Hadiths Indicating that Showing Off is a Form of Polytheism
The following hadiths illustrate that showing off is considered a form of polytheism:
- “The thing I fear most for you is minor shirk.” The people asked, “What is minor shirk, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “It is showing off. On the Day of Resurrection, Allah, the Exalted, will say to those who seek their reward for deeds, ‘Go to those for whom you showed off in the world and see if you can find any reward with them!’ ”
- “During the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him), we regarded showing off as minor shirk.”
- “Whoever prays to show off has committed shirk; whoever fasts to show off has committed shirk; and whoever gives charity to show off has committed shirk.”
- “Beware of showing off, for it is minor shirk.”
- “The Prophet (peace be upon him) once addressed the people, saying: ‘Beware of the hidden forms of shirk.’ They asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what is the hidden shirk?’ He replied, ‘A man may stand to pray, seeking to beautify his prayer because he sees others watching him; this is the hidden shirk.’ ”
Hadiths Indicating that Righteous Deeds are Not Accepted with Showing Off
The following hadiths support the view that righteous deeds are not accepted if performed with the intention of showing off:
- “The first person to be judged on the Day of Resurrection will be a man who was martyred. He will be brought forth, and his blessings will be enumerated, and he will acknowledge them. Allah will ask, ‘What did you do with these blessings?’ He will reply, ‘I fought for You until I was martyred.’ Allah will say, ‘You have lied; you fought so that it would be said, ‘He is courageous,’ and it was indeed said. Then he will be commanded to be dragged on his face until he is thrown into the Fire.’ ”
- “A man who acquired knowledge and taught it, as well as reciting the Qur’an, will also be brought forth. Allah will enumerate his blessings, and he will acknowledge them. Allah will ask, ‘What did you do with these blessings?’ He will respond, ‘I acquired knowledge and taught it, and I recited the Qur’an for You.’ Allah will say, ‘You have lied; you learned so that it would be said, ‘He is knowledgeable,’ and you recited so that it would be said, ‘He is a reciter,’ and it was indeed said. Then he will be commanded to be dragged on his face until he is thrown into the Fire.’ ”
- “Similarly, a wealthy man who was given numerous types of wealth will be brought before Allah, who will detail his blessings. When asked what he did with these blessings, he will claim that he spared no effort in spending for His sake. Allah will say, ‘You have lied; rather, you did so that it would be said, ‘He is generous,’ and it was indeed said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged on his face until he is cast into the Fire.’ ”
- In a sacred hadith, Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, declared: “I am the most self-sufficient in avoiding partners. Whoever performs a deed and associates partners with Me in it, I will abandon him and his partnership.”
- “Indeed, Allah does not accept any deeds except those that are performed sincerely for Him and with the goal of seeking His pleasure.”
Hadiths Concerning the Punishment of the People Who Show Off
The following noble hadiths discuss the consequences for those who engage in showing off:
- “Our Lord will unveil His shin, and every believing man and woman will prostrate to Him. However, those who used to prostrate in this world for show will attempt to prostrate but find their backs rigid and unchanged.”
- “Whoever shows off will be shown off to by Allah, and whoever shows off to others will be shown off by Allah.”
- “No servant rises in this world to seek fame or show off, except that Allah will announce his name among the heads of the creatures on the Day of Resurrection.”
- “Whoever seeks knowledge to argue with foolish people, to boast before scholars, or to attract people’s attention to himself will find himself in the Fire.”