I'm no longer a Christian and think a lot of the Bible is questionable, but I have to say that I really appreciate Matthews 6:1-8 - It would be great if more Christians followed it. Though with this story I'm wondering if they anything have similar in the Quran?
The TLDR of the verse is that it warns against performative charity and performative faith. The idea is that you will only be rewarded once. You choose the heavenly reward by keeping these things between you and god. And you choose the earthly reward if you seek the attention and approval of others for your deeds. Very much a lesson about examining the motives for why you do a thing.
The verse for those not knowing.
6 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Prayer
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
