Is abandoning the publication of photos to please a beloved, or praying to please a father, or performing acts of obedience and refraining from sins for fear of a dear one’s anger, or visiting grandmother for fear of a father’s anger, or changing the channel out of fear of him, or obeying parents in household matters and maintaining kinship ties for fear of their anger, or reciting the Quran over pain to please a husband, or reciting the Quran for fear of a father’s anger without the intention of pleasing Allah, or fearing his anger first and then seeking Allah’s pleasure; does any of these actions constitute major shirk (polytheism)?

The fatwa (definition) addresses the ruling on performing acts of obedience for the sake of showing off (riya'). It clarifies that some scholars consider this major disbelief (kufr akbar), while others deem it minor disbelief (kufr asghar), the latter being the more accurate view.

The fatwa also distinguishes between one who refrains from sin out of shyness before people and fear of their harm—such a person is discreet and not punished—and one who refrains from sin to feign piety and fear of Allah—this is blameworthy showing off. As for one who prays to please their father without the intention of pleasing Allah, this falls under the category of performing acts of obedience purely for the sake of showing off.