It is human nature that people want to be loved, praised and recognised and Islam teaches that this seeking attention is wrong. We have to overcome this greed and ‘grow up’.
Right from the cradle to the grave, people would do all sorts of things, sometimes even crazy things, to attract attention to themselves.
Look at how the child derives satisfaction from the attention it gets, take note of the teenagers with their hairstyles, dress and poses, even adults and educated people seek attention by means of their possessions, their knowledge, their skills, their generosity and quite often, even their piety.
Yes, it’s vanity. Yes, it sucks, and- Yes- we all do it.
Scientists such as Sigmund Freud have listed this as a need after food, shelter and clothing. Teaching techniques such as positive stimulation have been developed using this knowledge.
The Prophet (SAW) knew about this so-called “physiological need” well before these scientists and instead of encouraging it he warned the people about it because it creates vanity, pride and haughtiness in people and it results in all sorts of social evils (this is a topic on its own).
He (SAW) said: “The greatest of what I fear most for my followers is “Riya” or show of piety and secret greed.”
Just as we need to control our greed for wealth, Islam teaches us to control this greed for recognition.
Seeking name and fame goes against the very grain of Islam, which teaches “all praise is due to Allah.” By seeking name and fame, we are indirectly setting ourselves up against Allah. It’s a serious sin.
The Prophet (SAW) has said: “A little show is Shirk or setting up partners with Allah.” Does not Islam teach us that the worth of every deed lies in its intention?
Islam also teaches us to control and suppress this need to “show off”. We have to learn to control ourselves or control our “Nafs” (soul or ego), and in this way we would elevate our spirituality to realise the Truth. Think of it as ‘growing up’.
Whenever we do something, we must question ourselves– “Why are we doing this.” We also need to be extremely careful because, understanding one’s motives is not easy.
The Prophet (SAW), further elaborating on this secret greed by saying: “It is more secret than the movement of black ants on a smooth stone in the darkest night.”
Even the pious people are very wary of their motives and they quite often humble themselves or distance themselves from people by doing things that belittle themselves in the eye of the public.
They are wary of it because even they, in their pious state, could fall prey to their ego. Even the Prophet (SAW) was wary of this. He did not allow his Companions to stand up when he walked in and he did not look people in the eye and he wore simple clothes and did simple chores, and listened to others and followed his turn in a conversation.
Even when a simple Bedouin pulled him by the collar to question him, he did not allow his companions to retaliate but instead allowed this man to question him in this harsh manner.
We have to remove love of self praise from our hearts, for this is what caused the fall of shaitaan or Iblis. He thought that he was better than Adam AS. He just could not respect or accept that Adam AS was created to be better than him.
The pious people, instead of getting people to praise them, sometimes resorted to actions which earned them rebuke or made them look “cheap” in others eyes.
To control our ego we have to develop purity of intention. We must do things for the pleasure of Allah and not do them so that we may be recognised by others as a pious person.
“But those most devoted to Allah…Those who spend their wealth for increase in self purification, and have in their minds no favor from anyone for which a reward is expected in return, but only the desire to seek the Countenance of their Lord Most High.” 92:17
We must give charity and not even think about it, pray late at night in secrecy and do not tell anyone about it. “Call on your Lord in humility and in private…” 7:55.
Do good and don’t even feel good about it. Be careful of dressing well, debating or being pious in public for it is a sure way of boosting our ego.
Try to think of it in this way. We could have been born a cripple, or we could have been born as a mentally challenged person and most certainly, we going to die and be forgotten with time.
Sometimes, fame does come about without a person intending it and this is acceptable. The Prophet (SAW) achieved fame without wanting or trying to get it.
Read more about “Love of Power and Show” in Imam Ghazzali’s, Ihya Ulum id deen Vol.3. END.
Peace and Blessings be upon Muhammad Salallahu Alayhe Wasallam.
Published by Anjuman e Waris e Mohammedi 2009. Author: Mohammed Hassan Gaffoor (WhatsApp +27849101486)