عبد الله

The one who does not recognize for anyone a virtue (by having granted him a favor), is one who admires his own belief.

2. Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) said, “One who performs a good deed for the sake of people, his outcome is along with those people only. Surely every showoff is polytheism. The Almighty Allah says: One who performs a good deed for Me as well as for others he has done it for others and not for Me.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “God hates two types of fame: fame for the way you dress, and fame for praying.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Shame is due to faith, and faith is in Heaven. Hypocrisy is from oppression, and oppression is in the Fire.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Whoever appears in public adorned with what God likes, but appears in front of God adorned with what God dislikes will meet God when God is angry with him.”

“Whoever has a feeling of self-importance is destroyed.”

“Any form of hypocrisy is polytheism. Whoever works for the people should demand his reward from the people, and whoever works for God, his reward is given by God.”

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘The misfortune for lineage is boastfulness.’”

I asked Abu Abdillah, peace be upon him, about the saying of Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He: «So do not perform self-righteousness of yourselves. He is more knowledgeable of who is the godfearing.» (53:32) He said: It is (like) the saying of a person: «I prayed yesterday» and «I fasted yesterday» and the like of this. Then he, peace be upon him, said: Indeed, a people used to wake up and say: «We prayed yesterday», and: «We fasted yesterday», to which Ali, peace be upon him, said: However, I, indeed, sleep at night and day, and if I was to find anything (of free time) between them, I would have slept during it.

“Why should one of you publicize a good deed and hide an evil one? Can he not find in his own-self that it is not right? Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has said, ‘In fact, human beings are well aware of their souls.’ (75:14) When the private side is correct, the public side becomes strong.’” Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu’alla ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Jumhur from Fadalah from Mu’awiyah from al-Fudayl from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) a similar Hadith.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘The misfortune for lineage is boastfulness and feeling self-important.’”

“God the Almighty said: “I am the best partner. I do not accept any act in which you take partners besides Me. I only accept deeds which are sincerely done for Me.”

“The Almighty Allah delegated the power to an angel of His to build all of the seven earths and heavens. When he created them and found that everyone has started obeying him, he called out: Is there anyone like me? The Almighty Allah sent a little fire in order to burn down everything so that he gets to know the consequence of boasting.” The narrator asked about the amount of fire sent. Imam (a.s.) replied, “It was just a handful.”

“Whoever shows off to people an act that Allah loves and opposes Allah with what He dislikes (showoff), he will find Allah at war with him.”

“I heard Abā ʿAbdillāh (a) say, ‘Whoever does a deed for [the sake of] Allah, his reward is upon Allah, and whoever does a deed for [praise from] the people, his reward is upon the people. Verily every act done to show off is [a form of] polytheism.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Serving food in a wedding ceremony for the first day is a right, the second day is reasonable, and for more than this is a show-off and publicity.’”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “What will you, who cover up your evilness and display your goodness, do when you realize that you are not so when you think about yourself. God the Almighty said: “Nay, man will be evidence against himself.” [The Holy Quran: Qiamat 75:14] Whoever improves his inner self, his outward appearance will also be improved.”

“One who makes something to boast about it will be raised on Qiyamat black-faced.”

I heard Aba Abdillah عليه السلام saying: while I was making the Tawaf someone started pulling my garment. I turned to look at him and discovered that he was `Abbad al-Basri. He [`Abbad] said: O Ja`far bin Muhammad – you wear this type of cloth while you are who you are in terms of your close relation with Ali صلوات الله عليه [i.e. are his descendant]? He عليه السلام said: I said to him – woe be upon you, this is a cloth from Kuhistan that I have bought by a Dinar and a few [Dirhams], Ali عليه السلام was in an age wherein what he wore was befitting for it, but if I were to wear a similar type of attire in this age the people would say – this one is a pretender of piety [show off] like `Abbad!

“Verily the servant may commit a sin and then feel remorse for it, and later [he may] perform a deed by which he is pleased such that he becomes remiss and turns away from his previous state [of remorse and humility]. Indeed, it would have been better for him to remain in that previous state of his, rather than what he later entered into.”