HYPOCRISY

 

HYPOCRISY

(Courtesy: Yaqeen International) 

Good deeds performed with good intention and for the pleasure of Allah will bring great reward in the Hereafter. But, how many of us do good deeds to please Allah, and in obedi­ence to Quran and Sunnah, is a point for examination by all of us.

 Many people perform deeds which are, no doubt, good and for the betterment of the poor and needy. But they perform those deeds, not in obedience to Quran and Sunnah, i.e., to please Allah but to please their own self. By those deeds, they aim for popularity and fame. They spend wealth for enhancing their honour and respect in society and even discharge religious obli­gations to be called God-fearing men. These deeds will bring no reward in return but punishment.

 Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RDA) reported the Kind Prophet saying:

 "On the Doomsday, the case of Martyr will be decided first of all. Allah will call the Martyr and declare His Bounties and favours. The Martyr will admit them. Allah will then ask him what deeds he performed in ex­change for those Bounties.

 He will say, “I fought in Your way and in Your name to the extent that I fell, Martyr.”

Allah will say, 'You are a liar! you did all this to become famous as a brave and valiant man. So, with what intention you did, you got it. Hell will be ordered for the Martyr; consequently, he will be dragged headlong and thrown into Hell.

 After that will be presented the man who acquired knowl­edge, and imparted it to (oth­ers) and taught the Quran. Allah will declare before him His Bounties and Favours which the ‘Qari’ (the Reader of Quran) will accept. Then Allah will ask him what deeds he performed in exchange for those Bounties.

 He will say, 'I acquired knowledge, imparted it to men, and recited the Quran for Your pleasure'.

 Allah will say, 'You are a liar; you did all this to be called a 'Qari' and you are called so'. Then, Hell will be ordered for the 'Qari'. Consequently, he will be dragged headlong and thrown into Hell.

 Next, the case of that man will be presented who was bestowed every kind of wealth and was prosperous in the world. Allah will declare to him all His Bounties. He will also admit all of them. Then, he will be asked what deeds he performed in exchange for them. He will say, "O Allah; I never left any opportunity where spending of wealth pleased You and spent my wealth".

 Allah will say 'You are telling a lie; you spent your wealth to be known as a generous man and philanthropist, and you have already been called so'. Then Hell will be ordered for him and he will be dragged head­long and thrown into the Hell". (Muslim).

The above tradition of the Prophet clearly speaks of the fate of the people, who per­formed good deeds for any purpose other than the pleasure of Allah. This is 'Riya' (Hypocrisy). Even an iota of 'Riya' spoils the whole deed.

In our present life, we are too much indulged in Evil. Everything, even the worship, we do for name or popularity so that people shall call us as a good and kind man, a phi­lanthropist, a divine etc. This intention may be useful for this world and we may be successful in our worldly life but this cannot be of any help in the Hereafter. For the success of our central life, we have to seek the plea­sure of Allah. A man asked the Kind Prophet, (ﷺ) In what action salvation lies"? The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Worship Allah and don't perform a deed for 'Riya'.