Nafs and Satan encourage him to make his good deeds apparent in order that his Salahs, recitation, Zikr, charity and donations all become destroyed by him mentioning them and hearing praise about them, resulting in arrogance, love of status and ostentation.

O devotees of the Prophet! We should try to conceal our good deeds as much as possible and not publicise them to others without a need, as making good deeds apparent can cause a decrease in its reward.

Making good deeds apparent can destroy the good deeds and make a person sinful. May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ have mercy on our state, concealing a good deed after performing it is difficult, but not impossible. Remember, there is difficulty in performing good deeds, but the difficulty of concealing a good deed is much harder than performing it at the first place.

Like the Generous Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم stated: ‘No doubt, protecting a good deed from ostentation after having performed it is more difficult than performing the good deed. A person does an act for which such a good deed is written for him which is done in solitude, and the reward is increased for him 70 times. Then Satan continues encouraging a person until he publicises this good deed to the people, so now instead of a concealed act, an apparent act is written for him, and the 70 times surplus reward is erased. Then Satan sticks with the person until he mentions that good deed in front of people for a second time and wants people to spread this too and praise him for it. Then it is removed from being a publicised deed and written as an ostentatious act. Therefore, a person should fear Allah Almighty, protect his Iman, and undoubtedly ostentation is a small form of polytheism (Shirk). (Naykiyan Chupao, p. 22)

Sayyiduna ‘Allamah Abdul-Ghani Nabulusi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه states: ‘When there are Satanic tricks and traps in each of ostentation and sincerity, then it is necessary on you to be vigilant. If you do not know whether you are sincere or a show-off, then it is better for you to hide your good deeds as this has no harm in it for you.’

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                                                            صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد