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Text and translation
English translation
2384. Abū Hurairah narrated that a man said: "O Messenger of Allāh! A man does a deed and conceals it, but when it is
discovered that he did it, he is happy about that.” He said: “The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: ‘He receives two rewards: A reward in its concealment, and a reward in its publicity.’” (Da'if)
[Abū 'Eisā said:] This Hadīth is [Hasan] Gharīb. It has been reported from Al-A'mash and others, from Ḥabīb bin Abī Thābit, from Abī Sāliḥ from the Prophet ﷺ in Mursal form. The companions of Al-A'mash did not mention: “From Abū Hurairah” in it.
[Abū 'Eisā said:] Some of the people of knowledge explained this Hadīth saying: (The words) ‘when it is discovered from him and he is happy with it,’ it only means that he was happy with the people praising him for the good he did, according to the saying of the Prophet ﷺ: “You are the witnesses for Allāh on the earth.” So him being happy with the people praising him is for this reason [if he hopes the people would praise him for it]. As for when he is happy that the people learn of something good about him, and honor and exalt him for that, then this is Riyā'. Some of the people of knowledge said: When it is discovered that he did it, and he is happy with that and hopes that his action would be acted upon, then he will receive the same rewards as their rewards. This view (of interpretation) is also followed.
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Commentary
The Hadīth confirms that if a man does a virtuous act secretly and does it solely for the pleasure of Allāh, and if it pleases Allāh to make it known to the people (without the man's yearning for it which of course pleases the man as well), then this happiness is not of the category of Riyā' and hypocrisy; it is rather an instant reward from Allāh.
