7 Ways To Avoid Riya's Nature According To Islamic Teachings

Illustration of avoiding riya (Freepic)

YOGYAKARTA - Riya or arrogant is one of the despicable attitudes that must be avoided. In Islam, a Muslim is taught not to do anything riya. This property is very dangerous because it can damage sincerity in worship, and can even abort the charity reward that has been done. So how to avoid riya?

Allah SW needs to obey in Surah Al-Bayyinah verse 5 that all forms of worship must be done " sincerely because of Allah alone". This means that every practice that is inserted with intention other than because of Allah, such as Riya, becomes in vain by His side.

Riya not only reduces the value of worship, but can also be a form of small entertainment (syrik asghar). Because in it the nature of riya is contained in the element of associating Allah with creatures. Therefore, it is important for every Muslim to understand how to avoid riya in order to become a good moral person.

Here are some ways you can do to avoid riya or arrogant nature:

The most important step in avoiding riya is to straighten out my intention before doing a charity. A Muslim should ask himself, "Who am I doing this for?"

If the answer is to get the pleasure of Allah, then that intention is already on the right path. But if there is the slightest urge to show off or get praise from humans, immediately ask for forgiveness and straighten out your intentions again.

The Prophet SAW said, "In fact, charity depends on his intention, and in fact everyone will get according to what he suggests." (HR. Bukhari and Muslim). This hadith is a reminder of how important the intention is in assessing an act.

Another effective way to avoid riya is to do good deeds secretly, without being noticed by others. For example, giving alms without anyone knowing, praying tahajjud in the middle of the night without showing off, or reading the Qur'an in silence.

Charity that is carried out in a hidden manner will be more maintained because there is no encouragement to seek recognition from others. It is like a hidden charity such as water that waters the roots of trees, although not visible, but instead becomes a source of true strength.

One of the causes of the emergence of riya is the desire to get praise and recognition from others. Even though human praise does not always show the true quality of ourselves. It can even be a separate test.

Therefore, instill in the heart that human praise is pseudo and temporary, while God's judgment is the most important. When the heart starts to feel proud because it gets praise, it's best to immediately study and imagine that there is not a single charity that we can do without God's help.

Muhasabah or self-introspection is very important to identify whether our intentions have mixed with riya. Every night before bed, try asking yourself:

"Did I act today because of Allah or because I wanted to be praised by people?" With this power, we become more alert to the whispers of riya that might infiltrate without realizing it.

There are times when we want to tell the worship or alms that we do, either because we want to motivate or just share. However, if it is not accompanied by sincerity and the right goal, this action can actually trap in riya or ujub (proud to yourself).

If you really want to set an example, make sure that it is done with humility and not to show off yourself.

The Prophet SAW himself taught that we always ask Allah to be kept away from Riya. In one of his prayers, he taught:

"O Allah, I actually take refuge in You from supporting You with something I know, and I ask You for forgiveness for what I don't know." (HR. Ahmad)

Requesting sincerity in every charity is a form of tawadhu and awareness that we are weak servants, who always need guidance from Him.

A good environment greatly affects a person's attitudes and character. By hanging out with pious people, it is easier for us to maintain our intentions and continue to be reminded not to be trapped in the Riya. Sincere people will usually be a reflection for us in being humble and not seeking the popularity of the world.

Those are some ways to avoid riya that can be applied by a Muslim. Hopefully we are all a group of people who are sincere and kept away from the nature of riya which can damage charity. Also read hadiths about morals.

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