بسم الله الرحمٰن الرحيم
🪢 DISPLAYING ACTS OF WORSHIP AS MOTIVATION 🪢
Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymīn (d. 1421 AH), may Allah have mercy on him, was asked:
> “This is a message from your sister in Islam from Ḥuraymilāʾ, initials A.J.S. She says: ‘If a person performs some voluntary acts of worship such as Duha prayer, night prayer, or other acts of devotion, and tries to be seen by the household — not out of showing off, but in hopes that they will imitate or follow their example — and thereby become a role model for them, is this permissible?’”
He replied, may Allah have mercy on him:
> The fundamental principle in a person's relationship with their Lord and their worship of Him is that it should be secret between the person and their Lord, for the person only worships Allah in hope of His reward and to be saved from His punishment. This does not require being seen by others, as people cannot grant him anything of that — except in what is prescribed by the Shariah, such as praying for one another, for instance.
This is the foundation concerning acts of worship. However, at times, displaying an act of worship may be something legislated and encouraged due to the benefits that result from it. Consider, for example, the prayer — which is the most honorable of bodily acts of worship — it is prescribed that it be performed in congregation at the mosques, publicly and openly, due to the great benefits resulting from its public declaration and the gathering for it in mosques.
For this reason, when this benefit is outweighed by something more beneficial, then not praying in the mosque becomes preferable. For instance, women are not prescribed to pray in congregation at the mosque, although they are permitted to attend the congregational prayer with the men. As for men, the obligation for them to perform congregational prayer in the mosque is clear, because the benefit of showing the congregation in the mosque for men is offset by the legislative guidance for women to remain at home and not appear publicly, and so their homes are better for them.
Therefore, we say that what is legislated for women is not to attend the congregational prayer with the men, except for the Eid prayer specifically. For the Prophet ﷺ commanded the women to go out [for the Eid prayer], to the extent that he (ﷺ) instructed even the young girls and secluded women to witness the good and the supplication of the Muslims, and ordered the menstruating women to keep away from the prayer area.
So, the basic principle in worship is that it be secret between the person and their Lord — for He is the one who will reward them for it and punish for their disobedience.
However, if there is a benefit in displaying the act of worship, then that benefit should be considered. Based on this principle, the answer to the question from the woman about whether it is better to conceal voluntary worship from her family in her home or to display it — not out of showing off or seeking reputation, but so that her family may follow her example — becomes clear.
We say: Showing the voluntary worship in such a case, with that intention, is better than concealing it, because people inspire each other. If a woman sees that displaying her voluntary prayer, Qur’an recitation, charity, or similar acts results in others imitating her, then in such a case, displaying it is better — and the same applies to men.
For this reason, Allah ﷻ praised those who spend in charity both secretly and openly, and the praise was not limited to those who give in secret. This is because sometimes secrecy is more appropriate, and sometimes public giving is more appropriate — depending on the benefit that results.
In conclusion: If a woman displays her voluntary acts of worship such as prayer, Qur’an recitation, fasting, or charity with the intention that her household members may follow her example, then there is nothing wrong with that — rather, it is something good.
📚 Fatāwā Nūr ʿalā ad-Darb – Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymīn, vol. 24/2
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