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What is the way to get rid of excessive thinking about showing off (riyaa'), which leads to stopping the memorization of the Quran and good deeds, and limiting oneself to earning praise from Allah alone?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Fear of riya' (showing off) is commendable because it is a type of shirk (polytheism) and nullifies good deeds. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, feared it for his Ummah. Treating the self with sincerity and holding it accountable for its intentions is desirable. Sahl ibn Abdullah al-Tustari said that sincerity is the hardest thing for the soul. However, the fear of riya' should not lead a Muslim to abandon acts of obedience. Rather, one should strive to correct their intention, continue with good deeds, memorize the Qur'an, and seek reward from Allah, while monitoring the heart and correcting its course when it deviates, and frequently seeking forgiveness.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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