—such as inviting others to Allah, teaching people, and similar avenues of service. In short, whenever Allah grants you a blessing, let Him see the mark of that blessing upon you, for this is part of showing gratitude.

By contrast, if Allah enriches a person yet no trace of the blessing is visible—he appears before others in shabby clothes as though he were the poorest of Allah’s servants—then, in truth, he has denied Allah’s favor. How can Allah bestow upon you wealth and well-being, yet you go out clad like the needy or even worse?

The same applies to someone whom Allah graces with money, yet he withholds it, spending neither on what Allah has made obligatory nor on what He has recommended. Or Allah grants him knowledge, but no evidence of that blessing appears: no increase in worship, no humility, no excellence in dealing with people, no teaching of others, and no dissemination of knowledge. All of this is a form of concealing the blessing that Allah has given His servant.

Therefore, whenever Allah confers a favor upon a person, he should manifest its effect, lest he deny the blessing of Allah.