The Evil of Ostentation and Love of Rank
Volume 3: Things That Destroy
This document analyzes the destructive effects of worldly ambition for rank, the craving for fame, and the disease of riyā (ostentation) that infiltrates acts of worship upon the individual's spiritual life. Prepared on the basis of the source text, this study comprehensively addresses the nature of riyā as defined as "hidden polytheism," why the soul is inclined toward these weaknesses, and the ways of being delivered from these spiritual maladies. The central argument is that true perfection lies only in knowledge and freedom (deliverance from the soul's bondage), while wealth, rank, and fame are merely temporary, illusory forms of superiority.
Summary
This document analyzes the destructive effects of worldly ambition for rank, the craving for fame, and the disease of riyā (ostentation) that infiltrates acts of worship upon the individual's spiritual life.
Sections
1. The Nature of *Riyā* and the Concept of "Hidden Polytheism"
Riyā is performing acts of worship not for God's pleasure, but in order to gain a place in people's hearts, receive praise, or obtain some worldly benefit. Defined in the source as "more hidden than the track of a black ant on a black stone on a dark night," this condition poses danger in the following respects:
- Nullification of Deeds: Deeds containing even an atom's weight of riyā are not accepted by God.
- Spiritual Self-Deception: While the person considers himself a sincere worshipper, his deeds may in fact have been burned up and his name written on the list of "hypocrites."
- Mockery (Istihzā): The ostentatious person's standing before God while in reality awaiting people's approval is described as mocking the Creator.
2. The Virtue of Fame and Anonymity
The foundation of worldly rank is the spread of name and fame. The source text presents "anonymity" and "being unknown" as virtues against the dangers fame brings in its wake.
- The Harms of Fame: It corrupts the heart's sincerity, compels one into artificial behavior, and turns "being pointed at with the finger" into an evil.
- The Superiority of Being Unknown: The rank of those "strange" servants—disheveled in hair and beard, in tattered clothes, yet whose prayers are instantly accepted by God—is exalted. To be known among the people of heaven is more valuable than remaining hidden among the people of earth.
3. The Psychological Roots of Love of Rank (*Cah*)
The human being's love of rank and status is stronger than love of wealth. The reasons for this are as follows:
- Seeking Security: Wealth can be stolen or seized, but the place won in people's hearts (rank) is a more secure and unstealable "treasure."
- Effortless Increase: Once rank and fame spread, they increase of themselves without the person's effort.
- Desire for Lordship (Rubūbiyya): By nature the soul loves perfection and domination (ruling). Influencing hearts gives a kind of "lordship" (rubūbiyya) pleasure, which is one of the soul's deepest and most hidden desires.
4. The Distinction Between True and Illusory Perfection
The source text divides the forms of superiority people pursue into two:
| Type of Perfection | Characteristics | Outcome | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | True Perfection | Knowledge and freedom (deliverance from lusts). | It is not destroyed by death; it becomes light in the Hereafter. | | Illusory Perfection | Wealth, rank, and worldly status. | It ends with death; it is merely a worldly ornament. |
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1. Intellectual (*ʿIlmī*) Transformation
- Consciousness of Transience: One should reflect that fame and rank end with death, and that fifty years later neither the praiser nor the praised will remain.
- Analysis of Harm: One should grasp that riyā burns deeds and causes God's displeasure, whereas people's praise neither increases provision nor delays the appointed term of death.
- Changing One's Perspective: One should accept that striving to gain a place in people's hearts is as baseless as "building a structure upon sea waves."
2. Practical (*ʿAmalī*) Applications
- Concealing Acts of Worship: The soul must be trained to conceal good deeds just as it conceals sins. Care should be taken for secrecy "until there is no difference between people's seeing and an animal's seeing."
- Preferring Solitude: In the face of the danger of fame, migrating to an unknown place or withdrawing into seclusion is presented as a method of treatment.
- Struggle with the Soul: A four-stage defense should be applied against Satan's whispers of riyā:
1. Denying Satan. 2. Not wasting time struggling with him. 3. Focusing on worship despite the whisper. 4. Increasing good and sincerity in order to anger Satan.
3. Measure in Social Relations
- The Permissible Limit: The minimum rank required for living among people (the respect in a servant's or friend's heart) should be regarded like the need for a toilet; it should be kept only to the extent of necessity and should not itself be made the goal.
- Fleeing Praise: When someone praises one, one should prevent the soul from taking this pleasure for true perfection; one should remember that the quality exists by God's grace and because it covers sins.
Key concepts
- Riyā (Ostentation)
- Performing acts of worship and good deeds not for God's pleasure but in order to gain a place in people's hearts or collect praise. In the text, *riyā* is defined as "hidden polytheism."
- Cah (Love of Rank/Status)
- The desire to establish a throne in people's hearts, to rule over them, and to win their reverence. It is stronger and more dangerous than love of wealth.
- The Soul's Stratagem
- Even if the soul abandons coarse lusts (eating, drinking, sexuality), it substitutes the pleasure of being praised and gaining reputation for those lusts. This turns worship into a "hidden lust."
- Hidden Polytheism
- The type of *riyā* that is more hidden than the track of a black ant on a black stone on a dark night.
- Illusory Perfection
- A temporary sense of perfection unrelated to the person's true competence, such as wealth and status, which perishes with death.
- True Perfection
- Knowledge (gnosis of God) and freedom that deliver the soul from the bondage of lusts and endure after death.
- Sūma
- Performing or publicizing a deed so that people may hear of it and approve.
- Malāmatiyya
- The path of those who deliberately lower their standing in people's eyes and conceal their asceticism in order to preserve sincerity.
- The Attribute of Lordship
- The desire to dominate, subjugate, and be alone, arising from the spirit's being a lordly command (the vein of Pharaoh in the human being).
- The Sincere Ones (*Siddīqs*)
- The true servants who abandon love of leadership (*riyāsat*) last of all in their souls and are delivered from stratagems only by God's grace.
Study questions
Why is *riyā* called "hidden polytheism," and why is the black ant simile used?
Riyā is polytheism because it means associating another with God in worship. The black ant simile is used because riyā is extremely difficult even for the most brilliant scholars and most devout worshippers to detect; it is one of the soul's deepest and most hidden stratagems.
Why is love of rank (*cah*) superior to and more dangerous than love of wealth?
According to the text, there are three main reasons: 1. Obtaining wealth through rank is easier than obtaining rank through wealth. 2. Wealth is exposed to external dangers such as theft and natural disaster, whereas rank in hearts is a safer storehouse. 3. Rank (fame) spreads and increases of itself without effort; wealth increases only through work.
What are the three main signs of the ostentatious person according to ʿAlī?
1. He grows lazy in worship when alone. 2. He is active when among people. 3. When praised he increases his worship; when criticized he reduces it.
What is the difference between true perfection and illusory perfection?
True perfection is gnosis of God (maʿrifa) and freedom of the soul; it turns into light after death and endures. Illusory perfection is wealth, rank, and outward beauty—temporary worldly ornaments swept away by the wind of death.
In what situation is it permissible to manifest one's worship openly?
If a person aims to be an example to others (numūna-i imtisāl) and his heart is entirely free of the stain of riyā, performing worship openly may be more meritorious. However, this applies only to the siddīqs whose hearts are very strong.