What causes us to show off?

 As a result of insincerity, diseases such as riya/showing off will enter the heart of a man. His gaze is no longer on Allah, he just wants to impress people now. This eventually leads to many further spiritual diseases, one of them is jealousy. Because if a person is showing off, he wants the spotlight and all the attention on him. When someone else is upstaging him, immediately a sense of jealousy enters his heart. If he allows this jealousy to intensify, hatred creeps in. Another spiritual disease stemming from riya is pride. If people are impressed with him, he feels proud. If pride doesn’t enter, ujub would. Ujub means to be self-conceited – considering ourselves to be too good.

Often due to the dominating effect of pride in the heart, no effort in islah is made. Sometimes, the person can even be present in the circles where islah is taking place. But his intentions and purpose are totally opposite. That’s the result of pride, it clouds everything else. Ibn Qayyum رحمه الله said that the words on a person’s tongue is a window to what he holds in his heart.

Therefore, deep-hearted pride and jealousy will manifest itself in a person’s actions. For example, if someone is drowning in the ocean and we throw a rope in to save them. A while later, someone else sees him and enters the dingy to pull him out. Now in this situation, perhaps he would’ve drowned if we didn’t throw in the rope and help him first. However regardless of this, we still thank the one who entered the dingy. We don’t fight with him saying that we saw him first, we deserve to be the one who pulls him out, saves him and gets the credit for it etc. Outwardly, our efforts in helping him may seem sterling. But if we are insincere seeking recognition and praise, then this action will not be accepted by Allah. And anything rejected by Allah, will amount to nothing.

On the other hand, deep-hearted sincerity and humility will also shine through a person’s speech and actions. For example, this morning we were doing a hadeeth in which Shaykh Khalid رضي الله عنه was talking about the battle of Mutah. Shaykh Khalid رضي الله عنه said that 9 swords broke in my hand on that day, and I was only left with a small, Yemeni sword (referring to a small dagger). Shaykh Khalid رضي الله عنه could’ve attributed the achievement to himself by saying “Do you know, on the day of muta I broke 9 swords?!” But instead of saying – I – He humbled himself, opting to saying that 9 broke in my hand. It’s this level of humility that takes a believer from average to beloved in the sight of Allah.

May Allah grant us grant us sincerity and humility Aameen.

— Shaykh Dawood Seedat حفظه الله

The above is an extract from Shaykh’s talk on 30/11/2015 in Masjid-ut-Taqwa, Pietermaritzburg. To listen to the full audio, please click here