Is it permissible for a person to abandon a worship that brings him benefit out of fear of showing off and people talking about him?

Question:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. If a person abandons a worship he used to perform, such as voluntary fasting, because people noticed it in him and talked about him, saying that he performs this worship, and he wants to leave it for a period and then return to it, is that permissible for him? And what is the meaning of the saying of some of the Salaf: "Abandoning an act for the sake of people is showing off, and performing an act for the sake of people is hypocrisy"?

Answer:
It is not permissible for a person to fear people; rather, he should fear Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and continue in His obedience and worship, even if people talk about him. If they talk about him and he does not desire this, but rather they are the ones talking about him, then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "That is the glad tidings of the believer." If they praise him with good and he did not intend for them to praise him, then this is a glad tidings from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), because they testified to his goodness. So the Muslim does not abandon an act for the sake of people or for the sake of showing off, because that is from Shaytan. He does not act for the sake of people, nor does he abandon an act for the sake of people. And the phrase he mentioned is correct, yes.