Why hide?

[Ameeratul Layl]

I was reading through a thread and came across this statement:

Hide your good deeds as you would hide your bad deeds insha' Allah!

I don't mean to sound as though what has been stated is wrong but I just wanted to ask. What is wrong with stating your good deeds?

I understand, that if you give zakah or do something good for someone, you should not boast about it. But, people mentioned (in this particular thread), that they prayed regularly.What is wrong in saying that? One is extremely happy to pray 5 times a day to Allah. Is that not something one should be proud of?

Sometimes when I hear that someone prays five times a day, it makes me feel closer to them as I believe they are closer to Allah. At times, it also makes me feel ashamed when I have missed my salah for possibly, something petty and I should go and pray. My point being, someone pointing out a good deed can also remind another of their actions.

Hide your good deeds as you would hide your bad deeds insha' Allah!

Furthermore, a good deed is nothing like a bad deed. Someone kindly explain the statement. I'm confused.

[Ghazi]

It's beacuse things are done soley for the sake of allah, if someone starts to brag or expose his good deeds then pride and arrogence might get in the way and change one's intention from being for allah to doing it to be seen by man.

[Ameeratul Layl]

salam,

Praying is something everyone should be glad of being able to do. There are people out there that do not know of the deen and can't pray, therefore, can't get close to Allah.

wasalam

[Sahabiyaat]

i can give you a really good example of why we should hide our good deeds

i'm not sure of the story word to word but it goes something like this ....

there was once a man who was very pious and did many good deeds but did not boast about them.so shaytaan tried to make him boast about his deeds but did not succeed. the man continued to do good deeds without anyone knowing.

this man used to fast all the time (MasahaAllah) and once he was in a long line of ppl waiting to get food so that he could open his fast and shaytaan came in the form of a man and tried to push into the line and made a commotion about how hungry he was and how he wanted food immediately
he made so much commotion that the pious man finally lost his patience and shouted i have been fasting for such and such a period of time and i am not making as much trouble as you are!...then Shaytaan revelaed himself and the man realised what he had just done (i.e revealed his good deeds)


cant give you a source as i either read it or was told by someone a long time ago.

but it demonstrates in a way that revealing your deeds may sway your good intentions..i.e you may begin to do good deeds and narrate them to people beacuse you enjoy the praise rather than doing the action solely for the sake of Allah.

[Ameeratul Layl]

salam,

Nice story, but how about salah as one of the good deeds? It is something that puts a grin on your face when you have completed it. Me telling someone else I have prayed and that person hasn't may lift the veil (as they possibly hoping to abandon salah) and may place a spiritual uplifting grin on their face.

I'm confused but maybe I am thinkng too in depth about the statement.

wasalam