Overcoming Shaytan’s Whispers: Don’t Let Fear of Being Seen Stop You from Good Deeds

The Devil’s Snare: How Shaytan Uses Fear of Ostentation to Hinder Good Deeds

WHISPER THAT PREVENT A PERSON FROM PERFORMING GOOD DEEDS FOR FEAR OF BEING SEEN BY OTHERS

From the plots of Shaytān which he utilizes to hinder the believer from performing good deeds, is that he will sometimes whisper to him that the good deed he is engaging upon is being done in the presence of others and thus is being done to be seen by them. This may cast the individual into doubting his own intention, or it may cause him to leave off the deed altogether, what is upon the person is to ignore such whisperings for as long as he is aware that his intention was for the sake of ALLĀH at the onset of performing that deed.

Muhi ud-Deen an-Nawawī (may ALLĀH have mercy on him) said: “One should not leave off making dhikr with the tongue along with the heart out of fear that it may be thought that there is ostentatiousness (showing off) with him. Rather; he should make dhikr by way of them both together, and should intend by it The Face of ALLĀH, The Mighty and Majestic. Al-Fudhail bin ‘Iyaad (may ALLĀH have mercy on him) said: ‘Indeed leaving off action because of the people is riyaa (ostentatiousness) and action because of the people is shirk.’ So if the person was to open the door of the observation of the people upon himself as well as cautiousness from dealing with their false suppositions; then most of the doors of good would certainly be shut off from him.” {Al-Adāb al-Shara’iyyah || 1/343}

Ibn Hazm (may ALLĀH have mercy on him) said: “In the dispraise of ostentatiousness (showing off) Iblees has a snare, and that is that he may urge abstaining from doing good – for fear that it should be assumed to be ostentatiousness! So if this is set up for you from him, then persist upon your action, as he suffers severe pain over it.” {Al-Akhlāq was-Siyar || Page 80}

Shaikh ‘Uthaimīn (may ALLĀH have mercy on him) said: “You should not pay attention to this waswaas (whisper from the Shaytaan) that puts you off doing good. If you turn away from this and seek refuge with ALLĀH from the accursed Shaytān, the problem will disappear, by ALLĀH’s leave.” {Majmoo’ Fatawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymīn || Q277}

Al-A’mash said: “I was with Ibrāhīm al-Nakha’i when he was reading Qur’ān, and a man asked for permission to enter, so he covered the Mus-haf. He said: So that he will not think that I read it all the time. So if you should not stop doing an act of worship for fear of showing off, it is more appropriate that you should not stop it for fear of self admiration that may occur later on. {Al-Adāb al-Shara’iyyah || 1/267}

The believer should be strong and firm with himself and resist the evil whispers of Shaytān in all circumstances and remember that ALLĀH says:

إِنَّهُ لَيسَ لَهُ سُلطانٌ عَلَى الَّذينَ آمَنوا وَعَلىٰ رَبِّهِم يَتَوَكَّلونَ إِنَّما سُلطانُهُ عَلَى الَّذينَ يَتَوَلَّونَهُ وَالَّذينَ هُم بِهِ مُشرِكونَ

Verily, he (shaytān) has no power over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord. His power is only over those who obey and follow him, and those who join partners with HIM. {An-Nahl || Verse 99-100}