Is it showing off to post my worship on social media?

What riya means

Riya is doing an act of worship so that people see it and praise you. The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever does deeds to be seen and heard of, Allah will expose his real intention (Sahih al-Bukhari 6499). He also described people judged on the Day of Resurrection whose reading of the Quran, courage and generosity were all done to be admired (Sahih Muslim 1905).

When posting can be good

The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever guides someone to good gets a reward like the one who does it (Sahih Muslim 1893). Sharing a verse that moved you, a reminder about the last ten nights of Ramadan, or tips that helped you learn to pray can bring real benefit. In these posts the focus is the message, not you.

Common worship posts

• Prayer: a photo of yourself mid-prayer is better avoided. Filming during prayer distracts you and turns worship into content.
• Quran: "Just finished my first full reading!" can encourage others, but think twice about posting daily page counts.
• Umrah: photos of the Ka'bah are a lovely memory. Avoid filming yourself during tawaf (walking around the Ka'bah) or while making du'a. See Is it haram to take selfies?
• Ramadan: fasting streaks and huge iftar spreads can slide into showing off, and may hurt people who are struggling.

For charity posts specifically, see Can I post my donations on social media as a Muslim?

Guarding your heart

The Prophet ﷺ said that deeds are judged by intentions (Sahih al-Bukhari 1). Ask yourself honestly: would I still do this if nobody saw it? Scholars encourage keeping some worship completely secret, like night prayers or private du'a, as a protection for your sincerity.

At the same time, don't stop doing good out of fear of riya. Many scholars warn that quitting a good deed because people might see it is another trap. Fix the intention and keep going.