Salam Alaekum,

It is a fundamental knowledge for all Muslims that actions shall be judged according to intention. Hence, the intention to carry out an act will be the lead to the reward accruable. Verily, Allah only accepts acts that were performed in sincerity to Him seeking

His Face.

A growing area of concern among Muslims is the act of Riyyah which means show-off or boasting. There is no doubt that dying as a Martyr in Allah’s Cause, learning beneficial knowledge and teaching it, and spending money in the Cause of Allah are some of the best

righteous deeds there are and the hardest to perform. When one's intention behind performing any of these acts is corrupt, instead of getting reward from Allah, it could earn such person the wrath of Allah and ultimately Fire!

It is not uncommon to see people exhibits acts of

showing off even with prayers, Ramadan is a known period for these unadmirable acts especially by people of affluence and the seasonal Muslims. It is now common practice to give charity with cameras all around and perform Hajj and Umrah online. How do you justify your intention

and sincerity of purpose for performing them.

It must be said, that if showing off appears in these acts, it annulls them and earn one Allah’s anger and torment, as should be known to all Muslims instead of rewards.

However, sometimes the act might be for Allah and is mixed

with showing off. In this case, there are authentic texts asserting that if the intention of showing off was present at the time one intended to perform a righteous act, the act itself will be annulled and fruitless. But when the act was started to gain Allah’s reward alone, but

changed later on to include an intention to partially show off, then it will not annul the act, provided one repels such thoughts.

Therefore, We should worship Allah alone in sincerity and stay away from Riyáh (showing off) and evil intentions. Allah does not look at your shapes

and wealth, but rather at your hearts and actions.

When a believer gives away charity for a good cause, why should he or she agree that his name be announced to the public, such as in newspapers/Radio/Television, unless the purpose is to encourage others to pay for this and

other charitable causes, or if his name is announced without his knowledge. Why build a Mosque with long statements by the entrance and on the walls declaring that so-and-so 'generous person' built this mosque or painted it from his money. This is not proper conduct and might

spoil one's good deed, especially when one seeks to preserve the memory of ones generosity.

Allah said in Suratul Baqarah verse 271 that “If you disclose your charitable expenditures, they are good; but if you conceal them and give them to the poor, it is better for you, and

He will remove from you some of your misdeeds [thereby]. And Allah, with what you do, is [fully] Acquainted.”

May Allah lead us aright, may He make our feet firm in Islam, may He increase us in the knowledge of the Deen,

may He accept our acts of Ibadah and find us worth of His mercy and grace. Amin.

Jumuah Mubarak
B.L. Abdulsalam.