Is It Wrong to Be Too Shy to Perform a Prostration of Thankfulness in Front of People?
Answered by Ustadha Raidah Shah Idil
Question: Assalam alaykum,
When I get my grades back in class, I want to perform a prostration of thankfulness but I feel really self-conscious bowing down in the middle of the classroom in front of everyone. Is it okay for me to go to the prayer room after class to do it?
Answer: Assalam alaykum wa rahmat Allah wa barakatuh,
I pray this finds you well. May Allah reward you for having such sincere concern for your deen.
Showing off
“As for showing off, it is prohibited and loathsome to show off for any reason. Showing off is of two types. The first is to seek a worldly benefit by an action [normally done] for the Hereafter. Its opposite is sincerity which is to divest the objective of drawing near to Allah, Most High, through obedience from seeking worldly gain. The second type is to seek a position among people through worldly acts [or things], such as showing off with one’s body, clothes, speech, works, or through other people such as friends or family.” (Al-Nahlawi, Al-Durar Al-Mubahah)
Excerpt from Seeking a Community Leadership Position and Showing Off.
Dear questioner, it sounds like you feel self-conscious about drawing attention through your acts of worship. This is very different to showing off and wanting people to think highly of you.
If you feel better about performing Sujud as-Shukr in private, then please go ahead and find a quiet space.
Sincerity
Please make dua for Allah to increase you in sincerity when you do your good deeds.
I pray that Allah purifies your intentions, draws you closer to Him, and keeps you steadfast in your journey towards Him.
Please see:
A Reader on Sincerity, Intention, and the Purpose of Spiritual Routines
Wassalam,
[Ustadha] Raidah Shah Idil
Checked & Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadha Raidah Shah Idil has spent almost two years in Amman, Jordan, where she learned Shafi’i’ fiqh, Arabic, Seerah, Aqeedah, Tasawwuf, Tafsir and Tajweed. She continues to study with her Teachers in Malaysia and online through SeekersGuidance Global. She graduated with a Psychology and English degree from University of New South Wales, was a volunteer hospital chaplain for 5 years and has completed a Diploma of Counselling from the Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors. She lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with her husband, daughter, and mother-in-law.
