Surah Al Maun Tafseer

Those who do good deeds only to be seen,

Imam Ahmad recorded from Amr bin Murrah that he said,

"We were sitting with Abu Ubaydah when the people mentioned showing-off. A man known as Abu Yazid said, "I heard `Abdullah bin `Amr saying that the Messenger of Allah said,

مَنْ سَمَّعَ النَّاسَ بِعَمَلِهِ سَمَّعَ اللهُ بِهِ سَامِعَ خَلْقِهِ وَحَقَّرَهُ وَصَغَّرَه

Whoever tries to make the people hear of his deed, Allah, the One Who hears His creation, will hear it and make him despised and degraded."

from what is related to his statement,

الَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَاءُونَ

(Those who do good deeds only to be seen), is that whoever does a deed solely for Allah, but the people come to know about it, and he is pleased with that, then this is not considered showing off.

Allah said:

وَيَمْنَعُونَ الْمَاعُونَ