قال الله تعالى في وصف المنافقين: {وَإِذَا قَامُوا إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ قَامُوا كُسَالَىٰ يُرَاءُونَ النَّاسَ وَلَا يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا} (النساء: ١٤٢)

Allah Most High describes the hypocrites saying, {When they stood up to prayer, they stand without earnestness, to see of men, but little do they hold Allah in remembrance.} (An-Nisa': 142)

وقال تعالى: {فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَاءُونَ وَيَمْنَعُونَ الْمَاعُونَ} (الماعون: ٤-٧)

He Most High also says, {So woe to the worshipers who are neglectful of their prayers, those who (want but) to be seen, but refuse (to supply) even) neighborly needs.} (Al-Ma'un: 4-7)

{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُبْطِلُوا صَدَقَاتِكُم بِالْمَنِّ وَالْأَذَىٰ كَالَّذِي يُنفِقُ مَالَهُ رِئَاءَ النَّاسِ} (البقرہ: 264)

{O ye who believe! Cancel not your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injury-like those who spend their wealth to be seen of men.} (Al-Baqarah: 264)

{مَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا} (الكهف: ١١٠)

{Whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and, in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner} (Al-Kahf: 110)

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ: «إِنَّ أَوَّلَ النَّاسِ يُقْضَى يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ اسْتُشْهِدَ، فَأُتِيَ بِهِ، فَعَرَّفَهُ نِعَمَهُ فَعَرَفَهَا، قَالَ: فَمَا عَمِلْتَ فِيهَا؟ قَالَ: قَاتَلْتُ فِيكَ حَتَّى اسْتُشْهِدْتُ، قَالَ: كَذَبْتَ، وَلَكِنَّكَ قَاتَلْتَ لِأَنْ يُقَالَ: جَرِيءٌ، فَقَدْ قِيلَ...»

On the authority of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, "The first of people who will be judged on the Day of Judgment will be a man who has died a martyr. He will be brought and Allah will make known to him His Favors and he will recognize them. (Allah) will say:

قال: فماذا عملت فيها؟ فيقول: قاتلتُ فيك حتى استُشهدتُ. فيقول: كذبتَ، ولكنك قاتلتَ لأن يُقال: جريء. فقد قيل. ثم أُمر به فسُحب على وجهه حتى أُلقي في النار. ورجل تعلّم العلم وعلّمه وقرأ القرآن، فيُؤتى به فيُعرّفه نعمَه فيعرفها، فيقول: فماذا عملت فيها؟ فيقول: تعلّمتُ العلم وعلّمتُه، وقرأتُ فيك القرآن. فيقول: كذبتَ، ولكنك تعلّمتَ العلم ليُقال: عالم، وقرأتَ القرآن ليُقال: هو قارئ. فقد قيل. ثم أُمر به فسُحب على وجهه حتى أُلقي في النار. ورجل وسّع اللهُ عليه وأعطاه من أصناف المال كله، فيُؤتى به فيُعرّفه نعمَه فيعرفها، فيقول: فماذا عملت فيها؟ فيقول: ما تركتُ من سبيل تحب أن يُنفق فيها إلا أنفقتُ فيها لك. فيقول: كذبتَ، ولكنك فعلتَ ليُقال: هو جواد. فقد قيل.

And what did you do with them? He will say: I fought for you until I died a martyr. He will say: You have lied. You did but fight so that it might be said (of you): He is courageous. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged on his face until he is cast into Hell-Fire. (Next) will be a man who has studied (religious) knowledge and has taught it and who used to recite the Qur'an. He will be brought and Allah will make known to him His Favors and he will recognize them. (Allah) will say: And what did you do with them? He will say: I studied (religious) knowledge and taught it and I recited the Qur'an for Your sake. He will say: You have lied. You did but study (religious) knowledge so that it might be said (of you): He is learned. And you recited the Qur'an that it might be said (of you): He is a reciter. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire. (Then) will come a man whom Allah had made rich and to whom He had given all kinds of wealth. He will be brought and Allah will make known to him His Favors and he will recognize them. (Allah) will say: And what did you do with them? He will say: I have left no way in which You like money to be spent without spending for Your sake. He will say: You have lied. You did but do so that it might be said (of you): He is generous. And so it was said.

ثُمَّ يُؤْمَرُ بِهِ فَيُسْحَبُ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ حَتَّى يُلْقَى فِي النَّارِ1

Then he will be ordered to be dragged on his face until he is cast into Hell-Fire.”1

قال الخطابي: «إنّ المنافقين الذين يطلبون بأعمالهم الناس والشهرة يُؤتى بهم يوم القيامة ومعهم كل ما أخفَوه من عيوبهم وخصالهم المذمومة المجهولة.» وقد بيّن رسول الله ﷺ ذلك أكثر فقال: «إنّ الرياء شرك»، أي إن طلب الناس بالعمل ولو بأقل شيء هو شرك.1

Al-Khattabi said, "The unfaithful men who seek people and fame with their deeds would be presented on the Day of Judgment, with all their concealed and unknown defecates and faults." The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) illustrated further, "It is shirk (association, to seek people even with the slightest deeds.”1

وقال ﷺ: «إن أخوف ما أخاف عليكم الشرك الأصغر». قالوا: يا رسول الله، وما الشرك الأصغر؟ قال: «الرياء، يقول الله تعالى يوم القيامة إذا جزى الناس بأعمالهم: اذهبوا إلى الذين كنتم تراؤون في الدنيا، فانظروا هل تجدون عندهم جزاء؟». {وَبَدَا لَهُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يَكُونُوا يَحْتَسِبُونَ} (الزمر: 47)

He (pbuh) also said, "For yo my greatest fear is from minor Shirk (association)." people said, "What is the minor shirk, O Messenger of Allah?" He debarred, "Showing off (is that minor shirk). Allah Most High will say on the Day of Judgment, "0 you who have sought people with their actions, go to them and see if they could compensate you!" {But something will confront them from Allah, which they could never have counted upon!} (Al-Zumar: 47)

قال بعض العلماء في تفسير هذه الآية: كان أولئك الناس يعملون أعمالًا تبدو حسنةً في الظاهر، فتنقلب يوم القيامة إلى أعمال سيئة. وكان بعض التابعين إذا تلا هذه الآية يقول: {فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ * الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ * الَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَاءُونَ} ويُروى أنهم يوم القيامة يُنادَون بأربعة أسماء: المنافق، والخادع، والغادر، والخاسر، ويُقال لهم: اذهبوا إلى الذين كنتم تعملون لأجلهم وخذوا جزاءكم، فإنه لا جزاء لكم عندنا. وقال الحسن أيضًا: إن المنافقين، إرادةً منهم أن يغلبوا قضاء الله، يحاولون أن يظهروا بمظهر الصالحين.

In their explanation to this verse, some scholars said, those people used to act seemingly good deeds, which would appear Off the Day of Judgment to evil deeds." Some of the successors used to say when reading this verse, {Woe to those who seek people by their deeds.} It is said further that on the Day of Judgment those people would be called by four titles: Hypocrite, deceiver, unfaithful and loser, go to the people for whose sake you have done and take your compensation since we have no compensation for you." AI-Hassan also commented, "Wishing to overcome the Decree of Allah, the hypocrites try to appear as righteous men.

ومع ذلك، فإن الله سيكشف حقيقتهم للمؤمنين المخلصين. قال قتادة: "إذا عمل الإنسان أعمالاً ليراه الناس، يقول الله تعالى: انظروا إلى عبدي كيف يستخف بي." ورأى عمر بن الخطاب رجلاً يُطأطئ رأسه في الصلاة، فقال: "يا من يُطأطئ رأسه، ارفع رأسك، فإن الخشوع إنما يكون في القلب." ورأى أبو أمامة رجلاً يبكي في الصلاة في المسجد، فقال: "يا رجل، أليس الأفضل أن تفعل هذا في بيتك؟!" (أي بعيداً عن أعين الناس). وكان محمد بن المبارك يقول: "الأفضل لكل إنسان أن يُظهر الخشوع وخوف الله بالليل (في بيته)، فإنه يكون خالصاً للخالق، أما إظهار التقوى بالنهار فقد يكون للمخلوق." وقال علي بن أبي طالب رضي الله عنه: "للعامل الذي يعمل ليراه الناس ثلاث علامات: الكسل إذا خلا، والنشاط أمام الناس، وحب المدح، وكراهية الذم." وقال الفضيل بن عياض: "الرياء أن يترك العمل من أجل الناس، والشرك أن يعمل من أجل الناس، والإخلاص أن ينجيك الله من هاتين العصاتين."

However, Allah would unveil their true reality before the faithful believers." Qatadah said, "When the person did acts to be seen by people, Allah, the Almighty says, 'look at my servant how he disregards Me." 'Umar Ibn AI-Khattab once saw a man declining his head in Prayer, therefore he said, "O you who decline his head, raise your head, for mindfulness exists in the heart only." Abu Umamah saw a man weeping in Prayer in the mosque, whereupon he said, "O man, is it not better to do this in your house! (i.e., to be away from people)" Muhammad Ibn AI-Mubark used to say "It is better for everyone to show mindfulness and God-consciousness at night (in his house) for it will be solely for the Creator, whereas showing God-consciousness at day may be for the created." `Ali Ibn `Abi Talib (May Allah be pleased with him) said, "There are three signs for the one who works to be shown by people: Inactivity when alone and activity before people, love for estimation and abhorrence to criticism." AI-Fudail Ibn 'Aiad said, "Riya' (showing off) is to leave work because of people, shirk (association) is to work for the sake of people, while sincerity is to be saved from the two staffs by Allah.