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Fatwa CenterDoing good deeds to be praised is forbidden
Question
Can a muslim/ Organisation propagate what good Events or programs he/ it have done. Does it spoils Ikhlaas of the Deed. Does expecting a greeting for doing a good thing is prohibited in Islam?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
Concealing good deeds as much as possible is more appropriate than showing them, because it is closer to sincerity and further from ostentation.
However, making a good deed seen is commendable if there is a prevalent benefit in doing so. Ibn Hajar 
said in his commentary on the Hadeeth "Whoever does a good deed to be seen, Allaah will expose him by it": “The Hadeeth is evidence that it is desirable to hide good deeds. However, it may be recommended for someone who is followed (i.e. other people follow his example) to make good deeds seen if he intends to be followed by it; and that should be done in proportion with the need. Ibn ‘Abd As-Salaam said: "There is an exception to the desirability of hiding a good deed for the one who shows the good deed so that people follow his example or benefit from it, such as writing books of knowledge.” [End of quote]
Accordingly, announcing charity programs and activities carried out by organizations or individuals is recommended so that other people follow their example and the benefit spreads and in order to create competition among people in doing good, but with the condition of having a sincere intention in doing the deed for the Sake of Allaah, as we have already mentioned.
It is forbidden for a Muslim to do a good deed hoping to be praised by the people, because it consists in ostentation, which conflicts with sincerity.
This issue resembles the issue of people praising a person for performing a good deed and him experiencing joy from the praise; this issue may confuse some people, so we have clarified it in Fatwa 279892.
Allaah Knows best.
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