Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
nasai-kubra:9997ʿAbdullāh b. Muḥammad b. ʿAbd al-Raḥman > Ghundar > Shuʿbah > Khālid > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Abū Bakrah from his father

Messenger of Allah, no person is more excellent than he after Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Thereupon Allah's Apostle ﷺ said: Woe be to thee, you have broken the neck of your friend, and he said this twice. Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: If anyone has to praise his brother at all, he should say: I think him to be so and so, and even on this he should say: I do not consider anyone purer than Allah (considers). (Using translation from Muslim 3000b)   

الكبرى للنسائي:٩٩٩٧أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا غُنْدَرٌ عَنْ شُعْبَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ خَالِدًا يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهُمْ ذَكَرُوا رَجُلًا عِنْدَهُ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَا مِنْ رَجُلٍ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ أَفْضَلُ مِنْهُ وَكَذَا وَكَذَا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ «وَيْحَكَ قَطَعْتَ عُنُقَ صَاحِبِكَ» مِرَارًا يَقُولُ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إنَّ كَانَ أَحَدُكُمْ مَادِحًا أَخَاهُ لَا مَحَالَةَ فَلْيَقُلْ أَحْسِبُ فُلَانًا إنْ كَانَ يَرَاهُ أَنَّهُ كَذَلِكَ وَلَا أُزَكِّي عَلَى اللهِ أَحَدًا وَحَسِيبُهُ اللهُ أَحْسِبُهُ كَذَا وَكَذَا  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Ibn Mājah, Aḥmad, Bayhaqī, Suyūṭī
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."  

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  

bukhari:6162Mūsá b. Ismāʿīl > Wuhayb > Khālid > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Abū Bakrah from his father

A man praised another man in front of the Prophet. The Prophet ﷺ said thrice, "Wailaka (Woe on you) ! You have cut the neck of your brother!" The Prophet ﷺ added, "If it is indispensable for anyone of you to praise a person, then he should say, "I think that such-and-such person (is so-and-so), and Allah is the one who will take his accounts (as he knows his reality) and none can sanctify anybody before Allah (and that only if he knows well about that person.)".  

البخاري:٦١٦٢حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ حَدَّثَنَا وُهَيْبٌ عَنْ خَالِدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ

أَثْنَى رَجُلٌ عَلَى رَجُلٍ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ وَيْلَكَ قَطَعْتَ عُنُقَ أَخِيكَ ثَلاَثًا مَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَادِحًا لاَ مَحَالَةَ فَلْيَقُلْ أَحْسِبُ فُلاَنًا وَاللَّهُ حَسِيبُهُ وَلاَ أُزَكِّي عَلَى اللَّهِ أَحَدًا إِنْ كَانَ يَعْلَمُ  

bukhari:6061Ādam > Shuʿbah > Khālid > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Abū Bakrah from his father

A man was mentioned before the Prophet ﷺ and another man praised him greatly The Prophet ﷺ said, "May Allah's Mercy be on you ! You have cut the neck of your friend." The Prophet ﷺ repeated this sentence many times and said, "If it is indispensable for anyone of you to praise someone, then he should say, 'I think that he is so-and-so," if he really thinks that he is such. Allah is the One Who will take his accounts (as He knows his reality) and no-one can sanctify anybody before Allah." (Khalid said, "Woe to you," instead of "Allah's Mercy be on you.")  

البخاري:٦٠٦١حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ خَالِدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ

أَنَّ رَجُلاً ذُكِرَ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ خَيْرًا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَيْحَكَ قَطَعْتَ عُنُقَ صَاحِبِكَ يَقُولُهُ مِرَارًا إِنْ كَانَ أَحَدُكُمْ مَادِحًا لاَ مَحَالَةَ فَلْيَقُلْ أَحْسِبُ كَذَا وَكَذَا إِنْ كَانَ يُرَى أَنَّهُ كَذَلِكَ وَحَسِيبُهُ اللَّهُ وَلاَ يُزَكِّي عَلَى اللَّهِ أَحَدًا قَالَ وُهَيْبٌ عَنْ خَالِدٍ وَيْلَكَ  

muslim:3000aYaḥyá b. Yaḥyá > Yazīd b. Zurayʿ > Khālid al-Ḥadhhāʾ > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Abū Bakrah from his father

Woe be to thee, you have broken the neck of your friend, you have broken the neck of your friend-he said this twice. If one of you has to praise his friend at all, he should say: I think (him to be) so and Allah knows it well and I do not know the secret of the heart and Allah knows the destined end, and I cannot testify his purity against Allah but (he appears) to be so and so.  

مسلم:٣٠٠٠aحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ عَنْ خَالِدٍ الْحَذَّاءِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ

مَدَحَ رَجُلٌ رَجُلاً عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ فَقَالَ وَيْحَكَ قَطَعْتَ عُنُقَ صَاحِبِكَ قَطَعْتَ عُنُقَ صَاحِبِكَ مِرَارًا إِذَا كَانَ أَحَدُكُمْ مَادِحًا صَاحِبَهُ لاَ مَحَالَةَ فَلْيَقُلْ أَحْسِبُ فُلاَنًا وَاللَّهُ حَسِيبُهُ وَلاَ أُزَكِّي عَلَى اللَّهِ أَحَدًا أَحْسِبُهُ إِنْ كَانَ يَعْلَمُ ذَاكَ كَذَا وَكَذَا  

muslim:3000b[Chain 1] Muḥammad b. ʿAmr b. ʿAbbād b. Jabalah b. Abū Rawwād > Muḥammad b. Jaʿfar [Chain 2] Abū Bakr b. Nāfiʿ > Ghundar > Shuʿbah > Khālid al-Ḥadhhāʾ > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Abū Bakrah from his father

Messenger of Allah, no person is more excellent than he after Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Thereupon Allah's Apostle ﷺ said: Woe be to thee, you have broken the neck of your friend, and he said this twice. Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: If anyone has to praise his brother at all, he should say: I think him to be so and so, and even on this he should say: I do not consider anyone purer than Allah (considers).  

مسلم:٣٠٠٠bوَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ عَبَّادِ بْنِ جَبَلَةَ بْنِ أَبِي رَوَّادٍ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ ح وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ نَافِعٍ أَخْبَرَنَا غُنْدَرٌ قَالَ شُعْبَةُ حَدَّثَنَا عَنْ خَالِدٍ الْحَذَّاءِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهُ ذُكِرَ عِنْدَهُ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا مِنْ رَجُلٍ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَفْضَلُ مِنْهُ فِي كَذَا وَكَذَا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَيْحَكَ قَطَعْتَ عُنُقَ صَاحِبِكَ مِرَارًا يَقُولُ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِنْ كَانَ أَحَدُكُمْ مَادِحًا أَخَاهُ لاَ مَحَالَةَ فَلْيَقُلْ أَحْسِبُ فُلاَنًا إِنْ كَانَ يُرَى أَنَّهُ كَذَلِكَ وَلاَ أُزَكِّي عَلَى اللَّهِ أَحَدًا  

ibnmajah:3744Abū Bakr > Shabābah > Shuʿbah > Khālid al-Ḥadhhāʾ > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Abū Bakrah from his father

"A man praised another man in the presence of Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Woe to you,you have cut the neck of your companion,'several times. Then he said: 'If anyone of you praises his brother, let him say: "I think he is lie this, but I do not sanctify anyone before Allah."  

ابن ماجة:٣٧٤٤حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شَبَابَةُ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ خَالِدٍ الْحَذَّاءِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ

مَدَحَ رَجُلٌ رَجُلاً عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَيْحَكَ قَطَعْتَ عُنُقَ صَاحِبِكَ مِرَارًا ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنْ كَانَ أَحَدُكُمْ مَادِحًا أَخَاهُ فَلْيَقُلْ أَحْسِبُهُ وَلاَ أُزَكِّي عَلَى اللَّهِ أَحَدًا  

ahmad:20422Muḥammad b. Jaʿfar > Shuʿbah > Khālid al-Ḥadhhāʾ > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Abū Bakarah from his father

Messenger of Allah, no person is more excellent than he after Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Thereupon Allah's Apostle ﷺ said: Woe be to thee, you have broken the neck of your friend, and he said this twice. Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: If anyone has to praise his brother at all, he should say: I think him to be so and so, and even on this he should say: I do not consider anyone purer than Allah (considers). (Using translation from Muslim 3000b)   

أحمد:٢٠٤٢٢حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ خَالِدٍ الْحَذَّاءِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكَرَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهُمْ ذَكَرُوا رَجُلًا عِنْدَهُ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَا مِنْ رَجُلٍ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ أَفْضَلُ مِنْهُ فِي كَذَا وَكَذَا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَيْحَكَ قَطَعْتَ عُنُقَ صَاحِبِكَ مِرَارًا يَقُولُ ذَلِكَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِنْ كَانَ أَحَدُكُمْ مَادِحًا أَخَاهُ لَا مَحَالَةَ فَلْيَقُلْ أَحْسَبُ فُلَانًا إِنْ كَانَ يَرَى أَنَّهُ كَذَاكَ وَلَا أُزَكِّي عَلَى اللهِ أَحَدًا وَحَسِيبُهُ اللهُ أَحْسَبُهُ كَذَا وَكَذَا  

ahmad:20462ʿAffān > Wuhayb And Yazīd / Ibn Zurayʿ > Khālid al-Ḥadhhāʾ > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Abū Bakarah > Abū Bakarah

Woe be to thee, you have broken the neck of your friend, you have broken the neck of your friend-he said this twice. If one of you has to praise his friend at all, he should say: I think (him to be) so and Allah knows it well and I do not know the secret of the heart and Allah knows the destined end, and I cannot testify his purity against Allah but (he appears) to be so and so. (Using translation from Muslim 3000a)   

أحمد:٢٠٤٦٢حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ حَدَّثَنَا وُهَيْبٌ وَيَزِيدُ يَعْنِي ابْنَ زُرَيْعٍ قَالَا حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ الْحَذَّاءُ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكَرَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَكَرَةَ قَالَ

مَدَحَ رَجُلٌ رَجُلًا عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَيْلَكَ قَطَعْتَ عُنُقَ صَاحِبِكَ مِرَارًا إِذَا كَانَ أَحَدُكُمْ مَادِحًا صَاحِبَهُ لَا مَحَالَةَ فَلْيَقُلْ أَحْسَبُ فُلَانًا وَاللهُ حَسِيبُهُ وَلَا أُزَكِّي عَلَى اللهِ أَحَدًا إِنْ كَانَ يَعْلَمُ ذَلِكَ أَحْسَبُهُ كَذَا وَكَذَا  

bayhaqi:21134Abū ʿAlī al-Rūdhbārī > Abū Bakr Muḥammad b. Aḥmad b. Maḥmawayh al-ʿAskarī > Jaʿfar b. Muḥammad al-Qalānisī > Ādam b. Abū Iyās > Shuʿbah > Khālid al-Ḥadhhāʾ > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Abū Bakrah from his father

A man was mentioned before the Prophet ﷺ and another man praised him greatly The Prophet ﷺ said, "May Allah's Mercy be on you ! You have cut the neck of your friend." The Prophet ﷺ repeated this sentence many times and said, "If it is indispensable for anyone of you to praise someone, then he should say, 'I think that he is so-and-so," if he really thinks that he is such. Allah is the One Who will take his accounts (as He knows his reality) and no-one can sanctify anybody before Allah." (Khalid said, "Woe to you," instead of "Allah's Mercy be on you.") (Using translation from Bukhārī 6061)   

البيهقي:٢١١٣٤أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الرُّوذْبَارِيُّ أنبأ أَبُو بَكْرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مَحْمَوَيْهِ الْعَسْكَرِيُّ ثنا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْقَلَانِسِيُّ ثنا آدَمُ بْنُ أَبِي إِيَاسٍ ثنا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ خَالِدٍ الْحَذَّاءِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ

أَنَّ رَجُلًا ذُكِرَ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ خَيْرًا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَيْحَكَ قَطَعْتَ عُنُقَ صَاحِبِكَ يَقُولُهُ مِرَارًا إِنْ كَانَ أَحَدُكُمْ مَادِحًا أَخَاهُ لَا مَحَالَةَ فَلْيَقُلْ أَحْسِبُ كَذَا وَكَذَا إِنْ كَانَ يَرَى أَنَّهُ كَذَاكَ وَحَسِيبُهُ اللهُ وَلَا يُزَكِّ أَحَدٌ عَلَى اللهِ  

رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ آدَمَ
bayhaqi:21135al-Shaykh al-Imām Abū al-Ṭayyib Sahl b. Muḥammad b. Sulaymān ؒ Imlāʾ > Abū Sahl Bishr b. Abū Yaḥyá al-Mihrajānī > Ibrāhīm b. ʿAlī al-Dhuhlī > Yaḥyá b. Yaḥyá > Yazīd b. Zurayʿ > Khālid al-Ḥadhhāʾ > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Abū Bakrah from his father

Woe be to thee, you have broken the neck of your friend, you have broken the neck of your friend-he said this twice. If one of you has to praise his friend at all, he should say: I think (him to be) so and Allah knows it well and I do not know the secret of the heart and Allah knows the destined end, and I cannot testify his purity against Allah but (he appears) to be so and so. (Using translation from Muslim 3000a)   

البيهقي:٢١١٣٥حَدَّثَنَا الشَّيْخُ الْإِمَامُ أَبُو الطَّيِّبِ سَهْلُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ رَحِمَهُ اللهُ إِمْلَاءً أنبأ أَبُو سَهْلٍ بِشْرُ بْنُ أَبِيُ يَحْيَى الْمِهْرَجَانِيُّ ثنا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الذُّهْلِيُّ ثنا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى أنبأ يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ عَنْ خَالِدٍ الْحَذَّاءِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ

مَدَحَ رَجُلٌ رَجُلًا عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ وَيْلَكَ قَطَعْتَ عُنُقَ صَاحِبِكَ مِرَارًا إِذَا كَانَ أَحَدُكُمْ مَادِحًا صَاحِبَهُ لَا مَحَالَةَ فَلْيَقُلْ أَحْسِبُ فُلَانًا وَاللهُ حَسِيبُهُ وَلَا أُزَكِّي عَلَى اللهِ أَحَدًا أَحْسِبُهُ إِنْ كَانَ يَعْلَمُ ذَاكَ كَذَا وَكَذَا  

رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ يَحْيَى
suyuti:24354a
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السيوطي:٢٤٣٥٤a

"وَيلَكَ قَطَعْتَ عُنُقَ صَاحِبِكَ، مَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَادِحًا أَخَاهُ لا مَحَالةَ فَليَقُلْ: أَحْسَبُ فُلانًا والله حَسيبُهُ وَلَا أُزَكِّي عَلَى الله أَحدًا، أَحْسَبُهُ كذا وَكَذَا إِنْ كَانَ يَعْلَمُ ذَلكَ منْهُ".  

[حم] أحمد [خ] البخاري [م] مسلم [د] أبو داود [هـ] ابن ماجة عن عبد الرحمن بن أبي بكرة عن أبيه
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السيوطي:٨٤٢٩a

"إِنْ كَان أَحَدُكُمْ مَادحًا أَخَاهُ لا مَحَالَة فَليَقُلْ أَحْسبُ فُلانًا كَذَا وَكَذَا إِذَا عَلمَ منْهُ ذَلك، واللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ به وَلا أزَكِّى عَلَى اللَّه أَحَدًا وذَلكَ أنَّ رَجُلًا أَثْنَى عَلَى رَجُلٍ عنْدَ النَّبِىَّ ﷺ ، فَقَال لَهُ: قَطَعْت عُنُق صَاحبك لَوْ سَمِعَهَا مَا أَفْلَحَ بَعَدَهَا فَإِنَّهَا بَلَايَا" .  

[ط] الطيالسي [خ] البخاري [م] مسلم من حديث أبى بكرة