concealed as much as possible. However, sometimes there is permission to make them public with good intentions. For example, if someone is a leader of people, people love him and look up to him and follow him in good acts, then it is not only permissible, but better for such a person to make his good deeds apparent.

Sayyiduna Abdullah Ibn-e-Umar رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُما has narrated: ‘The Prophet of mercy صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated, ‘Concealed worship is better than open worship, but the one who is followed by people, his open worship is better than his concealed worship.’ (Shu’ab-ul-Iman, vol. 5, p. 376, Hadees 7012)

It is also permissible to make one’s good acts public in order to avoid ill assumptions of people and their false allegations. As it is stated in Tafseer Ruh-ul-Bayan: ‘If a good deed is from the category of Fard (obligatory), then it is from the rights of the Fard that it be announced and publicised. The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated: ‘One should not conceal the obligatory (Fard) acts of Allah Almighty.’ (Al-Nihayah, vol. 3, p. 348)

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                                                            صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Dear Islamic brothers, if one finds within himself a quality or is able to carry out a good deed, then he should be grateful to Allah Almighty, for it was He who bestowed him with the quality and ability to perform the good deed.

Then after having performed the good deed, one should have an element of fear in him, pondering ‘has this act of mine even been accepted in the court of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ? What is the point of showing or informing others of the good deed when one is unaware of the acceptance of it? If the good deed has been accepted, then Allah Almighty, Who will bestow reward for it, is Knowing of it.’

Therefore, one should avoid mentioning his qualities and good deeds from his own mouth in order to make himself appear pure. The prohibition of this has been mentioned in the Glorious Quran:

فَلَا تُزَكُّوْۤا اَنْفُسَكُمْؕ-هُوَ اَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اتَّقٰى۠(۳۲)