788 - النَّوادِرُ

788. MISCELLANEOUS

2481.رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله : السِّرُّ أفضَلُ مِن العَلانِيَةِ، والعلانِيَةُ لِمَن أرادَ الاقتِداءَ .¹

2481.The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Performing actions in secret is better than performing them publicly, except for the one who wishes to set an example.' ²

2482.الإمامُ الباقرُ عليه السلام - لمّا سَألَهُ زرارةُ عن الرَّجُلِ يَعمَلُ الشي‏ءَ مِن الخَيرِ فَيَراهُ إنسانٌ فَيَسُرُّهُ ذلكَ - : لا بَأسَ ، ما مِن أحدٍ إلّا وهُو يُحِبُّ أن يَظهَرَ لَهُ في الناسِ الخَيرُ ، إذا لَم يَكُن صَنَعَ ذلكَ لذلكَ .³

2482. Imam al-Baqir (AS) was once asked by his companion Zurara, about a man who performs a good deed which people happen to see, and which he feels good about as a result. Imam replied, 'It does not matter as long as he did not [originally] perform the action for that purpose. Everyone naturally wants people to see them as good.' ⁴

2483.الإمامُ الصّادقُ عليه السلام : مَن عَمِلَ حَسَنَةً سِرّاً كُتِبَت لَهُ سِرّاً ، فإذا أقَرَّ بها مُحِيَتْ وكُتِبَت جَهراً ، فإذا أقَرَّ بها ثانياً مُحِيَت وكُتِبَت رياءً .⁵

2483.Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, 'The deed of one who performs it in secret is recorded down as a secret action. If he admits to having performed it [when asked], the previous record is erased and it is recorded instead as a public action. If he subsequently avers it himself, however, the previous record is erased and it is recorded instead as showing off.' ⁶