Can I Record My Masjid Volunteer Work in Applications without Falling into Showing Off (Riyāʾ)?
Question: I volunteer at my local masjid, alhamdulillah, but I am worried about my intention. I want to include this volunteer work in my application hours and mention it in my university and scholarship applications. Would this be considered showing off (riyāʾ), or doing an action for other than the sake of Allah?
Summary:
5. Summary • Sincerity in serving the masjid is what matters most. • It is permissible to mention your volunteer work in applications, as long as your original intent was not the worldly gain. • Riyāʾ is doing deeds for the sake of people, not benefiting after doing them for Allah. • Benefiting after doing a sincere act does not cancel your reward.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, all praise is due to Allah, and may Peace and Blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)
1. The Principle of Intention (Niyyah)
Sincerity (ikhlāṣ) is a condition for the validity and acceptance of any deed. Allah says:
From the Qur'an:
- Surah Al-Bayyinah 5
And they were not commanded except to worship Alläh, [being] sincere to Him in religion
And the Prophet ﷺ said:
From the Sunnah:
- Sahih al-Bukhari 1'Umar bin Al-Khattab رضي الله عنه
“The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended.”
Whoever intends the Face of Allah with his action, the deed is valid and accepted, even if some worldly benefit follows it, as long as that benefit is not the original motive.
2. Combining Two Intentions • If your primary intent is to seek Allah’s Face and serve His House (the masjid), and then afterward you include your volunteer work in your résumé or university application, this does not harm your sincerity. The worldly benefit is secondary, not primary. • However, if your main goal from the beginning was only to gain recognition, approval, or scholarships, without seeking Allah’s pleasure, then this is the blameworthy riyāʾ (showing off).
From the Qur'an:
- Surah Hud 15
Whoever desires ˹only˺ this worldly life and its luxuries, We will pay them in full for their deeds in this life—nothing will be left out.
From the Qur'an:
- Surah Hud 16
It is they who will have nothing in the Hereafter except the Fire. Their efforts in this life will be fruitless and their deeds will be useless.
3. Sayings of the Salaf
From the Salaf:
- al-Fuḍayl ibn ʿIyāḍ رحمه الله
“Leaving off a deed for the sake of people is showing off, and doing a deed for the sake of people is shirk. Sincerity is that Allah protects you from both.” (Madrāj al-Sālikīn 2/91)
From the Salaf:
- Sufyān al-Thawrī رحمه الله
“I have never dealt with anything harder upon me than my own intention. It keeps changing on me.”
4. Applying This to Your Case 1. If your initial motive was to serve the masjid and seek Allah’s pleasure, and then you added this work under your community hours to benefit in your application — this is permissible and not riyāʾ. This is combining a permissible worldly benefit with a sincere worship, and the correct opinion is that you are rewarded for your sincere intent. 2. But if your intention from the beginning was only for scholarship or praise, not for Allah, then your deed is not for His sake. 3. The test is to ask yourself: “If there were no scholarship or university application, would I still be doing this work purely for Allah?” If your answer is yes, then you are upon good.
From the Sunnah:
- Sunan an-Nasa'i 3140Abu 'Umamah Al-Bahili رضي الله عنه
'Allah does not accept any deed, except that which is purely for Him, and seeking His Face.'"
From the Sunnah:
- Sahih Muslim 2986Abdullah Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه
If anyone wants to have his deeds widely publicised, Allah will publicise (his humiliation). And if anyone makes a hypocritical display (of his deeds) Allah will make a display of him.
And Allah knows best.
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