The Fourth Type: Ostentation (al-Mubāhā)
It is, specially, a type of showing-off. It is defined as: when a human does his best to show some manners which cause him to be honoured amongst the people. He only does this to gain honour, like the ostentation of the sessions of teaching and the abundant of their scholars. It is also to take extreme care of it wherever he thinks that people are looking at him in order to gain high rank in their hearts. It is also to be proud of this high rank to acquire a purpose which is related to the life of this world.
The Fifth Type: Ostentation in Abundance
It is a type of ostentation, and it is in regards to the material things. It is being proud of the abundance of money, children, tribe, and followers. There is no dispute in considering this forbidden. From ostentation is the commitment of refining the statements in the sessions and the rarest cases, intending to collect high prestige. However, if he intended by his fluent speech, to influence the souls of people by it, and to make them understand well the complete meaning of his sayings while not intending that people praise his style, then one shall not be blamed. It is because the people may speak about the good meaning itself not praise the one who says it.
It may be good for the unknown scholar to take care of showing his knowledge by speaking about the mysterious cases in the session, as well as show people his style of teaching so that
the people know him and to head for him so that he can avail them with his knowledge. This is considered allowed as he enjoins the good. He prevents people from the forbidden underestimation and put him in a less grade than it deserves, as it is some kind of forbidding the bad.
Imam ‘Izzad-dīn, peace be upon him, said: “The danger in something similar to this is great.” The ones who know regarding this are too few of the most precise major sins. Satan may confuse the human and make him believe that he does this because of the good praised motivation. But in fact, it is for the bad and hateful one because of maliciousness of natures and the ambition of the instincts for the honour. Therefore, it is a religious obligation to be careful of the deception.
A type of ostentation in abundance is arrogance because of the parents, grandfathers and the relatives who was honoured because of mundane affairs. But if they were honoured because of religious affairs, then there will be no blame. It includes exalting of the marker of religion.
Another type of ostentation in abundance is building too high buildings and making too much ornamentation more than the necessary, intending to brag on people who cannot do the same.
As you know showing-off and its types, then know that there are signs of a hypocrite desiring to be seen, that every human should never forget even for one second or one instance, so that you can be safe from the ideas of showing-off, if it is Allah's will.
The Appointee [i.e. Imam ‘Ali], peace be upon him, said: ((There are three signs of a hypocrite desiring to be seen: he neglects when working secretly, and he turns into an active person when he is surrounded by people, and he increases the work when people praise him and decreases the work when people criticize him)).
Regarding the cure for this disease is that you accustom yourself to being content and to fight greed and omit the estimation of yourself, so that you avoid glorifying it and giving it a high rank. The accursed Satan will never give up struggling with you but he opposes you at every second and in every instant, by providing you with the ideas of showing-off. He will never stop whispering to you. Therefore, be careful from his plots and his faults.
