THE BEAUTY OF PRIVATE DEEDS

 

FAJR REMINDER: THE BEAUTY OF PRIVATE DEEDS

Rabī‘ al-Akhir 26, 1448 (8 October 2026)

What if my good deeds are recognized or witnessed by others? This is not necessarily a problem if your intention is solely for the sake of Allāh. Allāh (ﷻ) says:

“If you disclose your Ṣadaqāt (almsgiving), it is well; but if you conceal them and give them to the poor, that is better for you. And He will remove from you some of your sins. And Allāh is All-Aware of what you do.”
[Sūrah al-Baqarah (2): 271]

Take note of the words: “But if you conceal them and give them to the poor, that is better for you.”

A true sign of sincerity is the ability to perform good deeds without seeking recognition, praise, or admiration from people. The sincere servant finds contentment in knowing that the One for whom the deed was performed is fully aware of it.

Allāh describes the righteous (al-Abrār) who feed the needy, the orphan, and the captive, saying that they intend:

“We feed you only for the Countenance of Allāh. We wish not from you reward or thanks.”
[Sūrah al-Insān (76): 9]

Thus, not every good deed needs to be visible, praised, or acknowledged by others. Some of life's most valuable deeds may remain unknown to people: a secret charity, a prayer performed while others sleep, a tear shed out of fear of Allāh, or a sin abandoned when no one is watching.

The crucial question is not whether people witness the deed, but whether Allāh accepts it.

Allāh's Knowledge encompasses everything. While people see only what we reveal, Allāh knows what is hidden in our hearts and what we do when we are alone. This awareness should lead us to prioritize the sincerity of our deeds rather than seek admiration from others. Allāh (ﷻ) says:

“He knows what is in the heavens and earth, and He knows what you conceal and what you reveal. And Allāh is Knowing of that within the breasts.”
[Sūrah al-Taghābun (64): 4]

There are also deeds whose true beauty lies in their secrecy. When you worship Allāh without an audience, give without recognition, weep without witnesses, or abandon a sin solely out of fear of your Lord, you are cultivating a relationship with Allāh that does not depend upon external validation.

Abū Hurayrah (Raḍiyallāhu ‘Anhu) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned among the seven whom Allāh will shade under His Shade on the Day when there will be no shade but His:

“A man who remembers Allāh in solitude and his eyes become tearful”; “a man who gives charity and conceals it to such an extent that the left hand does not know what the right hand has given”; and “a man who is invited by a woman of status and beauty, but he says, ‘I fear Allāh.’”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 660; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1031]

One cries secretly for Allāh, another gives charity secretly, while the third privately renounces sin for the sake of Allāh. None of them needs public acknowledgment, because Allāh is their Witness.

Therefore, ask yourself today:

Do I have deeds that exist solely between Allāh and me?

A charity known only to Him?
A passage of Qur’ān recited quietly?
A sin resisted time and again?
A private supplication?
Moments of Dhikr performed without anyone noticing?
A tear shed in remembrance of Allāh?

These hidden acts may be unknown to the world, but they are never unknown to Allāh.

Establish a relationship with Allāh that thrives even when no one else is watching. Worship Him in private as you do in public. Fear Him when you face the temptation to sin unseen. Remember Him when no one else is listening. Perform good deeds even in solitude.

For one day, we will stand individually before Allāh. On that Day, you may discover that the secret deeds you thought went unnoticed were among the very deeds that illuminated your path.

I beseech Allāh (ﷻ) to purify our intentions, accept our hidden deeds, forgive our private sins, and make our secret lives more pleasing to Him than our public lives.

Āmīn.