Answered by Shaykh Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
I did good deeds from a young age, gaining me immense praises. I was carried away by the praises. I started fasting in the month of Ramaḍān for more praises. At the end, I realized that this was shirk (associating partners with Allāh). Now, I repented by doing the ṣalāt-al-tawbah (prayer for repentance). After my repentance, will my good deeds, from pre-shirk, remain, or will they be gone?
Answer:
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of Allāh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Jazāk Allāh Khayr/ Thank you for contacting Mathābah Institute.
Any act, worship or service done exclusively for Allāh will be accepted. Your actions before the minor shirk you refer to, are accepted in-shā Allāh.
Regarding your question about minor shirk, kindly know that an action or practice done to please other than Allāh is not accepted. If the deed would not have been done in the case people would not know or see, then there is no acceptance neither reward. If the action was started for the sake of Allāh, but the action was lengthened or improved to show off in the midst of the act, then the portion of the ostentation will be void of reward, however the act will be deemed complete. You have repented now and committed to do all acts of worship and service for the Almighty, therefore, you are in-shā Allāh forgiven for your past and there is nothing to worry about. Focus on the present and the future. – (See: Rad Al-Muḥtār, Vol 2, Page 123, Dār Al-Fikr[1])
“Whoever fasted, prayed or gave charity to show others, has committed [some] shirk.” – (Ṭabrānī 6994)[2]
Only Allāh knows best.
[1] وَكَذَا لَوْ صَلَّى مُرَائِيًا لَكِنَّ الرِّيَاءَ تَارَةً يَكُونُ فِي أَصْلِ الْعِبَادَةِ وَتَارَةً يَكُونُ فِي وَصْفِهَا وَالْأَوَّلُ هُوَ الرِّيَاءُ الْكَامِلُ الْمُحِيطُ لِلثَّوَابِ مِنْ أَصْلِهِ كَمَا إذَا صَلَّى لِأَجْلِ النَّاسِ وَلَوْلَا هُمْ مَا صَلَّى، وَأَمَّا لَوْ عَرَضَ لَهُ ذَلِكَ فِي أَثْنَائِهَا فَهُوَ لَغْوٌ، لِأَنَّهُ لَمْ يُصَلِّ لِأَجْلِهِمْ بَلْ صَلَاتُهُ كَانَتْ خَالِصَةً لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى، وَالْجُزْءُ الَّذِي عَرَضَ لَهُ فِيهِ الرِّيَاءُ بَعْضُ تِلْكَ الصَّلَاةِ الْخَالِصَةِ. نَعَمْ إنْ زَادَ فِي تَحْسِينِهَا بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ رَجَعَ إلَى الْقِسْمِ الثَّانِي، فَيَسْقُطُ ثَوَابُ التَّحْسِينِ بِدَلِيلِ مَا رُوِيَ عَنْ الْإِمَامِ فِيمَنْ أَطَالَ الرُّكُوعَ لِإِدْرَاكِ الْجَائِي لَا لِلْقُرْبَةِ حَيْثُ قَالَ أَخَافُ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرًا عَظِيمًا أَيْ الشِّرْكَ الْخَفِيَّ كَمَا قَالَهُ بَعْضُ الْمُحَقِّقِينَ قَالَ فِي التَّتَارْخَانِيَّة لَوْ افْتَتَحَ خَالِصًا لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى، ثُمَّ دَخَلَ فِي قَلْبِهِ الرِّيَاءُ فَهُوَ عَلَى مَا افْتَتَحَ وَالرِّيَاءُ أَنَّهُ لَوْ خَلَا عَنْ النَّاسِ لَا يُصَلِّي، وَلَوْ كَانَ مَعَ النَّاسِ يُصَلِّي فَأَمَّا إنْ كَانَ مَعَ النَّاسِ يُحْسِنُهَا وَلَوْ صَلَّى وَحْدَهُ لَا يُحْسِنُ فَلَهُ ثَوَابُ أَصْلِ الصَّلَاةِ دُونَ الْإِحْسَانِ – كتاب الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار ج٦/ ص٤٢٥ دار الفكر
[2] مَن صامَ يُرائي فقد أشركَ ومَنْ صلَّى يُرائِي فقد أشرَكَ ومَنْ تصدَّق يُرائي فقَد أشركَ – اخرجه الطبراني ٦٩٩٤