Question
Is this a Hadith?
“Complete piety is doing good deeds secretly like you do openly”
Answer
Yes. Imam Tabarani (rahimahullah) has recorded the following narration:
Sayyiduna Abu Malik Al Ash’ari (radiyallahu ‘anhu) said: “I said, O Rasulullah! What Is regarded to be complete/perfect piety?” Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, ‘That you carry out [good] deeds secretly like you carry them out publicly.’”
(Al Mu’jamul Kabir, Hadith: 3420 and Hadith: 800, volume 22 on the authority of Abu ‘Amir As Sakuni radiyallahu ‘anhu)
The narration is weak, but suitable to quote for such topics, as is the rule with narrations of this nature.
(Majma’uz Zawaid, vol. 10 pg. 290)
If a person’s actions are totally contradictory in public and private, then this is a sign of hypocrisy.
Only doing good deeds publicly, is a sign of one being a show off.
(Refer: At Taysir, vol. 1 pg. 456 and Faydul Qadir, Hadith: 3360)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar