The personality (shakhsiyyah) of every human being is composed of the mentality ('aqliyyah) and disposition (nafsiyyah). His physical characteristics and all other aspects have no bearing on his personality - these are only superficialities. It would be pointless for anyone to think that such aspects have any relevance or bearing upon the composition of the human personality.

The mentality ('aqliyyah) is the tool used for understanding things; meaning it is the mode for passing judgement on reality according to a specific standard which man believes in and trusts. If his understanding of things in terms of passing judgement upon them is based on the 'Islamic 'Aqeedah, then he has an Islamic mentality, if not he has a mentality other than the Islamic mentality.

The behavioural disposition (nafsiyyah) is the method for satisfying man's instincts and organic needs i.e. the manner in which they are satisfied according to a standard which man believes in and trusts. When the satisfaction is based on the Islamic 'Aqeedah then he has an Islamic disposition, if not he has a disposition other than the Islamic behavioural disposition. If a person has one standard for the mentality and behavioural disposition, then his personality
becomes distinctive and regulated. If the Islamic 'Aqeedah was the basis of his mentality and behavioural disposition, his personality would be Islamic. If not, then his personality would be something else.

Therefore, it is not enough that only his mentality is Islamic where he is able to judge things and actions correctly according to the rules of the Sharee'ah, where he can deduce rules, know the Halaal and Haraam and have maturity in thinking and awareness. So he is able to speak and in a strong and influential manner and give sound analysis of events. This on its own is not enough, for he must also have an Islamic disposition where he satisfies his instincts and organic needs on the basis of Islam. He prays, fasts, purifies himself and makes Hajj, engages in the Halaal and avoids the Haraam. He endeavours to be, as Allah wants him to be, drawing closer to Him (swt) through the obligations He has imposed and is eager to do the Nawaafil (supererogatory acts of devotion) so as to draw even closer to Him (swt). He adopts true and sincere stances towards events, where he enjoins the good and forbids the evil, he loves for Allah's sake and hates for Allah's sake and deals with people with a good and upright character.

Similarly, it is not enough just to have an Islamic disposition, without having as well an Islamic mentality. Worshipping Allah in ignorance can cause man to deviate from the straight path. So he might fast on a day in which it is prohibited to fast, pray when it is Makrooh. He might say 'Laa Hawla Walaa Quwwata illa billah' when he sees someone committing a Munkar instead of accounting him and forbidding him from engaging in such an evil action. He might deal with usury but then give it in charity claiming he is drawing close to Allah while being swamped in his sins. In other words, he is doing a bad action while he thinks he is doing something good. So he would satisfy his instincts and organic needs contrary to the way Allah and His Messenger ordered. The personality will not be complete unless the mentality is Islamic; so he will have knowledge of the rules that are binding upon him and will aim to increase his knowledge of the Sharee'ah disciplines as much as he can. At the same time he should have an Islamic behavioural disposition where he adheres to the rules of the Sharee'ah and not just knows them. He must apply these rules in all issues whether it is in respect to his Creator, himself or others, and in the manner in which Allah loves and approves.

When he is able to control his mentality and disposition according to Islam, then one can say he has an Islamic personality that drives its way amongst the throng towards the goodness fearing none but Allah. However, this does not mean that there will not be any lapses. Such lapses will not affect the personality as long as they are the exception and not the norm. This is because man is not an angel; he makes mistakes, seeks forgiveness, repents and he also does what is correct and praises Allah for His Grace, Mercy and Guidance.

The more a Muslim increases in his Islamic culture to develop his mentality, and the more he increases the performance of the recommended actions to strengthen his disposition the more he will proceed towards the sublime ascent. Not only will he become firm on this ascent but also he will continue to be elevated even higher and higher. This is when he controls his life in the proper manner and attains the Akhirah by striving for it as a believer.

Showing off (riyaa') and making others hear of one's religious devotion (tasmee'):

Riyaa' is when one intends to gain the people's pleasure when drawing close to Allah. It is from the action of the heart and not the actions of the tongue or the limbs. Its reality is that it is the intention behind the speech or action. So in the case of riyaa' instead of the action being for the sake of Allah, it is done for the sake of people. So the speech or action i.e. drawing closeness to Allah is not riyaa' but it is its object. Riyaa' is the pure intention and not the aim, since the aim is the approval of the people. If the intention is shared between Allah and the people then this act of drawing close to Allah is haraam. The severest form of this is when it is purely for the sake of the people and not Allah. Riyaa' is restricted to drawing close (to people) since without it an act could not be considered riyaa' such as a sale contract in front of the people or adorning oneself with clothes (that are permitted) and the like. As for restricting the definition to seeking the people's pleasure, this is for excluding other intentions, such as seeking the benefits in Hajj.

One can draw close to Allah in the worships ('ibadaat) or many other things. So the one who prolongs his prostration so that people can see him is showing off. The one who engages in Jihad so that the people can see him is showing off. The one who writes an article so that people will say he is a scholar is showing off. The one who gives a lecture to impress the people is showing off. The one who gives khutbah so as to say he is a orator is showing off. The one who wears rags so that people will say he is a holy man is showing off. The one who grows his beard long and tucks up his garment so that people say he follows the sunnah is showing off. The one who always eats lentils so that the people will say he is an ascetic is showing off. The one who invites thousands so that people will say he is generous is showing off. The one who bows his head when walking so that people say he is God fearing is showing off. The one who carries a small copy of the Qur'an and cares for people to see it and thus approve it is showing off. We live in an age where there is no shame in showing off; rather the great majority is ignorant of its reality and its rules. The proof that we live in an age where there is no shame in riyaa' is the appearance of qalaanis al burood, which the Messenger (saw) informed about them.'Az-Zubaydi and Safi in al-Kanz, al-Hakeem at-Tirmizi in an-Nawaadir and Abu Nu'aym in al-Hilyah reported a hadith on the authority of Anas (ra) who said the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: ''At the end of the time there will the worms of (Qur'an) reciters. So whoever lived at that time let him seek refuge by Allah from the cursed shaytan (ash-shaytan ar-rajeem) and from them, and they are the most evil smelling. Then there will appear al-qalaanis ul-burood (hoods of the outer garments), and at that time there will be no shame of the showing off (riyaa'). The one who holds to his deen during that period will be like the one who holds his hand on a live coal, and the one who holds to his deen will have the reward of fifty men who act as he does. They asked: will they be like fifty of them or us? He said: They are rather fifty of you.''

Qalaanis is the plural of qulunsuwah (hood), and burood is the plural of burd (outer garment). This is an indication of the clergy (men) who are distinct by the qalaanis and burood, regardless of the person that wears the qulunsuwah and the burd. The account the people give for this form of dress came as sign of
lack of shyness regarding the riyaa'.

As for tasmee' it means to talk to people about one's closeness to Allah to get their pleasure. The difference between riyaa' and tasmee' is that riyaa' accompanies the action, but as for tasmee' it comes after. i.e. after the action, riyaa' is not discovered by anyone except Allah and there is no way for people to verify it. Even the one doing riyaa' is not aware of it unless he is sincere. An-Nawawi in al- Majmoo' narrated from ash-Shafi'i that he said: riyaa' is not noticed by anyone except the one who is sincere.' And sincerity (ikhlas) requires suffering and struggling with the soul and none can have the strength to do this except the one who has forsaken the world. Tasmee' can be for an act of devotion performed in secret such as praying at night and then talking to people about it or it can be an act of devotion done publicly and then one talks about it with people in another place, but all of that was for the purpose of gaining the pleasure of people. 

Riyaa and tasmee' are undisputedly haraam. The evidences for this are many:  He (swt) said: 

''Those who do good deeds only to be seen (of men).''[ Ma'un:6]  He (swt) said: 

''So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the  worship of his Lord.''[ Kahf:101] 

The saying of the Prophet (saw) in the hadith of Jandab reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim:
''If anyone works to make people hear him Allah will make people hear him and if anybody works so that people will see him Allah will make people see him (i.e. he will only achieve that which he wanted but not achieve any reward from Allah).''

The hadith of Ibn 'Abbas (ra) reported by Muslim on the authority of the Messenger of Allah

''If anyone works to make people hear him Allah will make people hear him and if anybody shows off so that people will see him Allah will make people see him (i.e. he will only achieve that which he wanted but not achieve any reward from Allah).''
The hadith of Abu Hurayrah (ra) reported by Muslim and an-Nasaa'i. Abu Hurayrah (ra) says: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say:

''The first person to be judged on the Day of Resurrection will be a man who was martyred. He will be brought forth and Allah (swt) will remind him of His blessings, and he will recognise them. Then he will be asked, ''What did you do with them?'' He will say, ''I fought for Your sake until I was martyred.'' Allah (swt) will say, ''You have lied. You only fought so that people would say, 'He is courageous,' and they did say it.'' Then He will order that he be dragged on his face and thrown into the Fire. Then there will be a man who studied much and taught others, and recited Qur'an. He will be brought forth and Allah (swt) will remind him of His blessings, and he will recognise them. Then he will be asked, ''What did you do with them?'' He will say, ''I studied much, and taught others, and recited Qur'an for Your sake. Allah (swt) will say, ''You have lied. You studied so that people would say, 'He is a scholar,' and you recited Qur'an so that they would say, 'He is a qari',' and they did say it.'' Then He will order that he be dragged on his face and thrown into the Fire. Then there will be a man to whom Allah (swt) gave all types of wealth in abundance. He will be brought forth and Allah (swt) will remind him of His blessings and he will recognise them. Then he will be asked, ''What did you do with them?'' He will say, ''I have never seen any way in which You would like money to be spent for Your sake without spending it.'' Allah (swt) will say, ''You have lied. You did that so people would say, 'he is generous,' and they did say it.'' Then He will order that he be dragged on his face and thrown into the Fire.''

 A Hadith of Abu Hind ad-Daari reported by al-Bayhaqi, at-Tabraani, Ahmed. The following version is from the latter. Abu Hind ad-Daari narrates that he heard the Prophet (saw) say:

''The one who assumed a posture of showing off and personal standing then Allah will make people see him and hear him (i.e. he will only achieve that which he wanted but not achieve any reward from Allah).''

A Hadith of 'Abd Allah b. (ra) reported by at-Tabaraani and al-Bayhaqi that he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say:

''O people, fear Shirk for it is more hidden than the creeping of an ant.' Those whom Allah wished asked, 'And how do we avoid it when it is more hidden than the creeping of an ant, O Messenger of Allah?' He replied, 'Say: Allahumma Innaa na'oodhu bika an nushrika bika shay'an na'lamuh, wa nastaghfiruka limaa laa na'lamuh (O Allah, we seek refuge in you from associating with You anything we know and we ask your forgiveness for that which we do not know about).''

Tasmee' is not like riyaa' in terms of its nullification of the action though both are haraam. The tasmee' can either be an action which is mixed with riyaa', so this action is invalid before tasmee'. Tasmee' only increases its sin but does not effect its invalidation. Or the action was done purely for Allah's sake so it is correct and good. However, the one who engages in tasmee' after this will be sinful. This sin is like the sin for which one can seek forgiveness and repent. Allah might forgive him before his death, or hide it on the day of Judgment or it is placed on his Mizaan (balance) and thus reduces his good deeds. However, this will not invalidate the action that was done sincerely for Allah's sake. The evidence regarding tasmee' only indicate its prohibition and do not indicate invalidation of the action like riyaa'. Riyaa' is shirk, Allah (swt) will ignore the action done out of riyaa' to the one he associated with Allah and He will say to the one who does riyaa', ask for your reward from the partner (you associated with me). i.e. the action done out of riyaa' will be as if it is non-existent, while the action done sincerely for Allah's sake and the tasmee' was made, such an action exists and will be rewarded but the person will be sinful for tasmee'. The words that came in the ahadith: 'Allah will make it be heard', 'He will make all His creatures hear it', 'He will make it be heard before all the creatures', they indicate of punishment based on tasmee', but do not indicate the invalidity of the action, as it came in riyaa'. Tasmee' is not compared with riyaa' in terms of invalidating the action. This is because the action mixed with riyaa' is considered as if it did not take place, so it is invalid. However, the action performed purely for the sake of Allah, followed by tasmee' is considered to have took place rightfully. Thus, seeking closeness that took place properly is not measured with that which took place wrongly.

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