Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … Without any doubt, from the perspective of the Shari‘ah, reciting the Noble Qur’an aloud in prayer is permissible, as is also established from the second part of this hadith. In the first part of this hadith, where the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam indicated the possibility of showing off (riya’) in a certain person, this was certainly based on clear signs, insight, or revelation, because when his companion, Sayyiduna Ibn Adra‘, following the example of the Prophet’s previous statement, said the same thing about Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Dhu al-Bijadayn, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam rejected it, even though both were reciting the Qur’an aloud.

Yes, regarding the first person, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam’s statement, “You will not attain this religion with dominance in this way,” shows that either he was standing in such a place that his action was being displayed excessively, which could lead to showing off (riya’), or he was standing for a very long time, or his voice was extremely loud, thus exceeding moderation and balance.

This hadith also shows that after the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, we cannot accuse anyone of showing off (riya’); both men were reciting aloud, but the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam expressed suspicion of showing off regarding one, while he spoke words of goodness about the other. However, people should be advised to avoid excess and extremism, and to worship with moderation.

Although nowadays is an era of commentary, where not only bad but even good qualities of others are subjected to critical commentary, or the faults and shortcomings of a good person are exaggerated so that the commentator, in his own estimation, considers himself a perfect human being. A member of a mosque’s administration was commenting about the mosque’s servant on the grounds that he gives the adhan for Fajr without ablution (wudu). I asked him, “Do you yourself perform the Fajr prayer?” The gentleman replied in the negative. Alas! A person deprived of prayer is criticizing that servant of Allah who gives the Fajr adhan and leads people in the congregational Fajr prayer. The supposed crime is giving the adhan without ablution, which is not at all a mistake in the Shari‘ah, although the best practice is indeed to maintain purity.

Respected readers! The request is that if signs of goodness are found in a person, they should be accepted, and on this basis, that person should be valued.