Is It Permissible To Seek Fame And Love To Be Prominent In Worldly Matters?
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I want to know the ruling on seeking fame in worldly matters, such as if people
describe you as smart and a genius, or you appear on TV screens, and the like. I
know that the individual will not be rewarded for that, but is this a sin or
shirk, even though it is a worldly matter? Similarly, if I am now famous and my
aim is to become famous among people in this world, can I change my intention
and make my fame purely for the sake of Allah, despite the fact that it was not
like that in the beginning? Can fame be regarded as simply a means of attaining
permissible things, if I use it for worldly purposes that are permissible, and
if I add to it the intention of worship and growing close to Allah, will it be
turned into a righteous deed?
Praise be to Allah
Firstly:
Seeking fame is blameworthy in all circumstances. The believer should be modest
and humble, and he should not like to be pointed out. One of the main factors
that corrupt a person's efforts to reach his Lord is his love of fame and
prominence among people, and love of leadership over them.
At-Tirmidhi (2376) narrated – and classed it as saheeh – that Ka'b ibn Maalik
said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
"Two hungry wolves sent against a flock of sheep cannot cause more damage to
them than a man's eagerness for wealth and prominence causes to his religious
commitment." Also classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami' (5620)
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained that the damage
that eagerness for wealth and prominence causes to one's religious commitment is
no less than the damage that two hungry wolves would cause in a sheep pen, and
this is quite obvious. If there is sound religious commitment, there cannot be
this eagerness, because once the heart tastes the sweetness of servitude to
Allah and love of Him, then there will be nothing dearer to the individual than
that, and he will give it precedence over other things. In that way, Allah
diverts evil deeds and shameful acts from those who are sincere to Allah alone.
End quote from Majmoo' al-Fataawa (10/215)
This love of prominence and fame is one of the hidden diseases of the heart that
may cause great spiritual harm, but people hardly pay attention to it until
after it has gone so far that it is too difficult to fix the problem and rectify
the damage it has caused.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
It is often the case that people may harbour in their hearts subtle desires that
could hinder attainment of love of Allah, servitude to Him and sincere devotion
to Him, as Shaddaad ibn Aws said: O Arabs, the worst thing I fear for you is
showing off and subtle desires. It was said to Abu Dawood as-Sijistani: What are
subtle desires? He said: Love of leadership.
End quote from Majmoo' al-Fataawa (10/214-215)
One of the worst outcomes of love of fame and prominence, and striving for it,
is for a person to seek the praise of people, whether it is deserved or not.
Ahmad (16460) narrated that Mu'aawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I
heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say:
"Beware of praising one another, for it is like slaughter (i.e., fatal)."
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami' (2674)
Al-Mannaawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Praise leads to self-admiration and arrogance, and it is fatal like slaughter,
hence it is likened to it. Al-Ghazaali (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If
someone does you a favour, if he is one of those who like to be thanked and
praised, then do not praise him, because part of fulfilling his rights is that
you should not approve of his wrongdoing, and his seeking thanks is wrongdoing.
Otherwise, you may show him gratitude so that he will continue doing good.
End quote from Fayd al-Qadeer (3/167).
Hence Ibraaheem ibn Adham said: One who loves to be known is not being sincere
to Allah.
End quote from al-'Izlah wa'l-Infiraad (p. 126)
Ibraaheem an-Nakha'i and al-Hasan al-Basri said: It is sufficient trial for a
man to be pointed out with regard to religious or worldly matters, except the
one whom Allah protects.
End quote from az-Zuhd by Ibn as-Sirri (2/442).
Something similar was stated by Ibn al-Muhayreez in Tareekh Dimashq (33/18)
Secondly:
Once we understand this, there can be no doubt that it is safer for a man to
prefer anonymity and be humble towards his Lord, and to refrain from seeking
fame and prominence, even with regard to permissible worldly matters.
Muslim (2965) narrated that 'Aamir ibn Sa'd said: Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqaas was with
his camels when his son 'Umar came to him and when Sa'd saw him he said: I seek
refuge with Allah from the evil of this rider. Then he dismounted and said to
him: You are busy with your camels and sheep and you have left the people
contending with one another for kingship? Sa'd struck him on the chest and said:
Be quiet! I heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) say: "Allah loves the slave who is pious, independent of means and hidden
from the people."
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
"hidden from the people" refers to one who is anonymous and is focused on
worship and taking care of his own affairs. End quote.
Ibn al-Jawzi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
What he meant by hidden from the people is one who is not known, because the one
who is not known is usually safe.
End quote from Kashf al-Mushkil (p. 167)
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The one who is hidden from the people is the one who does not try to be
prominent and known, and he is not interested in becoming prominent before
people or being pointed out, or having people talk about him. You will find him
going from his house to the mosque, and from the mosque to his house, and from
his house to visit his relatives and brothers, keeping a low profile.
End quote from Sharh Riyadh as-Saaliheen (p. 629)
Al-Fudayl ibn 'Iyaad (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If you are able not to be known, then do so. What harm will it do you if you are
not known? What harm will it do you if no one praises you? What harm will it do
you to be blameworthy before people if you are praiseworthy before Allah, may He
be glorified and exalted?
End quote from at-Tawaadu' wa'l-Khumool by Abu Bakr al-Qurashi (p. 43).
Thirdly:
If it so happens that a person seeks to do good deeds, whether they have to do
with religious or worldly matters, then he becomes known as a result of that,
without him seeking it and without him striving for that, then there is no blame
on him for that. Rather what he has to do is to correct his intention when doing
that good deed, and he should not worry about any fame that he attains after
that, if it was not his aim to seek it and he was not longing for it.
Undoubtedly leading figures in both religious and worldly matters will
inevitably attain some level of fame, commensurate with their situation and what
they achieve, and the extent to which people need them. It is not wise, and it
is not prescribed in Islam at all, to stop doing righteous deeds and striving to
spread good among people, whether those deeds are obligatory or mustahabb, for
fear of becoming known or because the one who engages in such endeavours will
inevitably become famous among people.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If the choice is between making oneself stand out and become prominent and
keeping a low profile, then in that case he should choose to keep a low profile.
But if he has no choice but to make himself known, then he must do so, by
spreading his knowledge among the people, setting up lessons and study circles
everywhere, and giving khutbahs on Fridays, on Eid and on other occasions, for
that is something that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, loves.
End quote from Sharh Riyadh as-Saaliheen (p. 629)
Fourthly:
If it so happens that someone attains some degree of fame, either by doing
something that is not Islamically acceptable, such as singing or acting, or by
doing something that is basically permissible, but his intention became somewhat
corrupted and he became motivated by fame, prominence and leadership, then what
he must do is give up what he is doing of haraam things – such as performing
indecent songs and music, or acting, and the like – then whatever fame he has
attained as a result of that, he should try to use it for good. If he thinks
that people look up to him and take him as an example, then let him be a good
example, and spread truth, the Sunnah, beneficial knowledge and righteous deeds.
But he must strive to watch his emotions and correct his intentions, and let his
doing that be sincerely for the sake of his Lord. The fact that people look up
to him is something that has been decreed for him without him seeking it or
striving for it, or paying any attention to it, or loving that people think
highly of him, or paying attention to what they say about him. Rather he should
strive to make all of that for the sake of his Lord; he should fix his intention
and not be heedless. Sufyaan ath-Thawri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: I
never dealt with anything more difficult to deal with than my intention; it
keeps changing on me.
See also the answer to question no. 145767.
And Allah knows best.
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