54. The Book of Zuhd and Softening of Hearts

٥٤۔ كتاب الزهد والرقائق

54.15 The Prohibition Of Praising if It Involves Exaggeration And There Is The Fear That It May Be A Source Of Temptation (Fitnah) For The One Who Is Praised

٥٤۔١٥ باب النَّهْىِ عَنِ الْمَدْحِ، إِذَا كَانَ فِيهِ إِفْرَاطٌ وَخِيفَ مِنْهُ فِتْنَةٌ عَلَى الْمَمْدُوحِ

(1888) bukhari:2662Muḥammad b. Salām > ʿAbd al-Wahhāb > Khālid al-Ḥadhhāʾ > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Abū Bakrah from his father

A man praised another man in front of the Prophet ﷺ . The Prophet ﷺ said to him, "Woe to you, you have cut off your companion's neck, you have cut off your companion's neck," repeating it several times and then added, "Whoever amongst you has to praise his brother should say, 'I think that he is so and so, and Allah knows exactly the truth, and I do not confirm anybody's good conduct before Allah, but I think him so and so,' if he really knows what he says about him."  

(١٨٨٨) البخاري:٢٦٦٢حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَامٍ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ الْحَذَّاءُ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ

أَثْنَى رَجُلٌ عَلَى رَجُلٍ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ وَيْلَكَ قَطَعْتَ عُنُقَ صَاحِبِكَ قَطَعْتَ عُنُقَ صَاحِبِكَ مِرَارًا ثُمَّ قَالَ مَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَادِحًا أَخَاهُ لَا مَحَالَةَ فَلْيَقُلْ أَحْسِبُ فُلَانًا وَاللَّهُ حَسِيبُهُ وَلَا أُزَكِّي عَلَى اللَّهِ أَحَدًا أَحْسِبُهُ كَذَا وَكَذَا إِنْ كَانَ يَعْلَمُ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ  

(1889) bukhari:2663Muḥammad b. Ṣabbāḥ > Ismāʿīl b. Zakariyyāʾ > Burayd b. ʿAbdullāh > Abū Burdah > Abū Mūsá

The Prophet ﷺ heard someone praising another and exaggerating in his praise. The Prophet ﷺ said, "You have ruined or cut the man's back (by praising him so much).  

(١٨٨٩) البخاري:٢٦٦٣حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ صَبَّاحٍ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ زَكَرِيَّاءَ حَدَّثَنَا بُرَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى ؓ قَالَ

سَمِعَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ رَجُلاً يُثْنِي عَلَى رَجُلٍ وَيُطْرِيهِ فِي مَدْحِهِ فَقَالَ أَهْلَكْتُمْ أَوْ قَطَعْتُمْ ظَهْرَ الرَّجُلِ