The Phenomenon of Riya: A Qualitative Study on Its Individual and Social Reflections

Creative Commons License

Irk E., Erkorkmaz Coban U., Yildirim S.

KOCATEPE ISLAMI ILIMLER DERGISI, vol.8, no.2, pp.431-450, 2025 (ESCI, TRDizin)

Abstract

Riya (hypocrisy) refers to an individual's display of behaviors with the aim of gaining praise and admiration from others. From a psychological perspective, this can be seen as a reflection of the individual's social needs and desire for visibility. From a religious perspective, riya is regarded as a spiritual deviation that undermines the sincerity of worship and renders it ineffective. The primary aim of this study is to explore the concept of riya and identify its role in individual and social life. In this study, which employed the phenomenological design among qualitative research methods, a semi-structured interview technique was used. Participants were selected using criterion sampling, one of the purposive sampling techniques. The study included 10 male and 11 female participants aged between 25 and 50. The interviews were conducted both face-to-face and online, and the data were analyzed through content analysis facilitated by NVivo 15 software. The findings revealed that participants defined the concept of riya more in social and moral dimensions, and associated it with negative qualities such as hypocrisy, flaunt, lying, and deception. Additionally, riya was evaluated in relation to various emotional processes, including feelings of inferiority, envy, jealousy, and arrogance. Participants emphasized that individual or societal expectations of gain constitute one of the key motivations underlying the behavior of riya. They highlighted that such an attitude may lead to multidimensional negative outcomes, including loss of trust, moral decline, and personal distress. They particularly noted that riya tends to appear more frequently in areas such as professional life, material gain, politics, and religious practices. The religious dimension of riya was primarily brought up by the participants through guiding questions; in this context, riya was generally associated with the desire for appreciation in religious practices or expectations of worldly benefits. This suggests that although the concept of riya was not directly conceptualized in the participants' minds, it persists implicitly within a religious context. On the other hand, some participants emphasized that it is possible to maintain a sincere and riya-free religious life under all circumstances.