How to rid oneself of showing off for one who falls into it without intending it

Question:
The listener (A. S.) from Riyadh sent a message saying: I am a young man of twenty-five years old, and I am upright and fulfilling my religious obligations, praise be to Allah, but I feel that I am inclined toward showing off and seeking fame in my deeds, such as prayer and other acts, and this is, by Allah, against my will. I persist in supplicating to Allah to free me from this affliction, but to no avail.
My question: Am I considered one who associates partners with Allah? Am I considered like one who shows off in his deeds intentionally and deliberately? Or does Allah not hold me accountable, since it is without my will? I ask for an answer to this question, and that you guide me to what will free me from this affliction? May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
There is no doubt that showing off is a major sin, shirk (associating partners with Allah), and one of the deeds of the hypocrites. So it is obligatory for you to be cautious of it and to strive against your soul until you rid yourself of it, while asking Allah and imploring Him to protect you from it. Do not despair, but continue in supplication and imploring Allah to make you successful and guide you until you abandon it. Strive against your soul, be patient, and persevere in this until Allah protects you from it. It is from the creation of the people of hypocrisy, as the Exalted said: [Al-Nisa: 142].
And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: : I am the most independent of partners from shirk. Whoever does a deed and associates with Me in it anyone other than Me, I leave him and his shirk. And he also said, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him: We said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah! He said: So you strive against your soul and be glad with good news. And whoever strives, Allah will help him. The Exalted says: [Al-Ankabut: 69].
So if you strive against your soul in this path, be glad with good news. Allah will help you and guide you to the straight path. Do not despair and do not lose hope. Be patient and persevere, ask your Lord for help, and be glad with the good that Allah has promised the truthful and the patient.
And this is minor shirk, not major shirk. Rather, it is from minor shirk, as he, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him, said addressing the Companions: So he was asked about it, and he said: So it has affected you as it affected others. So you must be patient and ask Allah for protection from it. It is not from the major shirk that invalidates deeds, no. But it is minor shirk that invalidates the deed that it accompanied. The deed that it accompanied, it invalidates it. So if you stand to pray a prayer for the sake of showing off, this prayer that you did for the sake of showing off is invalid. And if you give charity for the sake of showing off, its reward is invalid. And if you glorify or remember Allah for the sake of showing off, or recite the Qur’an for the sake of showing off, you have no reward. Rather, you have a sin. And if you strive against your soul to abandon it and be cautious of it, Allah will help you and make your affair easy. [Al-Talaq: 2] And the Exalted says: [Al-Talaq: 4] So be glad with good news, be patient and persevere, and Allah will help you.