(288) Chapter: Prohibition of Show-off

`Abdullah bin `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) said:
Some people told me, "We visit our rulers and we tell them things contrary to those which we say when we depart from them."

`Abdullah bin `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) replied: "In the era of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) we considered this to be an act of hypocrisy."


[Al-Bukhari].

Commentary: This Hadith has already been mentioned (Hadith No. 1542) with a variation of wording in the other version. In any case, we learn from this Hadith that flattering the rulers, falsely praising them and telling lies before them to win their pleasure constitute hypocrisy, which is a great offence. Such hypocrisy prevents them from knowing the true state of affairs. What sincerity and well-wishing demand is that the real state of affairs is placed before them so that they come to know the true condition of their subjects.