6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from ‘Umar ibn Yazid who has said the following:

“Once I was having dinner with Abu ‘Abdillah and he read this verse of the Holy Quran: ‘In fact, people are well-aware of their own soul (75:14) even though they make excuses.’ (75:15) The Imam said, ‘O abu Hafs, why should a human being seek closeness (by the form of the deed) to Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, while it is against the knowledge of Allah (in one’s intention being to show off)? The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Whoever does a deed secretly, Allah returns it in a certain dress, as good rewards, were it a good deed, and in an evil form, were it an evil deed.’”