Is It Permissible to Hide Acts of Worship to Avoid Showing Off, Even If It Means Denying Them When Asked?
Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick
Question
Is it permissible to hide acts of worship like fasting or giving zakat to avoid showing off, even if it means not telling family or denying it when asked?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
Allah (Most High) says:
“To give charity publicly is good, but to give to the poor privately is better for you, and will absolve you of your sins. And Allah is All-Aware of what you do.” [Quran, 2:271]
It is commendable to conceal acts of worship, such as fasting and giving zakat, to safeguard sincerity and protect oneself from showing off. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“The seven whom Allah will shade on the Day of Judgment include a person who gives charity so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given.” [Bukhari; Muslim]
However, while discretion is praiseworthy, one must not lie to hide their worship. Instead, one can use general or indirect statements. For example, if asked about fasting, one may say, “We only accomplish what Allah facilitates for us,” without explicitly denying it.
At times, openly performing acts of worship may be beneficial, such as encouraging family members or fulfilling communal responsibilities. The key is maintaining sincerity regardless of whether an act is public or private.
May Allah grant us sincerity in all our deeds.
And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar Shaykh Taha Karaan.
Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Mawlana Yusuf Karaan, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.
He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has served as the Director of the Discover Islam Centre and Al Jeem Foundation. For the last five years till present, he has served as the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.
Shaykh Irshaad has thirteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town). He is currently building an Islamic online learning and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and has completed his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy living and fitness.
