Guidance for one who feels showing off during his prayer with people

Question:
A message reached the program from Sudan as well, and its sender is a listener from there who says: The Confused Muslim (M. A. A.) from Wadi Halfa. Our brother says: What is the way to not feel a lack of perfection and humility in prayer, since I lead the people of the neighborhood in the five daily prayers, praise be to Allah, but all my attempts to memorize the Qur'an and improve the recitation during prayer, I feel that I am showing off to people in it, especially the loud prayers, since I improve the voice and lengthen the recitation until it seems to me that I am doing so in order to make people feel that I am qualified for the imamate. What is the ruling on that? Then, if this is my habit, is my prayer valid? And am I able to relinquish leading people in prayer, even though I frequently seek refuge from showing off during prostration and I call upon Allah much in my prostration to make my work and prayer pure for the face of Allah the Exalted? What do you advise me, O Shaykh? May Allah reward you with good, and may He bless you.

Answer:
You, my brother, must continue with this work of asking Allah for success in sincerity and being careful to seek refuge in Allah from showing off, and be glad of good. Leave the whispers that Satan dictates to you that you intend showing off and improving your voice for the sake of people's praise or for them to say that you are qualified for the imamate. Leave these whispers and be glad of good.
You are commanded to beautify your voice in recitation so that the people praying behind you benefit from it. You have no concern regarding these intrusive thoughts; rather, fight them. Fight them by seeking refuge in Allah from Satan and asking Allah for success, guidance, and assistance in doing good. You are in a great state of goodness. Continue leading the prayer, be kind to your brothers, and strive to beautify your voice. A hadith was reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: meaning: he beautifies his voice in recitation; because beautifying the voice in recitation is among the greatest means for reflection, understanding, comprehending the meaning, and taking pleasure in hearing the Qur'an. In an authentic hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: meaning: He (Glorified and Exalted is He) does not listen to anything as He listens to a prophet, and it is a listening that befits Allah, not resembling the attributes of the created beings. For the attributes of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He)befit Him (Glorified and Exalted is He), and He does not resemble His creation in them (Exalted and Majestic is He), as He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said:[Surah al-Shura: 11].
But this indicates to us that He, the Exalted, loves improving the voice in recitation, and He loves that the reciters strive to improve their voices so that they benefit and so that those who listen to their recitation benefit. And what occurs to you regarding showing off is from Satan, so do not pay attention to it, and fight the enemy of Allah by seeking refuge in Allah from him, and by continuing to improve your voice and perfect your recitation with humility through your submission, your prostration, and the rest of the states of prayer. You are in good, if Allah wills, and we ask Allah for you success and steadfastness upon the truth.

The presenter: O Allah, Ameen. May Allah reward you with good.