Fathwa - What is the Ruling Upon ar-Riyaa (Showing off)?

Question:
What is the ruling onar-Riyaa(Showing off)?
Answer:
ar-Riyaais from the lesser Shirk, because the person associates within
his worship other than Allaah. And it can lead to the greater major
Shirk. Ibnul Qayyim (may Allaahhave mercy upon him) gave the example
of the lessor Shirk being 'a slight showing off' this isan indication
that a great amount of showing off leads to the greater major Shirk.
Allaah (The Most High) said:
قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَى إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا
إِلَهُكُمْ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاء رَبِّهِ
فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ
أَحَدًا
{Say (O Muhammad): "I am only a man like you. It has been inspired to
me that your God is One God (i.e. Allah). So whoever hopes for the
Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none
as a partner in the worship of his Lord."}[Kahf 18:110]
So the righteous action is that which is correct and sincere, and
sincere [worship] is that by way of which Allaah's Face is intended.
And correct [worship] is that which is [in accordance] to the
legislation (Sharee'ah) of Allaah.
So that which is intended for other than Allaah then it is not
righteous, and that which is not in accordance to the legislation of
Allaah is not righteous. And it is rejected for the one whoperforms it
due to the saying of the Prophet,
مَن عَمِلَ عَمَلًا لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرُنَا فَهُوَ رَدٌّ
"Whosoever performs anaction that has not been legislated by us, then
it is be rejected"1 And he said,
...إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى
"Indeed actions are based upon intentions; every person will have that
which they intended..."2
These two Prophetic narrations are the scales of actions. The Hadith
regarding the 'intention'is the scale of the inner actions. And the
other Hadith is the scale of the outer apparent actions.