❀ Islamic Ruling on Stopping Someone from Praying or Reciting the Qur’an by Accusing Them of Showing Off ❀
Extracted from: Fatāwā ad-Dīn al-Khāliṣ, Vol. 1, p. 146
If a person performs nawāfil (voluntary prayers) or recites the Qur’an, and another person stops them by accusing them of riyāʾ (showing off), then whose stance is correct—the one who performs the worship, or the one who stops them?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa as-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd…
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله stated:
“If a person has a regular practice of performing acts of worship such as the Duḥā prayer, Tahajjud, or other forms of worship, he should continue to perform them wherever he gets the opportunity—even if people are present. He should not abandon the worship due to their presence.”
(Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā: 23/174)
Imām Fudayl ibn ʿIyāḍ رحمه الله said:
"Abandoning deeds out of fear of people is Riyāʾ, and doing deeds to show people is shirk.”
(Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā: 23/174)
✔ If the heart is sincere, one should not abandon acts of worship due to suspicion from others.
It is impermissible to stop someone from praying or reciting Qur’an, even if one suspects them of ostentation.
✔ The correct Islamic practice is to assume good intent unless a clear act of shirk or hypocrisy is evident.
The Prophet ﷺ did not prevent the hypocrites from praying, even though the Qur’an confirmed their showing off:
“Indeed, the hypocrites [think to] deceive Allah, but He is deceiving them. And when they stand for prayer, they stand lazily, showing [themselves] to the people and not remembering Allah except a little.”
(Sūrah al-Nisāʾ: 142)
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“I have not been commanded to split open people’s hearts.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, ḥadīth 4351)
ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه said:
“If someone appears righteous to us, we will love him, regardless of what lies in his heart. And if someone appears sinful, we will dislike him, even if his inner self is different.”
(Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 7/254)
✔ If people are discouraged from doing good deeds out of fear of being labeled show-offs, the result will be:
“Those who criticize the believers who voluntarily give charity and those who find nothing to give except their efforts—they ridicule them. Allah will ridicule them, and for them is a painful punishment.”
(Sūrah al-Tawbah: 79)
This verse was revealed when hypocrites mocked both wealthy and poor Companions who gave in charity during Ghazwat al-Tabūk.
✔ Performing nawāfil and reciting the Qur’an are meritorious acts.
✔ Accusing others of showing off without proof is impermissible.
✔ Worship should not be abandoned due to fear of riyāʾ.
✔ Only Allah knows the hearts; we judge by what is apparent.
✔ Mocking or preventing others from worship is a trait of the hypocrites, not the sincere.
Therefore, stopping someone from worship and accusing them of riyāʾ is against the Sharīʿah and should be avoided.
ھذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
Extracted from: Fatāwā ad-Dīn al-Khāliṣ, Vol. 1, p. 146
❖ Question:
If a person performs nawāfil (voluntary prayers) or recites the Qur’an, and another person stops them by accusing them of riyāʾ (showing off), then whose stance is correct—the one who performs the worship, or the one who stops them?
❖ Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa as-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd…
✿ 1. Public Worship Is Not a Valid Reason to Accuse of Showing Off
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله stated:
“If a person has a regular practice of performing acts of worship such as the Duḥā prayer, Tahajjud, or other forms of worship, he should continue to perform them wherever he gets the opportunity—even if people are present. He should not abandon the worship due to their presence.”
(Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā: 23/174)
✿ 2. Riyāʾ: A Misunderstood Concept
Imām Fudayl ibn ʿIyāḍ رحمه الله said:
"Abandoning deeds out of fear of people is Riyāʾ, and doing deeds to show people is shirk.”
(Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā: 23/174)
✔ If the heart is sincere, one should not abandon acts of worship due to suspicion from others.
✿ 3. No One Has the Right to Forbid Worship on Assumptions
It is impermissible to stop someone from praying or reciting Qur’an, even if one suspects them of ostentation.✔ The correct Islamic practice is to assume good intent unless a clear act of shirk or hypocrisy is evident.
The Prophet ﷺ did not prevent the hypocrites from praying, even though the Qur’an confirmed their showing off:
“Indeed, the hypocrites [think to] deceive Allah, but He is deceiving them. And when they stand for prayer, they stand lazily, showing [themselves] to the people and not remembering Allah except a little.”
(Sūrah al-Nisāʾ: 142)
✿ 4. Islamic Principle: Judging by Outward Actions
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“I have not been commanded to split open people’s hearts.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, ḥadīth 4351)
ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه said:
“If someone appears righteous to us, we will love him, regardless of what lies in his heart. And if someone appears sinful, we will dislike him, even if his inner self is different.”
(Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 7/254)
✿ 5. Consequences of Misusing the Accusation of Riyāʾ
✔ If people are discouraged from doing good deeds out of fear of being labeled show-offs, the result will be:
- The righteous will stop doing public good.
- Fāsiq and deviant individuals will dominate.
- The spread of good will be halted.
- This leads to major corruption in the religion.
✿ 6. Mocking the Righteous Is a Trait of Hypocrites
“Those who criticize the believers who voluntarily give charity and those who find nothing to give except their efforts—they ridicule them. Allah will ridicule them, and for them is a painful punishment.”
(Sūrah al-Tawbah: 79)
This verse was revealed when hypocrites mocked both wealthy and poor Companions who gave in charity during Ghazwat al-Tabūk.
Conclusion:
✔ Performing nawāfil and reciting the Qur’an are meritorious acts.
✔ Accusing others of showing off without proof is impermissible.
✔ Worship should not be abandoned due to fear of riyāʾ.
✔ Only Allah knows the hearts; we judge by what is apparent.
✔ Mocking or preventing others from worship is a trait of the hypocrites, not the sincere.
Therefore, stopping someone from worship and accusing them of riyāʾ is against the Sharīʿah and should be avoided.
ھذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
