Riyā’ is the practice of performing any of the various forms of worship in order to be seen and praised by people. This sin destroys all the benefits that lie in righteous deeds and brings on the one who commits it a serious punishment. It is particularly dangerous, because it is natural for man to desire and enjoy the praise of his fellow men. Doing religious acts to impress people or in order to be praised by them is, therefore, an evil which deserves man’s utmost caution. This danger is really significant to the believers, whose goal is to make all of the acts of their lives religious acts dedicated to God.
In fact, the likelihood that knowledgeable true believers would commit ash-Shirk al-Akbar (major shirk) is small, since its pitfalls are so obvious. But, for the true believer like everyone else, the chance of committing riyā’ is great because it is so hidden. It only involves the simple act of changing one’s intention. The motivating forces behind it are also very strong, since it comes from man’s inner nature.
Ibn `Abbās alluded to this reality when he said,
“Shirk is more hidden than a black ant creeping on ablack stone in the middle of a moonless night.”
[ Reported by Ibn Abi Hātim and quoted in Taysir al-‘Azīz al-Ḥamīd, p. 587
Thus, great care has to be taken to ensure that one’s intentions begin pure and remain pure whenever righteous deeds are being done. In order to ensure this, the saying of Allah’s name is enjoined in Islam before all acts of importance. A series of du‘ās (informal prayers) have also been prescribed by the Prophet before and after all natural habits like eating, drinking, sleeping, sex, and even going to the toilet, in order to turn these everyday habits into acts of worship and develop in Muslims a keen awareness of Allah. It is this awareness, called Taqwā, which ultimately insures that intentions remain pure.
The Prophet (صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) also provided protection against the inevitable acts of shirk by teaching certain specific prayers which may be said anytime.
Abu Mūsa said, “One day Allah’s Messenger delivered a sermon, saying, ‘O’ people, fear shirk for it is more hidden than the creeping of an ant.’ Those whom Allah wished asked, ‘And how do we avoid it when it is more hidden than the creeping of an ant, O’Messenger of Allah?’ He replied, ‘Say:
اللهُمَّ إِنَّا نَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ أَنْ نُشْرِكَ بِكَ شَيْئًا نَعْلَمُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُكَ لِمَا لَا نَعْلَمُ
“O Allah, I take refuge in You lest I should commit shirk with You knowingly and I seek Your forgiveness for what I do unknowingly.”
Allâhumma innî a’ûdhu bika an-nushrika shay’an na’lamhu wa nastaghfiruka li-mâ lâ na’lamhu
(Collected by Ahmad and Tabarani)
May Allah protect us from commiting shirk, minor and major, and may Allah accept our righteous deeds.
I copy pasted this from The Fundamentals of Tawhid by Bilal Philps
Allah knows best