Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:

Since the discussion here concerns the declaration of uprightness (ta'dil) and commendation (tazkiyah) of a witness, it is therefore clarified that to exceed the bounds in praising someone, and to praise someone in their presence, is also blameworthy in the Shari‘ah. This is because there is a possibility that such praise may give rise to conceit, self-admiration, and arrogance in the heart of the one who hears it.

Therefore, there should never be exaggeration in praise, nor should praise be offered to someone’s face. And regarding this matter, whatever information is possessed should not be added to—safety lies in this.

Hadith Commentary:
If a person is excessively praised in his presence, he becomes susceptible to arrogance and self-admiration, and, falling into pride and conceit, begins to consider himself worthy of exaggerated praise. In this way, he becomes ensnared by the deception of Shaytan. For this reason, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) has prohibited excessive praise. However, there is no harm in praising someone in accordance with what one truly knows about him.
In this way, reconciliation between the two narrations reported from Abu Bakrah and Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (radi Allahu anhuma) is possible.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
Hafiz said: I have not come to know the names of these two individuals, but from the narration of Imam Ahmad and Bukhari in "Al-Adab Al-Mufrad," it appears that the one who praised was Mihjan bin Awrah, and the one who was praised was perhaps Abdullah bin Dhul-Bijadayn.
(Wahidi)

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
To exaggerate in someone's praise is the practice of foolish poets and flatterers. Such praise causes the other person to become arrogant, and in fact, by falling into compounded ignorance, he becomes deprived of both worldly and religious virtues. This is precisely his destruction and breaking of his back. Accordingly, it is mentioned in the hadith that when a person began to praise Uthman radi Allahu anhu in his presence, Miqdad ibn Aswad radi Allahu anhu picked up some soil and threw it in his face and said that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“When you encounter people who are given to praise and flattery, throw dust in their faces.”
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Al-Adab, Hadith: 4804) (2)
If, while encouraging someone, one gives appropriate praise for his good deed, then insha Allah it is permissible; there is no restriction on this. In fact, at times, doing so becomes necessary.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues:

➊ This hadith proves that performing ablution (wudu) before circumambulating the House of Allah (tawaf of the Ka'bah) is necessary. According to Imam Malik rahimahullah, Imam Shafi'i rahimahullah, Ahmad ibn Hanbal rahimahullah, and the scholars of hadith, being in a state of ablution is a condition for tawaf; without it, tawaf is not valid. According to the Hanafis, purity is not a condition but an obligation (wajib); if someone performs tawaf without purity, the tawaf will be valid, but due to abandoning an obligation, a sacrifice of one goat will be required.

➋ The position of Abdullah ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu is that if a person enters the state of ihram for Hajj al-Ifrad and does not bring a sacrificial animal with him, and then performs tawaf of the House of Allah, his tawaf and sa'i will be counted as 'umrah, and his Hajj will be annulled (converted). This is because the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, during the Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajjat al-Wada'), gave this very ruling: those who do not have a sacrificial animal should all become halal (exit ihram). The last part of this hadith: (فَلَمَّا مَسَحُوا الرُّكْنَ حَلُّوا) ("When they finished kissing the Black Stone, they became halal")—that is, when they completed the tawaf al-qudum and then performed sa'i, they became halal. This is the view of Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu. Those who did not become halal were only those who had sacrificial animals with them. However, the majority of the imams and many of the noble companions radi Allahu anhum ajma'in hold that the ruling of annulment (fasakh) was specific to the Farewell Pilgrimage; now, after beginning tawaf, Hajj cannot be annulled. The intent of Abdullah ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu is not that after the tawaf of the House of Allah and before sa'i, one becomes halal, but rather that whoever does not have a sacrificial animal and performs tawaf of the House of Allah, must then perform sa'i and become halal. If he does not wish to become halal, he should not perform tawaf al-qudum; for Hajj, he should only perform tawaf al-ifadah. At the end of the hadith, Aisha radi Allahu anha is counted among those who became halal. This is correct in the sense that she had intended to perform Hajj al-Tamattu', in which a person becomes halal after performing 'umrah. However, when she began menstruating, she could not act on this intention because she could not perform tawaf of the House of Allah. Therefore, her being counted among those who became halal is only in terms of intention and resolve, not in practice.

Urwah mentioned the tawaf of all these individuals but omitted the sa'i, because it is already known that all of them performed sa'i after tawaf. His purpose is only to state that becoming halal is not necessarily dependent on tawaf and sa'i. All these individuals were performing qiran (combining Hajj and 'umrah) and had sacrificial animals with them; therefore, their not exiting ihram cannot be used as evidence against Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu, nor does it prove that sa'i is not necessary, because sa'i is a pillar (rukn) of both 'umrah and Hajj. Without it, neither 'umrah nor Hajj is valid. This is the position of Imam Malik rahimahullah, Imam Shafi'i rahimahullah, Imam Ahmad rahimahullah, and the rest of the scholars of hadith rahimahumullah. However, according to Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah, Sufyan Thawri rahimahullah, and Hasan al-Basri rahimahullah, it is obligatory (wajib) but not a pillar (rukn). According to Imam Ibn Qudamah rahimahullah, this is also the position of Imam Ahmad rahimahullah: if it is omitted, it can be compensated by sacrificing an animal. Some companions and successors (tabi'in) hold that it is a sunnah, not a pillar nor an obligation.

The question arises: when the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed sa'i, what does his excellent example require of us? Instead of legal hairsplitting, a Muslim should always keep in mind how the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed each act, especially since the statement exists: (صَلُّوا كَمَا رَأَيْتُمُونِي أُصَلِّي) ("Pray as you have seen me pray") and (خُذُوا عَنِّي مَناسِكَكُمْ) ("Take your rites of Hajj from me"). Therefore, every act should be performed according to the method of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.