Sometimes...

Sometimes, the devilish inspirations may come in the form of soft, deceptive whispering. Accordingly, one may practice acts of obedience to God with the intention of sincerity, but if he examines them closely, he will find them mixed with showiness. This is in fact one of the most dangerous slips that nobody can evade except the genuine disciples. It is related that a man said: “For thirty years, I used to offer my prayers collectively in the mosque in the first row.

One day, I was late because of something and I had to join the second row. As soon as I stopped, I felt embarrassed. Only then, I discovered that my previous prayers had been my source of pleasure.” It is also narrated that a worshipper used to fast for forty years without letting anyone, including his relatives, notice so.

He used to take his food to give it as alms in his way to the market so that his family member think that he would have his food in the market and the people in the market think that he had his food at home. How to Obtain Sincerity? The most important incentive of showiness is to attract people’s admirations and obtain their satisfaction.

As a matter of fact, the obtainment of people’s satisfaction is an unattainable purpose, because people are unable to satisfy themselves; therefore, they cannot be satisfied with others. The only One Whose satisfaction should be sought is God Who possesses the reins of the affairs completely and can do everything. Hence, the true men of reason should direct towards Him and obey Him completely heartily. Showiness and cheating cannot continue for a long time.

They are soon revealed before everybody, and the showy will soon become the subject of loathing and disrespect. It is narrated that a man from the Israelites decided to worship God so that people would praise him. For a long period, he observed an excessive worship to God, but every individual who passed by him realized that he was ostentatious. One day, he said to himself that he had tired himself and wasted his lifetime for nothing; hence, he should work heartily from now on.

As he did, every individual who passed by him was admired by his worship and said that he was pious man. [^1]: Quoted from Bihar ul-Anwar; 15/87 (as quoted from Ibn Fahad’s Oddat ud-Daee). [^2]: Quoted from al-Wafi; 14/54 (within the Prophet’s commandment for Abu Dharr). [^3]: Quoted from Bihar ul-Anwar; 15/85 (as quoted from Al- Amali and at-Tawhid).