and to worship Him as He has prescribed, and He has commanded them not to worship Him in any other way.

Allah Most High says:

“So whoever hopes to meet his Lord, let him do righteous deeds and associate no one in the worship of his Lord.”

He also says:

“To test you as to which of you is best in deeds.”

Thus, someone following the path of asceticism and worship may outwardly adhere to the Sharia, yet seek to show off, gain publicity, and win people’s veneration. In that case, his deeds are invalid, and Allah does not accept them. As authentically reported, Allah says:

“I have no need whatsoever for partners. Whoever performs a deed in which he associates someone else with Me, I disavow it; it belongs entirely to the one he associated with Me.”

It is also authentically reported that the Prophet said:

“Whoever seeks publicity, Allah will expose him; whoever shows off, Allah will expose him.”

Even if his intention is sincere, but he worships through practices that have not been prescribed—such as remaining perpetually silent; continually standing in the sun or on a rooftop; habitually stripping off his clothes and confining himself to garments of wool, palm fibre, or similar materials; covering his face; or abstaining from eating bread or meat, drinking water, and the like—these acts of worship are invalid and rejected. As authentically reported from ‘Ā’ishah, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Whoever introduces into this matter of ours something that does not belong to it, it is rejected.”

Another version reads:

“Whoever performs a deed that does not conform to our teaching, it is rejected.”

In Sahīh al-Bukhārī, Ibn ‘Abbās reported:

“The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw a man standing in the sun and asked, ‘What is this?’ They replied, ‘This is Abū Isrā’īl. He has vowed to remain silent, to stand, and to remain exposed