Hadith 28: Imam Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan ibn Fūrak – may Allah have mercy on him – informed us: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Jaʿfar informed us: Yūnus ibn Ḥabīb narrated to us: Abū Dāwūd al-Ṭayālisī narrated to us: ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd ibn Bahrām narrated to us on the authority of Shahr ibn Ḥawshab, on the authority of Shaddād ibn Aws who said: I heard the Prophet – may Allah bless him and his family – say: “Whoever prays to show off has associated partners with Allah. Whoever fasts to show off has associated partners with Allah. Whoever gives in charity to show off has associated partners with Allah.” ʿAwf ibn Mālik said: “Wouldn’t Allah simply attend to what was intended for Him of that [deed] and accept it, and disregard what was besides that?” Shaddād responded: I heard the Messenger of Allah – may Allah bless him and his family – say: “Allah, the Blessed and Exalted said: ‘I am the best partner or associate. Whoever associates with Me, then his action, be it little or much, is for My ‘partner’ and I am free from him.’”
Hadith 29: Abū ʾl-Ḥوسayn ʿAlī ibn Aḥmad al-Ahwāzī – may Allah have mercy on him – informed us: Aḥmad ibn ʿUbayد al-Baṣrī informed us: ʿUbayd ibn Sharīk narrated to us: Ibn Abī Maryam narrated to us: Ibn Abī Ziyād narrated to us: ʿAmr ibn Abī ʿAmr narrated to me on the authority of ʿĀṣim ibn ʿUmar ibn Qatāda, on the authority of Maḥmūd ibn Labīd that the Messenger of Allah – may Allah bless him and grant him peace – said: “Indeed, what I fear most for you is the lesser polytheism.” It was said: “And what is the lesser polytheism?” He responded: “Ostentation. Indeed, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, will say on the Day He requites his servants for their actions: ‘Go to those for whom you acted ostentatiously in the world. Then look! Do you find with them any rewards or any [modicum] of good?’”