ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Pretension and Conceit Areas Where Showing Acts of Worship Is Permissible There is no doubt in the requirement of sincerity in the act of adoration and obedience to win the pleasure of Allah Almighty. This is taken for granted as one of the principles that have to be taken into consideration in all conditions and circumstances. No other rational or legislated incentive advances an act for the Divine One more than it.

Sometimes what the nafs insinuates is not even considered: A deed has a great benefit; therefore, it must be undertaken in order to show people. A pretentious deed gives the person who undertakes it nothing in return as the Holy Qur'an clearly states: ",., like those who spend their substance (just) to be seen by men but do not believe in Allah or the Last Day. They are in parable like a hard, barren rock on which there is a little soil; a heavy rain falls on it, leaving it (just) a bare stone.

They will be able to do nothing with whatever they had earned" (Qur'an, 2:264). Besides adhering to this accepted principle of the Sharma, we say that hiding a righteous deed, although it contains the benefit of sincerity and the absence of pretension, yet, on the other hand, if it is done openly, it may also produce a benefit which is: making it desirable to people. Thus, people may emulate the one who does it even if the deed may he threatened with pretension.

The deed in both cases is raised in the Holy Qur'an: "If you disclose (acts of) charity, even so it is well, but if you conceal them and make them reach those (who arc really) in need, that is best for you: It will remove some of your (stains of) evil from you. And, Allah is well acquainted with all What you do" (Qur'an, 2:271). Disclosing them is of two types: One is disclosing the act itself publicly, and the other is talking about it after it has been secretly done.

As regarding the first, it in fact has preference over what can be done secretly and what can be done publicly. If the act cannot be hidden, such as performing the pilgrimage, going for a holy war, attending the congregational prayer service, and the like, it ought to be undertaken and not to let the insinuation have room in it. Doing such deeds openly has nothing to do with making a show or with pretension.

Rather, the benefit of taking the initiative in such deeds is to let people desire them, but the condition in them, as we stated, is that they must not be done just to show off.