلاة الصبح يوم الجمعة، ثم يلتفت فيقرأ المعوذتين، ويدعو بدعاء الختمة ليعلم الناس أني قد ختمت الختمة، وما هذه طريقة السلف، فإن السلف كانوا يسترون عبادتهم، وكان عمل الربيع بن خثيم كله سِرَّا، فربما دخل عليه الداخل وقد نشر المصحف، فيغطيه بثوبه، وكان أحمد بن حنبل يقرأ القرآن كثيرًا، ولا يُدْرَى متى يختِم” .
“تلبيس إبليس” ص (203).