16. Praising People

16. Praising People

153. What has come about praising people

333. Abu Bakr reported that a man was mentioned in the presence of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and someone praised him. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Woe to you! You have cut off the head of your companion!” and he repeated that several times. He went on, “If one of you must praise someone, he should say, ‘I consider that so-and-so is such-and-such.’ Allah is the One who will take account of him if he thinks that he is indeed like that, No one can appropriate Allah’s right to attest to someone’s character.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: Wayhak or Waylak as in other wordings of the hadeeth translated as “Woe to You!” is an expression of caution to a person who is groundlessly getting into ruin. The one whose head is severed is taken from life to death; likewise, the one who is praised excessively is been taken from humility to self-importance and from the Garden to the Fire. So, the Prophetﷺ warned against such repeatedly. No one can say categorically how a person will end for that is from the Unseen, known to Allah Alone, the Mighty and Exalted. However, one could say what he thinks likely based on his knowedge of the person. Allah knows best.

334. Abu Musa reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, heard a man praise another man and he was using exaggeration in his praise of him. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “You have destroyed or broken the man’s back.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The hadeeth shows how destructive praising a person could be especially when doing so involves exergeration. Thus, the Prophetﷺ said, “‘You have destroyed – or cut – the man’s back.’” However, Imam anNawawee (الله رحمه (explains, “There are many narrations in the two Saheehs containing (the permissibility) of praising a person in his presence. The scholars say that they are reconciled (with those that evince prohibition) by considering the prohibition to mean praising people without looking at undesirable consequences of such and being excessive or praising a person who may fall into the trial of self-importance and something like that if he hears of the praise. But for a person for whom that is not feared due to his piety and his intelligence and knowledge, it is not prohibited to praise him as long as it does not include being excessive. In fact, if doing so will be beneficial to him such as motivating him towards good or encouraging him to do more or sustaining him upon it or lead to his been emulated (by others); then such is even encouraged. Allah knows best.

335. Ibrahim at-Taymi reported that his father said, “We were sitting with ‘Umar and one man praised another man to his face.” He said, “You have wounded the man. May Allah wound you.”
Grade: Hasan (Sound)
Commentary: The narration further indicates the seriousness of excessively praising a person in his presence. Perhaps the one who was praised is from those for whom ‘Umar feared been overtaken by the destructive trials of such praise; so he cautioned the one who gave the praise so strongly. Shaykh Fadlullah al-Jeelaanee (الله رحمه (explains, “Because the man did something that could destroy the Deen of his brother (i.e. his affairs in this world and the hereafter), it is permissible that ‘Umar invoked upon him regarding his worldly affairs.”

336. Zayd ibn Aslam reported that his father heard ‘Umar state, “Praise is slaughter.” The transmitter added, “He meant when it is accepted.” [* He is certain that his praise will nor produce pride or vanity.]
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This narration is also authentically reported from the Prophetﷺ with the wording, “Beware of excessive praise; for it is slaughter.” See comment on hadeeth no. 333 and 334

chapter 154. Someone who praises his companion when he feels safe about him*

337. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The best of men is Abu Bakr. The best of men is ‘Umar. The best of men is Abu ‘Ubayda. The best of men is Usayd ibn Hudayr. The best of men is Thabit ibn Qays ibn Shammas. The best of men is Mu’adh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-Jamuh. The best of men is Mu’adh ibn Jabal.” Then he said, “The worst of men is so-and- so. The worst of men is so-and-so,” until he had named seven men.
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: So, the Prophetﷺ praised his companions, the most pious of Allah’s creatures after the Messengers and Prophets, (y). The books of hadeeth contain lots of authentic narrations from the Prophetﷺ wherein he praised those he mentioned here and many others amongst the companions, mentioning their virtues in different forms. There is no doubt that such words of commendation encouraged the companions, made them steadfast and inspires the love of these pious generation in the hearts of those who truly believe in the message of the Prophetﷺ thereby placing them in the position of emulation.

338. ‘A’isha said, “A man asked permission to come to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the Messenger of Allah said, ‘He is an evil son of his tribe.’ When the man came in, the Prophet was courteous and cheerful towards him. When that man left, another man asked permission to come in. He said, ‘He is an excellent son of his tribe.’ When he came in, he was not cheerful towards him as he had been cheerful towards the other man. When he left, I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, you said what you said about so-and-so and yet you were courteous to him. You said what you said about so-and-so and I did not see you do the same.’ He said, ”A’isha, the worst of people are those who are feared on account of their bad language.'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: The hadeeth teaches that it is permissible to flatter someone because of the evil consequences of doing otherwise.

chapter 155. Throwing dust in the faces of those who praise people

339. Abu Ma’mar said, “A man began to praise one of the amirs. Al-Miqdad began to throw dirt in his face and said, ‘The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, commanded us to throw dust into the faces of those who praise people.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: This clearly discourages praising people in their presence, and shows the companion’s keenness to obey the orders of the Prophetﷺ.

340. ‘Ata’ ibn Abi Rabah reported that a man was praising another man in the presence of Ibn ‘Umar. Ibn ‘Umar began to throw dust towards his mouth. He said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘When you see those who praise people, throw dust in their faces.'”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: As for the word, al-Maddaahoon, translated as “those who praise people”, Imam al-Khattabbee (الله رحمه (explains that, “they are those in the habit of praising people, who have made it a trade item by which they seek to be paid by the one been praised and (by that), they bring him to trial.”

341. Raja’ said. “One day Mihjan and I went to the mosque of the people of Basra. Burayda al-Aslami was sitting there by one of the mosque doors. Inside the mosque there was a man called Sabka who used to make the prayers long. We came to the mosque door which had a fringed woollen cloth over it. Now Burayda was someone who made jokes. He said, ‘Mihjan, don’t you pray as Sabka prays?’ Mihjan did not answer and went back. Mihjan said, ‘The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, once took me by the hand and we went together to the top of Uhud. He looked down on Madina and said, “Woe to a town whose people will abandon it when it becomes very prosperous. Then the Dajjal will come to it and find two angels at each of its gates, so he will not enter it.” Then he went down until we reached the mosque and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw a man praying, prostrating and bowing. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked me, “Who is this?” and I began to praise him, saying, “Messenger of Allah, this is so-and-so and so-and-so.” “Stop!” he said, “Do not let him hear or you will destroy him.”‘” Raja’ continued, “He began to walk until he reached his rooms and then he began to shake the dust off his hands and said, ‘The best part of your deen is the easiest of it.’ and he repeated that three times.”
Grade: Saheeh (Authentic)
Commentary: The word, Wayl…, lexically translated as “Woe…” is employed by the Arabs to show commendation, not intending its lexical meaning. This hadeeth mentions some virtues of Madeenah: a thriving and booming city. It also encourages being of the middle-course in the performance of supererogatory prayers and not burdening one’s soul beyond its ability in recommended acts of worship. Excessively praising a person in his presence is also warned against in this narration.

chapter 156. The person who praises in poetry

342. Al-Aswad ibn Suray’ said, “I came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘Messenger of Allah, I have praised Allah and you in poems of praise and eulogies.’ He said, ‘As far as your Lord is concerned, He must be praised,’ and so I began to recite them. Then a tall bald man asked for permission to enter. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, told me, ‘Be silent.’ The man came in and spoke for a time and then left. Then I recited again. Then the other man came back and he made be silent again. Then the man left again. That happened two or three times. I asked, ‘Who is this man for whom I must be silent?’ He replied, ‘This is a man who does not like vain things.'” [It is said that it was ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab]
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)
Commentary: The Prophetﷺ approved of poetry that praises Allah the Mighty and Sublime since such is from wisdom.

chapter 157. Giving to a poet when you fear his evil

343. Abu Nujayd said, “A poet came to ‘Imran ibn Husayn and ‘Imran gave him something. ‘Imran was asked, ‘You give to a poet?’ He said, ‘I am preserving my reputation (from his satire).'”
Grade: Da’eef (Weak)