الادب المفرد
Adab al-Mufrad
كتابBook of Praise
بَابُ يُحْثَى فِي وُجُوهِ الْمَدَّاحِينَChapter: Throwing Dust in the Faces of Those Who Praise Excessively
Hadith 339
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ حَبِيبِ بْنِ أَبِي ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي مَعْمَرٍ قَالَ: قَامَ رَجُلٌ يُثْنِي عَلَى أَمِيرٍ مِنَ الأُمَرَاءِ، فَجَعَلَ الْمِقْدَادُ يَحْثِي فِي وَجْهِهِ التُّرَابَ، وَقَالَ: أَمَرَنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ نَحْثِيَ فِي وُجُوهِ الْمَدَّاحِينَ التُّرَابَ.
It is narrated from Abu Ma'mar (may Allah have mercy on him) that a man began to flatter an amir, so Sayyiduna Miqdad (may Allah be pleased with him) started throwing dust on his face and said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded us to throw dust into the mouths of those who flatter.
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Usman Muneeb
Benefits and Issues:
➊ Such praise in which there is a risk of the praised person falling into temptation is prohibited, or if the purpose of the praise is to amass wealth, then that too is unlawful and forbidden. However, if someone sincerely praises another’s good qualities with the intention of encouraging people, then it is permissible.
➋ The scholars have mentioned several interpretations regarding the instruction to throw dust in the face of the one who praises: that it means failure and disappointment, i.e., he should not be given anything and should be humiliated and disgraced in this way. However, the preferred opinion is that the hadith should be understood according to its apparent meaning, and its literal sense should be intended, just as the narrator of the hadith, Hazrat Miqdad radi Allahu anhu, understood it.
➊ Such praise in which there is a risk of the praised person falling into temptation is prohibited, or if the purpose of the praise is to amass wealth, then that too is unlawful and forbidden. However, if someone sincerely praises another’s good qualities with the intention of encouraging people, then it is permissible.
➋ The scholars have mentioned several interpretations regarding the instruction to throw dust in the face of the one who praises: that it means failure and disappointment, i.e., he should not be given anything and should be humiliated and disgraced in this way. However, the preferred opinion is that the hadith should be understood according to its apparent meaning, and its literal sense should be intended, just as the narrator of the hadith, Hazrat Miqdad radi Allahu anhu, understood it.
Source: Fadlullah al-Ahad: Urdu Commentary on al-Adab al-Mufrad, Page: 339
