Expecting praises of people when wearing nice clothes

Q: A person likes to wear smart and matching clothes, e.g. kurta, jacket, socks and shoes. At the same time he desires that people should praise him because of his clothes and gets happy when people say that you are  looking very smart today. Hence when dressing he always has this in mind that I should wear nice clothes so people can praise me. How can a person remove this spiritual malady from his heart and life? 

A: Merely feeling happy that one is seen in a presentable state is not a sin. However, if one is boastful over one's condition and one wants to show off with what good one possesses, looking down at others who do not possess what one has, then this is showing off and having pride which is not permissible.

The remedy and cure for such a spiritual ailment is that one should think about death. One should think that at the time of death one will be stripped of all the clothing and luxuries of the world and be placed in the grave where one's body will decompose. Similarly, one should ponder over the punishment in jahannum for people who have such evil traits.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

 

Answered by:

Mufti Zakaria Makada

Checked & Approved:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)