Empty Fasting, Empty Prayer

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وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

رُبَّ صَائِمٍ لَيْسَ لَهُ مِنْ صَوْمِهِ إِلَّا الْجُوعُ وَالْعَطَشُ وَرُبَّ قَائِمٍ لَيْسَ لَهُ مِنْ قِيَامِهِ إِلَّا السَّهَرُ

'Perhaps a fasting person gains nothing from his fast except hunger and thirst, and perhaps one who prays gains nothing from his prayer except sleeplessness.'

يَعْنِي أَنَّهُ إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالصَّوْمُ لِوَجْهِ اللهِ تَعَالَى فَلَا ثَوَابَ لَهُ

This means that if the prayer and fasting are not done for the sake of Allah, then there is no reward for them.

كَمَا رُوِيَ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ

As it was narrated from him that he said:

مَثَلُ الَّذِي يَعْمَلُ لِلرِّيَاءِ وَالسُّمْعَةِ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِي يَمْلَأُ كِيسَهُ حَصًى

'The example of one who acts for showing off and seeking praise is like the example of one who fills his bag with stones,

ثُمَّ يَدْخُلُ السُّوقَ لِيَشْتَرِيَ بِهِ

then he enters the market to buy with it,

فَإِذَا فَتَحَهُ قُدَّامَ الْبَائِعِ فَإِذَا هُوَ حَصًى

and when he opens it in front of the seller, he finds it is only stones,

فَضُرِبَ بِهِ وَجْهُهُ

so it is thrown at his face,

وَلَا مَنْفَعَةَ لَهُ فِي كِيسِهِ سِوَى مَقَالَةِ النَّاسِ لَهُ

and there is no benefit for him in his bag except the people’s remark:

مَا أَمْلَأَ كِيسَهُ

'How full his bag is!'

وَلَا يُعْطَى بِهِ شَيْئًا

But he is not given anything for it.

فَكَذَلِكَ الَّذِي يَعْمَلُ لِلرِّيَاءِ وَالسُّمْعَةِ فَلَيْسَ لَهُ مِنْ عَمَلِهِ سِوَى مَقَالَةِ النَّاسِ

Similarly, the one who works for showing off and seeking praise has nothing from his action but the people’s remarks,

وَلَا ثَوَابَ لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ

And there is no reward for him in the Hereafter.