Exercise caution when certain individuals start engaging in excessive praise

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

A man among the companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, used to say when he was praised:

اللهُمَّ لا تؤاخِذْني بما يقولون، واغفِرْ لي ما لا يعلمونَ

“O Allah! Do not take me to account for what they say and forgive me for what they do not know (about me)”.

Al-Allamah Zayd Bin Hadi Al-Madkhali, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

This is one of the supplications, specifically when praised and one hears it. For example, when it is said, “Fulaan (such and such person) is upright and righteous”, so he hears what was said about him, or such praise reaches him; or it is said, “Fulaan is very truthful, such and such is a good doer, a charitable person, a scholar and so on”. If he hears this, a believer fears for himself and feels shy that he is the opposite of what the people say about him, and because of this he re-examines himself and becomes active in carrying out deeds to make him righteous- a good doer and worthy of the praise given to him by the people. If he does this, he will be successful and blessed; but if he becomes deceived by what the people say and becomes oblivious of his mistakes and shortcomings, shaytan will afflict him with self-importance. Due to this, when a believer hears the people commending and praising him with righteousness, he makes this supplication “O Allah! Do not take me to account for what they say” – Meaning: “Do not hold me account due to this praise and commendation, and the good characteristics (mentioned about me”. This is because he fears for himself.

The soul of a person is  weak, thus he says, “And forgive me for what they do not know (about me)”- Meaning: “The people commend a person based on what they know about him outwardly, so the person fears that he has Mukhaalafaat [i.e. deeds in opposition to the commands and prohibitions in the Shariah] which are unknown to the people, thus he asks his Lord [The Blessed and Exalted] not to hold him to account and to forgive those sins, his shortcomings and mistakes that are unknown to the people. The children of Adam are deficient, but there are those among them who fall short and return to (repentance or rectification) and are active again in the performance of good deeds after falling short. Among them are those who fall short and persist upon (sin) until punishment comes upon them. (1)

We ask Allah:

اللَّهُمَّ أَصْلِحْ لِي دِينِي الَّذِي هُوَ عِصْمَةُ أَمْرِي
وَأَصْلِحْ لِي دُنْيَايَ الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَاشِي
وَأَصْلِحْ لِي آخِرَتِي الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَادِي
وَاجْعَلِ الْحَيَاةَ زِيَادَةً لِي فِي كُلِّ خَيْرٍ
وَاجْعَلِ الْمَوْتَ رَاحَةً لِي مِنْ كُلِّ شَرٍّ

O Allah! Rectify my religion for me, which is the safeguard of my affairs; rectify my worldly [affairs], wherein is my livelihood; and rectify my Afterlife to which is my return; and make life for me [as a means of] increase in every good and make death for me as a rest from every evil. [Saheeh Muslim Number: 2720] (2)

Nafi, may Allah have mercy upon him, reported that a man said to Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him and his father: “O you the best of people” or “the son of the best of people”. Ibn Umar responded, stating, “I am neither the best of people nor the son of the best of people; I am merely a servant of Allah, hoping for His mercy and fearing Him. By Allah, you will continue to (elevate) a man until you lead him to his destruction.” (3)

Muttarif Ibn Abdillah, may Allah have mercy upon, said: “No one has ever praised me except that my self-worth diminished.” (4)

Malik Ibn Dinar, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Whoever distances himself from the allure of the worldly life is one who has dominated his desires and one who takes pleasure in false praise has enabled shaytan to enter his heart.” (5)

Fudayl Ibn Iyad, may Allah have mercy upon him, reported that it was said to Sulayman al-Taymi, may Allah have mercy upon him: “You are such and such! Who is like you?” He said, “Do not speak in such a manner. I do not know what may be revealed to me by my Lord, the Mighty and Majestic. I have heard Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, say (i.e. in the Qur’an):

وَبَدَا لَهُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يَكُونُوا يَحْتَسِبُونَ

And there will become apparent to them from Allah, what they had not been reckoning. (6)

Imam Abdul Aziz Bin Baz, may Allah have mercy upon him, was asked: He (i.e. the questioner) also says: You have responded -may Allah bless you- about seeking assistance from the Mashayikh, but he also asks about praising the Mashayikh?

Response: Similarly, there is further details regarding praise. Leaving it is better because it may lead to exaggeration, and the praised individual might become self-amazed, thus, it may lead him to arrogance and vanity. Therefore, it is better to avoid praise. The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “If you see those who praise, throw dust in their faces”. [a]

Praise carries risks. He, peace and blessings be upon him, is the leader of creation, yet he stated: “Do not exaggerate my status (or overpraise me) as the Christians did with the son of Mary; I am only a servant. Thus, say: the servant of Allah and His Messenger.” [b] He forbade any additional praise, excess compliment, and exaggeration, as this could lead to polytheism. For this reason, he, peace and blessings be upon him, feared for his Ummah and forbid them from excess compliment, as the Christians did until they said about the son of Mary that he is the son of Allah, and even worship him alongside Allah due to exaggeration and excess compliment.

So, the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, prohibited excessive praise and that one should only praise based on truth. He is praised for his qualities as the Messenger of Allah, as the servant of Allah and His Messenger, as the trustworthy one, and that Allah sent him as a mercy, and that he’ll intercede for people on the Day of Judgment, and that he is the leader of the creation – peace and blessings be upon him. However, it is not permissible to exaggerate in this regard by invoking him besides Allah, seeking help from him, or requesting assistance or victory from him – after his death – over one’s enemies. This is exaggeration and evil praise.

It is obligated to the Mashayikh to follow the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, with regards to hating praise, and they should not be lackadaisical in this matter because unrestrained praise directed towards them by their followers or their students may lead to evil, self-amazement, vanity and arrogance. Therefore, what is befitting (or obligated to the) scholars is to hate praise and do not allow their followers and students to increase in this (or go beyond bounds). However, little praise, which serves to encourage one to do good, strengthen one’s resolve towards goodness, and invigorate such actions, there is no harm in this. The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, praised some of his companions, and he stated about Umar: “Never does Satan find you going on a way, but he takes another way other than yours. [c]

A little praise from which it is not feared that evil will occur, there is no harm in that for the purpose of encouraging one towards good. As for an increase in praise and doing it a lot, it is more befitting to avoid it even if it is deserved (or based on truth). This is because it is feared that trial will result from it. If the praised individual is alive and can hear it, it is feared that it will expose him to Fitna. [paraphrased and abridged] (7)

أيضًا يقول .. أجبتم -بارك الله فيكم- عن طلب المدد من المشايخ، لكنه أيضًا يسأل عن مديح المشايخ؟

الجواب:
كذلك المديح، المديح فيه تفصيل: ترك المديح أولى؛ لأنه قد يسبب الغلو، وقد يعجب الممدوح بنفسه، فربما أكسبه الكبر والخيلاء، ترك المديح أولى، النبي -عليه الصلاة والسلام- قال: إذا رأيتم المداحين فاحثوا في وجوههم التراب فالمدح فيه خطر، وقال وهو سيد الخلق -عليه الصلاة والسلام-: لا تطروني كما أطرت النصارى ابن مريم، إنما أنا عبد، فقولوا: عبد الله ورسوله نهى عن الزيادة في مدحه والإطراء والغلو؛ لأن هذا قد يفضي إلى الشرك؛ ولهذا خاف على أمته -عليه الصلاة والسلام-، ونهاهم عن الإطراء كما فعلت النصارى حتى قالت في ابن امريم إنه ابن الله، وحتى عبدوه من دون الله بسبب الغلو والإطراء.
فالنبي ﷺ نهى عن الإطراء، وألا يمدح إلا بحق، يمدح من صفاته أنه رسول الله، وأنه عبد الله ورسوله، أنه الأمين، أن الله بعثه رحمة، أنه يشفع للناس يوم القيامة، أنه سيد الخلق -عليه الصلاة والسلام-، يمدح بما وصفه الله به -عليه الصلاة والسلام-، لكن لا يجوز الغلو فيه، بأن يدعى من دون الله، أو يستغاث به، أو يطلب منه المدد، أو النصر على الأعداء بعد موته -عليه الصلاة والسلام-، لا، هذا غلو، وهذا إطراء منكر.
والمشايخ يجب عليهم اتباع النبي ﷺ في كراهة المدح، وأن لا يتساهلوا في هذا؛ لأن إطلاق المديح لهم من أتباعهم أو من طلبتهم قد يفضي إلى شر، وإلى عجب وإلى خيلاء وكبر، فالذي ينبغي للعلماء أن يكرهوا المدح وأن لا يسمحوا لأتباعهم وطلبتهم بالتوسع في هذا.
أما المدح القليل، الشيء القليل الذي للتشجيع على الخير، والتقوية على الخير، والتنشيط عليه فلا بأس، قد مدح النبي ﷺ بعض الصحابة، وقال في عمر: إنك الفاروق وقال فيه: إنك ما سلكت فجًا إلا سلك الشيطان فجًا غير فجك….، وقال في ابن عمر: إنه رجل صالح فالمدح القليل الذي لا يخشى منه الشر لا بأس به للتشجيع على الخير والدعوة إليه.
أما التوسع في المديح، والإكثار منه فالأولى تركه، ولو كان بحق؛ لأنه يخشى فيه الفتنة إذا كان الممدوح حيًا يسمع، فإنه يخشى عليه الفتنة، نعم.

[a] Sahih Ibn Hibban 5770
[b] Al-Bukhari 3445
[c] Al-Bukhari 3683

(1) Awnul Ahadis Samad Sharh Al-Adabil Mufrad’ 2/389

(2) https://salafidawahmanchester.com/2020/12/29/o-allaah-rectify-my-religion-for-me-which-the-safeguard-of-my-affairs-a-tremendous-supplication/

(3) Hilyatul Awliyaa 1/307

(4) Hilyatul Awliyaa 2/198

(5) Hilyatul Awliyaa 2/364

(6) Hilyatul Awliyaa 3/30

(7) https://binbaz.org.sa/fatwas/13485/%D8%AD%D9%83%D9%85-%D9%85%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%AD-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%AE