Not Doing Recommended Acts Is Not Hypocrisy

7-6-2021 | IslamWeb

Question:

Does someone fall into minor hypocrisy if they do things they told others not to do even if they are common things such as don’t litter or brush ur teeth for a good amount of time and so on but they go on littering and not doing proper dental hygiene. I hope you can be very specific because I have ocd and can’t be relieved from general answers.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

The command to do what is desirable like using the Siwaak, and what is in its meaning, such as the use of a tooth brush, and similar acts, like keeping the road clean, and so on, are good deeds for which the doer will be rewarded. If one does not do these acts, he is not considered a hypocrite if he abandons what he is commanded to do and which he did not do, because these are desirable actions that are not obligatory. He is rewarded if he does them or guides people to do them, and he misses the reward if he does not do them or does not guide people to do them, but he is not sinful for not doing them.

You should strive against whispers and endeavor to get rid of them, for being carried away with them leads to a great evil.

Allah knows best.