Working for the sake of people and leaving it off for their sake

Question:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned in his book *Al-Adhkar* that working for the sake of people is showing off (riya'), and leaving off work for the sake of people is shirk (associating partners with Allah). So I hope you will clarify this, may Allah preserve you?

Answer:
Yes, indeed. A person does not leave off work for the sake of people, nor does he work for the sake of people. For this reason, 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz (may Allah have mercy on him) is reported to have said: Working for the sake of people is showing off (riya'), and leaving off work for the sake of people is shirk (associating partners with Allah), and safety is that Allah keeps you safe from both. A person does not leave off work. He works, but he is sincere to Allah. And if something arises in his heart of love for praise or love for commendation, he repents to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and he abandons that intention, and it does not harm him.