النَّوادِرُ Exceptions

17ـ رسولُ اللهِ‏ِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): السِّرُّ أفضَلُ مِن العَلانِيَةِ ، والعلانِيَةُ لِمَن أرادَ الاقتِداءَ .

17– The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'Performing actions in secret is better than performing them publicly, except for the one who wishes to set an example.’[Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 5273]
 

18ـ الإمامُ الباقرُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ـ لمّا سَألَهُ زرارةُ عن الرَّجُلِ يَعمَلُ الشيءَ مِن الخَيرِ فَيَراهُ إنسانٌ فَيَسُرُّهُ ذلكَ ـ: لا بَأسَ ، ما مِن أحدٍ إلّا وهُـو يُحِبُّ أن يَظهَرَ لَهُ في الناسِ الخَيرُ ، إذا لَـم يَكُـن صَنَعَ ذلكَ لذلكَ .

18– 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. Im?m 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.’[al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 297, no. 18]
 

19ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): مَن عَمِلَ حَسَنَةً سِرّاً كُتِبَت لَهُ سِرّاً، فإذا أقَرَّ بها مُحِيَتْ وكُتِبَت جَهراً، فإذا أقَرَّ بها ثانياً مُحِيَت وكُتِبَت رياءً .

19– 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.’[`Auddat al-Da`ai, p. 221]