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The Invisible Door of Hell
The purpose of this article is to show you that an “idol” exists which is invisible. It is the idol of status-seeking, before which many people unknowingly bow.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The thing I fear most for you is minor shirk.”
The Companions asked: “O Messenger of Allah! What is minor shirk?”
He ﷺ replied: “Showing off (riya).”
How is riya considered minor shirk?
As Muslims, we know that every action must be solely for Allah; otherwise, that action becomes invalid. Whether it is an act of serving humanity or an act of worship, if the intention is not purely for the pleasure of Allah but instead includes the desire to please others or gain their praise, then such an action is not accepted in the sight of Allah. This is called riya (showing off).
In this era full of trials and temptations, just as many other forms of fitnah are spreading, the fitnah of riya is also growing. Instead of acting with God-consciousness in their affairs, people have become people-conscious.
The greatest evidence of this is found in our wedding customs. Most people believe that these customs are wrong, yet they still continue to follow them out of fear of what others will say.
The same applies to our career choices. Even though we may have religious considerations, we often make decisions based on the approval of society.
Even in religious matters, decisions are sometimes influenced by public opinion. For example, if someone chooses a scholar or group outside their own sect, they may worry about what people around them will say.
This fear and desire to please others is the very form of riya—an invisible idol that is worshipped openly, without people even realizing it. It is a sin of such magnitude that Allah has warned about shirk, saying it is not forgiven if one dies upon it without repentance. And riya is a subtle form of this very shirk.
