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The Confusion Of Riya
Hello there, assalaam u alaykum
My question is that in this video
At about 37:10 ghamdi Sahab said that anything of worship if done for people or ‘Iqtidaar’ falls under Riya and hence Shirk. And we also know that if someone does worship of Allah in order to earn money for his own ibadah then it is also shirk as a scholar said.
Now a while ago i also asked a similar question but it was not clear. Some teachers say that even LEAVING an act of worship at a particular instance for fear of Riya is ALSO Riya and hence Shirk. And all of those teachers and scholars when quote, they only quote Fudayl-ibn-Iyaad. The scholar from Samarkand who died in the 9th century. And quote his words that
“Abandoning an action because of people is Riya, and doing an act of worship for the sake of the people is Shirk. Sincerity is that Allah spares you from both.”
Now this understanding is quite confusing, the teacher of Saudia ‘Assim Al Hakeem’ in one instance quoted the same lines above, the first case of Riya and the second one of Shirk, as stated above. But in another video he goes on to say that this not a statement of Quran or Sunnah rather it is an ijtehad of scholars and that they may have done it for intimidating people for red flags and don’t fall into it. And then further states that leaving a voluntary act of worship for fear of show off or because of shyness of people or (example someone who says Ameen loudly, goes to a hanafi masjid but does not say Ameen loudly because he does not want people to give him stares or scold him), note that here he says that it’s not Riya.
Now coming to understanding of this concept that even leaving an act of worship for fear of show off is also Shirk/Riya.
If we look in terms of principle, as ghamidi Sahab tells that doing anything of worship because of others is shirk, and that is understandable that worship is only Allah’s right and if someone else is given a share of this right either directly (by worshipping others) or indirectly (worshipping Allah but for other reasons, as iqtidar, money or pleasing people instead of Allah), then no doubt it comes under heading of shirk. But when we see that someone abandons and stops a deed at that time or skips it if it’s voluntarily, then how can it be shirk when nothing that is ‘Only and only Allah’s right’ is done for someone else. Since when does the act “stopping an ibadah” become an act that is done for Allah’s pleasure, or his worship? So even in principle it does not qualify for shirk, in my opinion.
Now if we look at the point of view of it’s application, then again doing something of worship to please someone else, for money, for position, is Shirk, which is understandable. Then in the same analogy if we think that “stopping from doing an act of ibadah for people is also shirk”, then it MUST also be shirk if this same thing is done for money, or for some other worldly pleasure.
Then comes the question,
1 – what if someone, who usually prays Rakat of Sunnah after Fard prayers. But in one instance when he was in a market, selling his merchandise, the Bazaar is booming with customers. At that moment that man only prays fard but skips Sunnah voluntary prayers, because he wanted to deal with customers and earn money. This case must also be shirk (as something which would have been shirk if done for people must also be one if done for money)
2 – the case of someone who was intending to recite a whole surah baqarah. But midway through, his brother comes into room and tells him that a cousin from has come to our house after long time. So he closes the Quran to spend time with him and enjoy with him. Now also the same act of “stopping an act of worship” is done for the sake of accompanying and enjoying with someone, then this must be shirk as well.
3 – A person who usually prays surah mülk every night at about 10pm. One day while staying at his cousin’s house, he got his alarm ringing for a reminder to read surah mülk, but he decided to skip it for that day as they were having fun and enjoyment (playing game or any other amusement). So this must also be shirk because of the intention for leaving the ibadah he daily does, was merely because of enjoyment etc.
So i meant to say that examples can be numerous numerous and if a person focuses on his daily life matters, he may find that he even after getting thoughts about doing a good deed, does not do because of insignificant reasons or even after intending does not fulfill the intended deed because of insignificant reasons. So we can see how many cases can be prepared and seen in daily life. There were hundreds of Muslim at the time of prophet Muhammad, and something that would have been experienced by Muslims on the daily life basis, yet we do not find a hadith that even a single scholar could state it that would clearly state that such action is also a shirk.
Can you please clarify this topic?
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5 Replies
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The Confusion Of Riya
updated 2 years ago
2 Members
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We have discussed it question at length earlier.
In optional practice, since God has given the relaxation, so taking benefit of the relaxation is not shirk, it is stil in the obedience of God.
However, if someone feels due to his strong affiliation not to leave his optional practices of worship for some fun, he should go follow his feelings.
There is no a single ruling.
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@Irfan76 yes sir i understand, there’s no single ruling when. But even if someone leaves to do a voluntary act that he intended before, to have fun with someone, or because someone is waiting for him and then they would go somewhere. How can it be Shirk?
And i understand that doing something of worship for people, is actually RiyaKari and shirk because someone else is being given the right that is only of Allah.
But deciding to leave an act of worship especially voluntarily for people (someone waiting, and they would feel bad if they get to know i kept them waiting long to do my voluntary acts of worship. Or just because i want to spend time with them). Since when and how can “leaving an act of worship” become an exclusive right of Allah. The way scholars say that leaving an act of worship for fear of people is also Riya/Shirk. And all the teachers only quoted one scholar that is Fudayl ibn Iyaad. I mean i can’t understand neither comprehend that how is that a shirk and RiyaKari as they stated, when nothing that is exclusive a right of Allah, is given to someone else.
So sir before it was easy to comprehend and understand Riyakari (shirk) because the principles were clear. But now after hearing that even leaving things of worship for people is also RiyaKari, i am utterly confused, because neither can I relate the principle of it with shirk, nor it’s applications.
(Maybe possibly they were talking in a general way that as we say in English. That show off in worldly blessings is also Show off. And show off in prayer is also Show off. Since the word for show off in Arabic is Riya. Then the just said it linguistically that one Riya is just Riya (worldly blessings like money) and other case of Riya is Riya+Shirk (like showing off in prayers). Just as we say in English that he is showing off his money and car and watch, we do not say the he’s doing Shirk, we just say it’s a mere show off that may bring other bad feelings.)
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Islam is simple in practice, it is some human dispositions that take things too deeply. To some leaving a voluntary act of worship for someone is giving priority to someone else other than God is a kind of giving preference of God to someone else, that is why they call it shirk. This is subjective. Optional acts are optional because they can be left if one needs to. To have fun, too, is a blessing of God. One feels grateful after having fun. So either way, it is good for a Muslim.
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@Irfan76 okay sir, i just asked because i couldn’t comprehend the principle of those who made an analogy of it with Riya. But if we look it in this point of view that, not doing something of voluntary worship, is like giving precedence to others over God, this principle is relatively more logically understandable, but that too is not right according to me. Because then the only thing a person should be busy in is worship of Allah, there’s no time for amusement. Because every amusement could have been replaced with voluntary worship instead, but since it was not replaced by it, then it means that, this amusement is given precedence over God as it is given precedence over voluntary worship of God. Or if someone simply misses any voluntary act of worship, because of any reason whatsoever, that reason would itself become the very thing that is given precedence over God. and we also know that it’s not like this in Islam, and this type of thinking is not Islamic, because prophet also used gave people suggestions for amusements like in wedding, although at that time, instead of amusements, ibaadaat could have been done voluntarily and if amusement is done then automatically the voluntary act of worship is not done, but we never see Prophet saying something like that, instead prophet is suggesting the opposite.
Sir do you also think like what i mentioned above? As the first principle does not seem to be analogous with Riya. The second is relatively understandable but not right. In my opinion, sir is your opinion also like this?
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This is subjective, and opinions can be different. So you may go on with your thinking here.
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