I am in a dilemma. When I gather with a group and we discuss matters of religion, I find that they admire me, and this causes me joy. Sometimes I say to myself, "I have impressed the people." Then I return and say, "No, I intend it only for Allah." So, which of the two intentions is taken into consideration?

Any deed intended for other than Allah, or in which others are associated with Him, is rejected and invalid. Allah Almighty says: "And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth." And He, glorified be He, says: "I am the most self-sufficient of partners for partnership. Whoever performs a deed in which he associates another with Me, I abandon him and his shirk." As for the deed performed purely for Allah Almighty, which is free from showing off (riya') or seeking reputation (sum'ah), if people praise him for it without him having sought that, then this does not harm him; rather, it is good tidings for him. For the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to someone who performed a good deed and people praised him for it: "That is the immediate good tidings for the believer." And a person's joy in the acts of obedience he performs does no harm; rather, it is a sign of his faith. However, associating others with Allah in a deed invalidates it, whether the intention of association occurred at the beginning or during the deed.