Worship along with showing off is not only useless, but it also causes troubles. The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: The person who adorns himself with good deeds for the sake of the people, the reality of which is something different in the knowledge of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, then Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ removes him away from His court. (Jami’-ul-Ahadees, vol. 7, pp. 169, Hadees 21660)

Furthermore, it is stated in a blessed Hadees about a person who performs a good deed just to show off, and not for the pleasure of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ: On the Day of Judgement, the show-off will be told: Go to that person, for whom you used to perform the deed, to get your reward.

(Ithaf-us-Sadat-il-Muttaqeen, vol. 10, pp. 73)

Nevertheless, we should also perform a good deed according to our ability before making Du’a. It was the manner of many pious saints that they used to offer two Rak’aat Nafl before making Du’a.

Salvation from a cruel ruler

When the nephew of Safwan Bin Muhriz was imprisoned by Ibn-e-Ziyad, the cruel ruler of that time, he was very worried and requested the rich and the influential people of Basra for the release of his nephew, but could not succeed. Ibn-e-Ziyad turned down the request of everyone. Safwan Bin Muhriz spent the night in a very terrible state. In the last part of the night, he suddenly felt sleepy; someone said to him in a dream: O Safwan Bin Muhriz! Get up and ask for your need. Having seen this dream his eyes opened. His body started trembling due to a strange fear. He performed Wudu and offered two Rak’aat Salah and then whilst weeping he started making Du’a in the court of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. While he was busy making Du’a, Ibn-e-Ziyad was in his home suffering from restlessness and pain. He ordered his soldiers to take him to the nephew of Safwan Bin Muhriz. The soldiers immediately accompanied Ibn-e-Ziyad and the cruel ruler started headed towards the jail. Having reached there he ordered the soldiers to open the doors of the jail and said loudly: Immediately release the nephew of Safwan Bin Muhriz, due to him I have spent the whole night growing restless. Having heard this, the soldiers immediately released the nephew of Safwan Bin Muhriz and brought him