Imagine praying and suddenly noticing that someone is watching you.
You become more careful, you make your prayer look better, you recite more beautifully then the person leaves and something inside you changes.
You may wonder: “Why did I behave differently when they were watching?”
This is one of the dangers of riya—doing acts of worship or good deeds to be seen, praised or admired by people.
WHAT IS RIYA?
Riya is when a person performs an act of worship or obedience with the intention of gaining people’s approval or admiration.
Islam places great importance on sincerity.
Allah does not simply look at what we do.
Our intentions matter.
The Prophet (SAW) taught: “Actions are only by intentions.” Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim
This means that two people can perform the same action outwardly, while their intentions are completely different.
One may be seeking Allah’s pleasure.
Another may be seeking people’s praise.
The action may look identical to people, but Allah knows what is inside the heart.
SOCIAL MEDIA CAN MAKE THIS HARDER
For young Muslims today, sincerity can be challenging because so much of life happens publicly.
You can post your Qur’an recitation.
You can post yourself praying.
You can show your charity.
You can share Islamic reminders.
You can post your Umrah or Hajj journey.
None of these things are automatically wrong.
But we need to regularly check our intentions.
Ask yourself:
“Would I still do this if nobody could like it?”
“Would I still worship Allah if nobody praised me?”
“Would I still give if nobody knew I gave?”
These questions can help us examine our hearts.
DON’T LET THE FEAR OF RIYA STOP YOU FROM DOING GOOD
There is another important point.
Sometimes a person becomes so afraid of riya that they stop doing good altogether.
They think:
“What if people think I’m showing off?”
“Maybe I shouldn’t post this reminder.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t give charity where people can see me.”
But the answer is not to abandon good deeds.
The answer is to work on your intention.
If you genuinely want to do something good for Allah, do it.
And continue asking Allah to purify your heart.
KEEP SOME DEEDS PRIVATE
One of the best ways to protect sincerity is to have deeds that nobody knows about.
A secret prayer, a private charity, a quiet act of service, a dua made for someone and moment of crying before Allah.
These private acts remind your heart that worship is ultimately about your relationship with Allah—not your reputation.
WHAT IF YOU ALREADY STRUGGLE WITH RIYA?
Don’t give up.
The fact that you are worried about the state of your heart can itself be a reason to take your sincerity seriously.
Before an act, renew your intention.
During the act, focus on Allah.
After the act, don’t become obsessed with whether people noticed.
And keep asking Allah for sincerity.
Remember that the goal isn’t to become someone who never has a passing thought about people’s opinions.
The goal is to keep bringing your heart back to Allah.
HEART CHECK
Ask yourself: “If nobody could see my worship, would I still worship Allah the same way?” Let that question humble you.
Because the greatest audience you could ever have is not thousands of people online. It is Allah and when Allah is pleased with you, you don’t need the applause of anyone else.
3SIXTYISLAM
At 3SixtyIslam, we believe Islamic knowledge should reach every generation. From Hajj and Umrah guidance to practical Islamic lessons for everyday life, our goal is to help Muslims learn, grow and strengthen their connection with Islam.
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