Leaving Off Actions Because of The People Is Riyā' (Showing Off) - Shaykh Munīr as-Sa‘dī al-‘Adanī
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It’s been narrated from Fuḍayl bn ‘Iyāḍ - may Allāh be pleased with him - that he said: “Leaving off actions for the sake of the people is Riyā, and doing actions for the sake of the people is Shirk, and Ikhlāṣ [sincerity] is that Allāh saves you from them both.”
Shaykh Munīr as-Saʿdī al-ʿAdanī - حفظه الله - mentioned:
The saying of Fuḍayl bn ‘Iyāḍ - may Allāh, the Most High, be pleased with him -: “leaving off actions for the sake of people is Riyā..”. Whoever leaves an action for the sake of the people, then this is Riyā.
There is a group called “al-Mulāmiyyah”, they leave deeds until the people criticise them. [One of them] he says, “if I carried out this action the people will praise me so I will leave off this action..” — and this action may be from the obligations; like the congregational prayer, likewise affairs from the obligatory affairs they leave it until the people criticise and blame them.
So here, the Shaykh says, “leaving an action for the sake of the people is Riyā” if this action is from the deeds that it is fitting to make them apparent then carry it out, and do not pay any mind. Do not say “I will leave off this action for the sake of the people”, because then it will enter into ar-Riyā. There are actions which perhaps are from the hidden actions, so these the person hides, there’s no harm. Rather, it could be the case that the best thing is he hides it from the people, for example; the voluntary prayer, it is to be prayed at home, the Rawātib (12 units of voluntary prayers). Likewise, he strives if he is able to hide his voluntary fast, and he hides Qiyām al-Layl (The night prayer).
But, look to a case where a person is consistent in praying Qiyām al-Layl, then he travels with a people, and they lodge at a place, they lodged at a hotel or a Mosque, and he is used to standing the night prayer every day, or every night, then he says “I will leave it so that they do not see me”, no this is not befitting. You are consistent in the first place, since before then, you were regular with your Qiyām al-Layl, so now you standing in the night is not showing off to the people and it is not for them to praise you. But some of them might say “I will leave off Qiyām al-Layl so that they do not see me”, do not let the Shayṭān come to you from this angle, why? Because you are used to praying in the night even before then. So you stand as is your habit, as you are used to. So do not leave actions for the sake of the people.
Likewise, do not do an action for the sake of the people, acting for the sake of the people is Shirk (Ascribing partners with Allāh). And this is what a hadith has come concerning. He (Allāh’s Messenger - ﷺ - said: “he beautifies his prayer because someone is looking at him.” Or as he - ﷺ - said. When he said to them: “the biggest thing I fear for you is the ash-Shirk al-Aṣghar (Lesser Shirk)”. They (The Companions) said, “what is Lesser Shirk?” He said: “ar-Riyā (Showing Off). A person stands to pray then he beautifies his prayer due to what he sees of a man looking at him.” This is Shirk and Riyā, that he does an action so the people would see him, and he recites the Qur’ān so that people would praise him and the people would hear him and commend him, this is Riyā.
Likewise, leaving off an action. Be careful that the Shayṭān doesn’t come to you. Do not leave off an action due to the people, especially the outward actions, like the congregational prayer, seeking of knowledge, commanding with the good forbidding the evil, calling to Allāh - تبارك وتعالى - apparent affairs. Establish them and do not mind (the whispers), do not allow the Shayṭān to come to you and say to you “leave it off, because the people would say you are a caller (to Allāh), you’re a student of knowledge, and you’re a Shaykh” this is a door from the doors which the Shayṭān enters upon (a person), so he discourages you until you leave the action - No.
There are hidden actions, yes, strive in keeping them hidden!
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Translation by MiU Editorials.
20 Muḥarram 1447 (هـ) • 15 July 2025 (مـ)
