Be Like Dawud

*Be Like Dawud*
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بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

There was a righteous predecessors who concealed his fasting without even his family knowing about it. Yes. Ibn Abi Adi said that Dawud bin Abi Hind fasted for forty years without his family knowing. He used to take his lunch with him from home. He would give it away as charity on the way, and then return home in the evening to break his fast with his family.

My people!

This emphasises that when you perform a good deed, it does not need to be revealed unless necessary.

On the above subject, the Prophet ﷺ informed us about three whom Allah, the Exalted, loves:

*"A man who came to some people and asked them for the sake of Allah, and he did not ask them due to any relationship between him and them, but they refused him. Then one of them gave him secretly so that only Allah and the one whom he gave knew about it. And a group who traveled all night until sleep became more beloved to them than anything equal to it, then they stopped and placed their heads down, but one of them stood up and prayed to Me and recited My verses....."*. 📚[Ahmad 21355

Also, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

*"Good deeds protect one from bad endings, secret charity extinguishes the anger of the Lord, and maintaining family ties increases lifespan"*. [Reported by At-Tabarani in Al-Awsat (943) and authenticated by Al-Albani in Sahih Al-Jami’ 3797].

My people!

The righteous predecessors went to great lengths to conceal their good deeds:

(1) Muhammad bin Wasi’ said that there were men who would stand in prayer, and their tears would run down their cheeks, and the person besides them wouldn’t even notice it.

(2) Al-Hasan Al-Basri said that a man would sit in a gathering, and when tears would come to him, he would hold them back. If he feared they might overcome him, he would stand up.

(3) Abdul Rahman bin Abi Layla used to pray, and if he saw signs of someone entering, he would lie down on his bed and start again when the person left.

(4) Hassan bin Abi Sinan used to attend Malik bin Dinar’s mosque, and when Malik spoke, Hassan would cry until the area before him became wet, but no sound was heard from him.

But,

If you find yourself in a masjid or place where FISSABILILLAHI is collected, seeing you dropping something is not revealing of charity, since you didn't display the amount for people to see. In fact, you gain double rewards, since many people are only motivated (positive jealousy) when they see others giving.

Allah Almighty says:

إِنْ تُبْدُوا الصَّدَقَاتِ فَنِعِمَّا هِيَ وَإِنْ تُخْفُوهَا وَتُؤْتُوهَا الْفُقَرَاءَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ-الْبَقَرَةِ 271

*"If you disclose your charitable expenditures, they are good; but if you conceal them and give them to the poor, it is better for you"*. 📚Al-Baqarah (2) 271

Therefore, all of us should have some acts of obedience are doing REGULARLY, that only Allah knows about.