Attempting to Safeguard Oneself from Showing Off (Ar-Riyaa) – Al-Uthaymīn
There are those who abandon acts of obedience [due to] fear of riyaa [i.e. showing off in acts of worship].
This [occurs] because Shaytān plays about with a person and beautifies for him [or her] the abandonment of acts of obedience out of fearing riyaa; rather you should perform acts of obedience, but there should not be -in your heart- [a desire] to show off.
Everytime a person ponders upon this Magnificent Qurān and is reminded by way of that which is in it [i.e. its commandments, prohibitions, admonitions etc], then indeed he receives blessing in his life, his deeds, his certainty and in all his affairs.
At-Ta’līq ‘alā al-Qawā’id al-Hisān by Shaykh Uthaymīn Pg. 16
إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى اللَّهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ Except him who brings to Allāh a clean heart [clean from Shirk (polytheism) and Nifāq (hypocrisy)]. Ash-Shu’ara:89
Shaykh Rabī ibn Hādi Al-Madkhalī (hafidahullāh):
Ponder, is your heart sound?
What is the sound heart?
The sound heart is that which fights Shirk and rejects falsehood, it accepts the truth and refutes falsehood with all its might, this is the sound heart. So, if you notice that you accept the truth from whoever brings it to you (you accept the truth; the truth guides you and your goal is the truth) then by Allāh your heart and intellect is sound.
What is the sick heart?
And, if you realise that you reject the truth when it comes to you from a certain direction, and you accept falsehood when it comes from another direction and you behave as if it is the truth; then know that your heart is sick.
Shaykh Rabī ibn Hādi ʿUmayr al-Madkhalī [ḥafidahullāh] was asked: Is it permissible for us to listen to the audio [lectures of the] Hizbees?
He [ḥafidahullāh] answered: No, do not listen to the audio [lectures] of the hizbees, because their harm is much greater than their benefit. Seek benefit from the Book of Allāh, the Sunnah of Allāh’s Messenger [alayhis ṣalātu was salām], the books and audio [lectures] of the scholars of the Sunnah.
[That is] because the people of desires insert and conceal their poison in such a way that it is not noticed, except by the intelligent ones [i.e. the scholars and experienced students]. As for the Masākīn [i.e. those whose knowledge is very limited] amongst the smaller students of knowledge and the general folk, then verily this hidden poison has an effect on their intellects and against them, in ways they do not perceive.
Therefore, let there be great caution against listening to the people of bidah and the people [who are ascribed] to those groups that have deviated from Allah’s True Methodology; and they [ḥizbīs, the people of bidah etc] warn against the books that[propagate the sound creed, methodology etc] and the books that [propagate the authentic] Sunnah, so how can we call to their books and the lectures [in their audio tapes]?!
Source: Majmūʿ Kutub wa Rasā’il wa Fatāwa Faḍīlati as-Shaykh al-ʿAllāmah Rabī ibn Hādi ʿUmayr al-Madkhalī 15/52. slightly paraphrased
Reflect on the rapid passing of the nights and days, indeed this is your life (passing you by). These (night and days) are the deposit boxes of your actions. On the day of resurrection these boxes will be opened. The believer will find in his boxes, honour and nobility, whilst the negligent find in their boxes, humiliation and degradation.
Therefore, fill these boxes with the taqwa of Allah (subhānahu) and righteous actions before (these boxes) are closed due to the end of your life.
What is the intent of the Messenger’s statement (sallallāhu alaihi wa sallam), Do not ask for anything by Allāh’s Face except Paradise?
He (ḥafidahullāh) answered:
“Yes (that is correct), glorify Allāh’s Face (azza wa jal), and do not ask for anything by it from the coveted objects of the worldly life, only ask by it for Paradise – as a glorification of Allāh’s Face (subhānahu wa ta’āla) – which is the ultimate goal.”
Shaykh Ubayd al-Jābirī explained regarding the one who is easy going and negligent regarding Aqīdah, he is one of two types [of people and] there is no third:
1. An ignorant man. He is not acquainted with the call to the path of Allaah based on clear sightedness, [rather] he follows every Tom, Dick and Harry.
2. An evil man- person of desires, an innovator and misguided person. He knows that as long as the Creed of Tawheed and Sunnah is strong amongst its people, he cannot approach them [with misguidance], rather he approaches them [with misguidance] when their souls become weak.
This type of person firstly manifests beautified expressions and general statements to show that he adheres to the correct Aqīdah and Dawah, so that the hearts of the people become inclined towards him, he wins their trust and gets a strong position amongst them.
Afterwards, he wraps himself around them like a snake that wraps [itself] around its prey, then he releases – amongst them – the flame of bidah and newly invented affairs (in creed, acts of worship or both), and in most cases only a few of his followers free themselves from him.
Slightly paraphrased from Tabsiratu al-Khalaf bi Sharh at-Tuhaf fī Madhāhib as-Salaf page 53
As for a person who is upon misguidance and he presents himself as if he is upon the Sunnah (to cover up his misguidance), then indeed Allāh will expose him, unmask him and remove his covering.
For how many misguided individuals have there been, presenting a good beautiful attractive face, using the Book and Sunnah as evidence for that, then afterwards Allāh exposes him because he is a habitual liar and is not upon the Sunnah outwardly or inwardly.
Tabsiratu al-Khalaf bi Sharh at-Tuhaf fī Madhāhib as-Salaf page 50
Mu’āwiyah (Allāh be pleased with him) said (whilst delivering a khutbah) (1), I heard the Prophet (sallallāhu alaihi wa sallam) saying, “If Allāh wants to do good to a person, He makes him comprehend the religion. I am just a distributor, but the grant is from Allāh. (And remember) that this nation (those upon Tawheed and Sunnah) will not cease to be obedient to Allāh’s orders and they will not be harmed by those who oppose them until Allah’s order (Day of Judgment) is established.” (2)
Shaykh Abdul Muḥsin (ḥafidahullāh) begins his book, (‘Ishroona Ḥadeethan min Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukhāri Diraasa Asānīdihā wa Sḥarḥ Mutūnihā), with this ḥadīth, he then explained it in various ways:
