Some of my friends are actively involved in going to the flood affected areas and providing relief goods + assistance to the affectees. However, I find one thing really irritating. Why oh why would they blow their own trumpet by updating their statuses while doing the relief work or why would they upload videos and/or photographs. It just seems to be blatant show-offing. I discussed this with a friend and he argued that perhaps they want to highlight the plight of the people or encourage/inspire others to volunteer as well, that if they can do it, so can others. However, if you look closely most of these videos seem to be joyrides in boats or helicopters. I don't know. Perhaps I've become more cynical but I know as a muslim, all our good deeds should be for the love of God and His creation. They shouldn't be a means of exhibiting ones' piety or goodness. One should always be humble. In urdu, there is a word called "dekhawa" which roughly translates to doing something to impress and or please others. If one does anything for the sake of dekhawa, its reward is diminished or invalidated. Anyhow, I guess actions should be judged by intentions and the best Judge is up there. I leave it to Him
why so cynical?
ReplyDeleteSadaqah must be done sincerely for the pleasure of Allah and not out of riya‘ (show off) to gain praise or recognition from others:
ReplyDelete“O you who believe! Do not render vain your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injury, like him who spends his wealth to be seen of men and he does not believe in Allah nor in the last Day.” (Qur’an, 2: 264)
“And whatever you spend in charity or whatever vow you make, be sure Allah knows it all. But the wrongdoers have no helpers. If you disclose (acts of) charity, even so it is well, but if you conceal them and make them reach those (really) in need, that is best for you. It will remove from you some of your (stains of) evil. And Allah is well acquainted with what you do.” (Qur‘an, 2:270-271)
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) said, “Seven people will be shaded by Allah under His shade on the day when there will be no shade except His. They are: 1. a just ruler, 2. a youth who grew up in the worship of Allah, 3. a man whose heart is attached to the mosque, 4. two men who love each other for Allah’s sake, meeting for that and parting for that. 5. a man who is called by a woman of beauty and position but he says, “I fear Allah”, 6. a man who gives in charity and hides it, such that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives in charity, and 7. a man who remembered Allah in private and so his eyes shed tears.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari (Eng. translation) vol. 2, hadeeth no. 504)
The key message: "a man who gives in charity and hides it, such that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives in charity"