Thirdly, a person should not perform so many acts of optional worship that he has no time to fulfil the rights of his family members.

Rasulullaah SalAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam established a brotherly relationship between Salmaan RadhiAllaahu Anhu and  Dardaa RadhiAllaahu Anhu.

[One day], Salmaan RadhiAllaahu Anhu went to visit Abu Dardaa RadhiAllaahu Anhu and saw Umm Dardaa  RadhiAllaahu Anha in shabby clothes. (Note: This was before the laws of hijab were revealed.)
He asked her, ‘What is this?’
She replied, ‘Your brother, Abu Dardaa, has no inclination to this world.’
Abu Dardaa then came, prepared food for Salmaan and said to him, ‘You may eat, but I am fasting.’
Salmaan RadhiAllaahu Anhu said, ‘I am not going to eat unless you join me.’
So he also ate with him. When night came, Abu Dardaa RadhiAllaahu Anhu went to stand up [for salaah].
Salmaan RadhiAllaahu Anhu said to him, ‘Go to sleep.’
So he went and slept. [After some time], he got up [to offer salaah].
Salmaan RadhiAllaahu Anhu said to him, ‘Go to sleep.’
When it was the last portion of the night, Salmaan RadhiAllaahu Anhu said to him, ‘You may get up now.’
They both then offered salaah together. Salmaan RadhiAllaahu Anhu said to him, ‘Your Sustainer has a right over you, your soul has a right over you, and your family has a right over you. You should therefore give everyone their due right.’
He then went to Rasulullaah SalAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam and related all that transpired to him. Rasulullaah SalAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam remarked, “Salmaan is correct.””
(Bukhaari no. 1968)

Fourthly, a person should be very careful when doing a righteous action. Many times, the qualities of ostentation, vanity, love for name and fame, etc. penetrate these actions, destroying them.  

The author of Hikam, Shaikh Iskandari ibn Ataa Rahimahullaah said, “Many sins which create humility and meekness are better than acts of worship which create pride and arrogance.”

There are two types of sin: One is baahi (sins of lust). Generally, a person feels sorrowful after engaging in these type of sins. The other sin is jaahi (pride, arrogance, vanity). The ability to repent from this sin is taken away, as happened to Iblees.

Therefore remember the following when performing any righteous action:

a. A person has to perform every action only for Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo.

Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo states, “He who hopes to meet his Sustainer should perform righteous deeds and should not take anyone as partners in the worship of his Sustainer.” (Kahf verse 110)

Rasulullaah SalAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam said, “Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo said, ‘I am most independent of the polytheism of the polytheists. Whoever does a deed having included someone else with Me, I leave him and his partner.’”
(Muslim no. 2985)

When Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo will gather the people on the Day of Judgement, the Day in which there is no doubt, a caller will proclaim, “Whoever has taken anyone as a partner in an action which he was supposed to have done for Allaah’s pleasure, then let him seek his reward from those besides Allaah, because Allaah is the most independent of partners.”
(Tirmidhi no. 3154, Ibn Majah no.4203) 

Abu Hurayrah RadhiAllaahu Anhu narrates that he heard Rasulullaah SalAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam saying, “The first person on whom judgement will be passed on the day of Resurrection will be a martyr. He will be brought forward, and he will be reminded of Allaah’s favours, which he will acknowledge.
Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo will then ask him, “What deeds did you do in return for those favours?”
He will reply, “I fought for Your cause till I was martyred.”
Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo will say, “You are a liar. Rather, you fought so that people may say, ‘He is very brave.’ And people said this.”
Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo will then issue the order that he be dragged on his face until he is thrown into the Hell-fire.”

“Next, a person who acquired knowledge, conveyed it to others, and recited the Quraan, will be brought forward. He will be reminded of Allaah’s favours, which he will acknowledge.
Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo will then ask him, “What deeds did you do in return for those favours?”
He will reply, “I acquired knowledge, conveyed it to others, and recited the Quraan for You.”
Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo will say, “You are a liar. Rather, you studied so that people may say, ‘He is a scholar.’
And you recited the Quraan so that people may say, ‘He is a great reciter.’ And people said this.” Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo will then issue the order that he be dragged on his face until he is thrown into the Hell-fire.”

“Next, a person whom Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo blessed with abundant wealth and various types of properties will be brought forward. He will be reminded of Allaah’s favours which he will acknowledge.
Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo will then ask him, “What deeds did you do in return for those favours?”
He will reply, “I spent wealth for Your sake, in every avenue which You desired that I spend wealth.”
Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo will say, “You are a liar. Rather, you spent it so that people may say, ‘He is very generous.’ And people said this.”
Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo will then issue the order that he be dragged on his face until he is thrown into the Hell-fire.”
(Muslim no. 1905, Mustadrak of Haakim vol. 1 page 107) 

“What I fear most for my people is taking partners with Allaah. I do not say that they will worship the sun, moon or idols. I am speaking of actions done for those besides Allaah and hidden desires.”
(Ibn Majah no 4205)

This subject matter is corroborated by the following statement of Sahl ibn Abdillah Tustari Rahimahullaah:

All of people are destroyed except the learned. All the learned ones are destroyed except the ones who practise. All those who practice are destroyed except the sincere ones, and the sincere ones are in great danger.

Imam Ghazaali Rahimahullaah  thereafter writes,

The self-conceited person is destroyed. The sincere person who absconds from deception is also in danger. That is why fear never ever leaves the hearts of the awliyaa.
 (Ihyaa vol. 3 page 414)

b. A person needs to save himself from pride and vanity.

Hasan Basri Rahimahullaah said, “Whenever I saw anyone, I regarded him to be better than me. One day however, the opposite occurred. An Abyssinian was sitting with a woman at the edge of a river drinking something from a bottle.
I thought to myself, “No matter how I may be, I am better than him.”

Suddenly, I saw seven people who were in a boat about to drown.
The Abyssinian immediately jumped into the river, saved six, turned to me and said, “Hasan, if you are better than me, then save the seventh.”
I was shocked. He then continued, “In this bottle is water, and this woman is my mother. I am sitting here to test you. You still have vanity within yourself.”
(Mashaayikh Chist page 69)

Once Sultaanul Awliyaa Rahimahullaah was discussing this issue. He quoted the statement of Aa’ishah RadhiAllaahu Anha who was asked, “When is man evil?”
She answered, “When he regards himself to be pious.”  

Moulana Thanwi Rahimahullaah has mentioned very beautifully

It is compulsory to become pious, it is haraam to regard yourself as pious.

Moulana Thanwi Rahimahullaah  further mentions, “When a servant becomes lowly and despised in his own sight, then he is noble in the sight of Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo; and when he regards himself to be noble, then he is evil in the sight of Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo.”

To be Continued In Sha Allaah

مَوْلَاىَ صَلِّ وَ سَلِّمْ دَائِمًا أَبَداً  عَلىٰ حَبِيْبِكَ خَيْرِ الْخَلْقِ كُلِّهِمِ