Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and companions.
Brothers and sisters, today’s khutbah is about a very important topic, which is the disease of Riya’. Riya’ is a disease that affects the heart and soul of a Muslim, and it can have serious consequences if left unchecked. In this khutbah, I will talk about what Riya’ is, how it affects us, and what we can do to cure ourselves of this disease.
What is Riya’?
Riya’ is the act of showing off or seeking attention from others in order to gain praise or admiration. It is a form of hypocrisy, as the person is not doing the act for the sake of Allah, but rather for the sake of others. Riya’ can manifest itself in many ways, such as performing acts of worship in public to show off, or giving charity to gain recognition.
Riya’ is a subtle disease that can affect anyone, regardless of their level of knowledge or piety. It is a disease of the heart, and it can lead to spiritual destruction if left unchecked.
How does Riya’ affect us?
Riya’ can have several negative effects on our spiritual well-being. Firstly, it can lead to a lack of sincerity in our acts of worship. If we are performing acts of worship solely for the purpose of gaining praise from others, then we are not doing it for the sake of Allah. This can lead to a lack of sincerity in our intentions, and our acts of worship become meaningless.
Secondly, Riya’ can lead to arrogance and pride. If we are constantly seeking attention and praise from others, then we may become arrogant and think that we are better than others. This can lead to a sense of entitlement and a lack of humility, which is a dangerous trait for a believer to have.
Finally, Riya’ can lead to a lack of reward for our acts of worship. If we are doing acts of worship solely for the purpose of gaining praise from others, then we are not doing it for the sake of Allah. This means that we may not receive any reward for our actions, as they were not done with the correct intention.
How can we cure ourselves of Riya’?
The cure for Riya’ is to strive for sincerity in our acts of worship. We should always remind ourselves that we are doing these acts of worship for the sake of Allah, and not for the sake of others. We should seek Allah’s pleasure and reward, and not the praise and admiration of others.
One of the ways to achieve sincerity is to perform acts of worship in private. If we are alone, there is no one to impress or show off to, and we can focus solely on pleasing Allah.
Another way to achieve sincerity is to constantly remind ourselves of the purpose of our acts of worship. We should remind ourselves that we are doing these acts of worship to seek Allah’s pleasure and reward, and not for any other reason.
Finally, we should make dua to Allah to cure us of Riya’. We should ask Allah to purify our hearts and make our intentions sincere.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Riya’ is a dangerous disease that can affect anyone. It is a disease of the heart, and it can lead to spiritual destruction if left unchecked. The cure for Riya’ is to strive for sincerity in our acts of worship, and to constantly remind ourselves of the purpose of our actions. We should make dua to Allah to cure us of Riya’, and to purify our hearts and intentions. May Allah protect us from this disease, and grant us sincerity in our acts of worship. Ameen.
