Seeking praise can ruin good deeds
“We should not abandon obedience to Allah Azza wa ta'ala and good deeds and good acts because of riya.”
The khutbah argues that riya, doing worship to be seen or praised, is a hidden form of minor shirk that can nullify deeds, so believers must continually renew their intentions, preserve private acts, and keep doing good for Allah alone.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Bodily illness can bring reward through patience, while hidden illnesses of the heart can harm a person in this life and the hereafter.
- Riya is introduced as subtle minor shirk that can corrupt apparently righteous deeds and invalidate reward sought for Allah.
- Prophetic warnings illustrate the danger through the Quran reciter, donor, and fighter whose deeds were motivated by reputation.
- The speaker distinguishes major shirk from minor shirk and connects unchecked riya with hypocrisy and self-deception.
- Fear of riya must not stop good deeds; believers should cultivate private worship and discreet charity.
- The khutbah concludes by urging believers to renew intentions and examine them before, during, and after every deed.
In the khateeb's words
“This Riyya' minor shirk can flow in our blood without even thinking about it, without even realizing it, all the way until it reaches the heart and corrects the deeds.”
“We should not abandon obedience to Allah Azza wa ta'ala and good deeds and good acts because of riya.”
“People cannot give us paradise and cannot save us from the hellfire.”
“Let us always question and examine our deeds before we do them, in the middle of doing them and at the end of doing them.”
For the dinner table
The khutbah teaches that illnesses of the body can bring reward when we are patient, but a hidden illness of the heart, riya, or doing good to be praised, can ruin a deed. We should worship Allah sincerely, because people’s praise cannot earn us Paradise or save us from the Hellfire. The speaker reminds us not to stop doing good out of fear of showing off; instead, we should renew our intentions and ask Allah for sincerity. One helpful practice is to keep some good deeds private, known only to Allah. We can examine our intention before, during, and after what we do, asking whom we are trying to please.
- What is one good deed you could do privately this week?
- How can we tell whether we are seeking Allah’s pleasure or people’s praise?
- What intention could you renew before your next prayer or act of kindness?
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