DEVELOP THIS HABIT

 

DEVELOP THIS HABIT ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

THE BEAUTY OF SECRET GOOD DEEDS

Dear servants of ALLAH Azzawajal,

One beautiful habit every Muslim should strive to develop is concealing righteous deeds whenever possible, seeking only the pleasure of ALLAH Azzawajal.

Zubayr ibn al-Awwam (رضي الله عنه), one of the ten Companions promised Paradise, was among the noble Companions whose lives remind us of the importance of sincerity and devotion to ALLAH.

On this subject, the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whoever among you can have hidden deeds of righteousness, let him do so.”

📚 Reported by al-Khatib in Tārīkh Baghdād (11/263); authenticated by al-Albani in al-Silsilah al-Sahihah (2313).

WHY SHOULD WE CONCEAL OUR GOOD DEEDS?

Servants of ALLAH, not every act of worship needs to be announced or displayed before people. Some of the most valuable deeds are those performed privately, when nobody is watching and no human praise is expected.

A secret act of charity, a voluntary prayer in the depths of the night, a private fast, sincere repentance or tears shed out of fear of ALLAH can become a means of drawing closer to our Lord.

The Messenger of ALLAH ﷺ also said:

“Good deeds protect one from bad endings, secret charity extinguishes the anger of the Lord, and maintaining family ties increases lifespan.”

📚 Reported by al-Tabarani in al-Awsat (943); authenticated by al-Albani in Sahih al-Jami‘ (3797).

THREE PEOPLE WHOSE DEEDS ARE DEAR TO ALLAH

In a narration reported by Imam Ahmad, the Prophet ﷺ described three people whose actions demonstrate remarkable sincerity:

🌿 A person who gives charity secretly, so that only ALLAH and the recipient know about it.

🌿 A person who rises to pray and recite the verses of ALLAH when others have surrendered to sleep.

🌿 A person who remains steadfast in battle when others retreat, continuing until victory or martyrdom.

📚 Musnad Ahmad (21355); graded Sahih by Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ut.

These examples remind us that sincerity is not measured by how many people witness our deeds, but by the devotion with which we seek the pleasure of ALLAH Azzawajal.

THE BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLES OF OUR RIGHTEOUS PREDECESSORS

The righteous predecessors took great care to conceal their acts of worship, humility and tears.

Some would weep during prayer without allowing those beside them to notice. Others would turn away when overcome by emotion, fearing that their tears might become a source of attention or admiration.

Their concern was not to impress people, but to protect the sincerity of their hearts.

Consider the example of Dawud ibn Abi Hind. It is reported that he fasted for forty years without his family knowing. He would take food from home, give it away as charity along the way, and return in the evening to break his fast with his family.

What remarkable devotion!

While we should be careful not to assume that every historical report is equally authentic, these accounts offer a powerful reminder of how seriously the righteous treated sincerity.

MY DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, LISTEN CAREFULLY.

Do you have a good deed that nobody knows about?

Do you have a voluntary prayer that you perform when everyone is asleep?

Do you give charity without announcing it?

Do you remember ALLAH in private, repent sincerely when you fall into sin, or make heartfelt du‘a for others without telling them?

DEVELOP THIS HABIT.

✅ Give charity secretly whenever appropriate.

✅ Perform voluntary prayers when you are alone.

✅ Keep some acts of worship between yourself and ALLAH.

✅ Repent privately and sincerely whenever you sin.

✅ Avoid displaying good deeds merely to gain admiration or praise.

✅ Renew your intention regularly and ask ALLAH to protect your heart from showing off (riyā’).

Remember, however, that public good deeds are not necessarily wrong. Teaching others, encouraging charity and serving as a good example can also be beneficial when done sincerely. The important thing is to seek the pleasure of ALLAH rather than the praise of people.

ALLAH Azzawajal knows every deed, every intention and every tear, even those nobody else ever sees.

May ALLAH make us sincere in our worship, protect us from showing off, accept our hidden and public good deeds, and grant us a beautiful ending.

آمِين يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ

O ALLAH, make our private lives better than our public lives, and make our endings better than our beginnings.

Aameen, Ya Rabbal Aalameen!