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الادب المفرد
Adab al-Mufrad
كتاب الأقوالBook of Sayings
بَابُ مَا يَقُولُ الرَّجُلُ إِذَا زُكِّيَChapter: What to Say When Praised
Hadith 761
اُردوEn
حَدَّثَنَا مَخْلَدُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا مُبَارَكُ بْنُ فَضَالَةَ، عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ الْمُزَنِيِّ، عَنْ عَدِيِّ بْنِ أَرْطَأَةَ قَالَ: كَانَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا زُكِّيَ قَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنِي بِمَا يَقُولُونَ، وَاغْفِرْ لِي مَا لا يَعْلَمُونَ.
It is narrated from 'Adi bin Aratah, may Allah have mercy on him, that among the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) there was a person who, when his piety was mentioned in front of him, would say: "O Allah! Do not hold me accountable for what these people are saying, and forgive (the sins) which these people do not know about me."
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Usman Muneeb
Benefits and Issues:
➊ Just as it is forbidden to declare one’s own purity, similarly, praising someone to their face is also a blameworthy act, because there is a danger that the person may begin to consider himself pious and thus be ruined. However, if it is certain about a person that praising him to his face will not make him fall into arrogance, then it is permissible to praise him in his presence. And the one who is praised should recite the aforementioned supplication, which expresses: “O Allah, this is the honor and covering You have granted. I do not wish to seek fame for myself, so do not hold me accountable, and forgive those sins of mine which they do not know, and do not disgrace me.”
➋ This absolutely does not mean that one should not encourage someone for their good deeds. The difference between flattery and encouragement is evident.
➊ Just as it is forbidden to declare one’s own purity, similarly, praising someone to their face is also a blameworthy act, because there is a danger that the person may begin to consider himself pious and thus be ruined. However, if it is certain about a person that praising him to his face will not make him fall into arrogance, then it is permissible to praise him in his presence. And the one who is praised should recite the aforementioned supplication, which expresses: “O Allah, this is the honor and covering You have granted. I do not wish to seek fame for myself, so do not hold me accountable, and forgive those sins of mine which they do not know, and do not disgrace me.”
➋ This absolutely does not mean that one should not encourage someone for their good deeds. The difference between flattery and encouragement is evident.
Source: Fadlullah al-Ahad: Urdu Commentary on al-Adab al-Mufrad, Page: 761
