Poisoned

Bismillah
 

For many Muslims involved in da’wah work or Islamic studies, one of the biggest struggles they face is praise and fame from their communities and peers. It is the nature of humans to praise what they see of people, but we are taught in our Deen that too much praise can harm a person.

 

Once, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) heard a man praising another, and he responded to him, “May Allah’s Mercy be upon you! You have cut the neck of your friend.” [Bukhari]

My teacher used to say, “praise is poison”, because of how it can ruin a good intention into a corrupt one. When we are constantly praised, our weak souls begin to rely and covet this praise, so good deeds are then done solely to hear those words of praise. A person’s nafs may rely so much on this praise that they begin seeking it for what they did not do. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) describes in the Qur’an:

 

لَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْرَحُونَ بِمَا أَتَوا وَّيُحِبُّونَ أَن يُحْمَدُوا بِمَا لَمْ يَفْعَلُوا

 

“Think not that those who rejoice in what they have done, and love to be praised for what they have not done…” (3:188)

 

The scholars and righteous of the past would find ways to keep this praise away from themselves and remind those around them to not over praise others. This is why we find many narrations where they humiliate or speak lowly of themselves - it is to keep their nafs in check.

 

This supplication was not taught to us by the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), but it is one that his best friend, Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) would make after being praised (some narrations state that it was a duaa of Ali radi Allahu anhu).

It is reported that he would say,

اللهمَ اجْعَلْنِى خَيْرًا مِمَّا يَظُنُّونَ 

وَاغْفِرْ لِى مَا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ وَلَا تُؤَاخِذْنِى بِمَا يَقُولُون

 

Allahumma-ja’lni khayran mima yadhunoon  

wa-ghfir li ma la ya’lamoon wa la tu’akhidhni bi ma yaquloon.

 

O Allah, make me better than what they think of me, and forgive me for what they do not know about me, and do not take me to account for what they say about me.

For more, visit: Supplication Series | Being Praised

For visual and audio, visit: What To Do When Praised

 

Personally, I find that this dua by the Sahabah, is powerful. I might choose to practice this dua eventho there's nobody praising me. Yep, a very humble one. :)

 

May Allah سبحانه و تعالى make us among the sincere ones and may He purify our hearts from seeking praise and being affected by it.

 

Wallahu A'lam.