Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
'Perhaps a fasting person gains nothing from his fast except hunger and thirst, and perhaps one who prays gains nothing from his prayer except sleeplessness.'
This means that if the prayer and fasting are not done for the sake of Allah, then there is no reward for them.
As it was narrated from him that he said:
'The example of one who acts for showing off and seeking praise is like the example of one who fills his bag with stones,
then he enters the market to buy with it,
and when he opens it in front of the seller, he finds it is only stones,
so it is thrown at his face,
and there is no benefit for him in his bag except the people’s remark:
'How full his bag is!'
But he is not given anything for it.
Similarly, the one who works for showing off and seeking praise has nothing from his action but the people’s remarks,
And there is no reward for him in the Hereafter.
