What is the ruling on one in whose soul ostentation has entered, and then he strived against it?

If the origin of an act was for Allah and then the intention of showing off (riya') occurred, it does not harm if it was a fleeting thought and was repelled. However, if one indulged in it, scholars have differed as to whether it nullifies the act or does not harm it. Imam Ahmad and Ibn Jarir al-Tabari preferred the view that his act is not invalidated by it, and he will be rewarded for his initial intention. As for acts where the end is linked to the beginning, such as prayer, the difference of opinion persists. In contrast, for acts that are not linked, such as recitation (qira'ah) and remembrance (dhikr), they are cut off by the sudden intention of showing off and require a renewal of intention. The duty, when sudden riya' occurs, is to repel it, renew sincerity, and bring back the original intention.