We said: You are our master. He said: "The Master is Allah." We said: And the best of us in superiority and the greatest among us in bounty. He said: "Say what you have to say, or part of what you have to say, but do not let the devil deviate you (in praising me)
Chapter: Regarding it being disliked to praise (people)
‘Abdullah ibn ash-Shikhkhīr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
I set out with the delegation of Banu ‘Āmir to meet the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). We said: You are our master. He said: "The Master is Allah." We said: And the best of us in superiority and the greatest among us in bounty. He said: "Say what you have to say, or part of what you have to say, but do not let the devil deviate you (in praising me)."
A group of people came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and on reaching him, they said - praising him - some words that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) disliked. They said: "You are our master." But the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "The Master is Allah," Who possesses full sovereignty over His creation and they are His slaves. They also said: You are "the best of us in superiority" and the highest among us in rank, honor, and in merit. And you are "the greatest among us in bounteousness" and the most giving, the loftiest, and the most prestigious among us. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then advised them to say what they would typically say without affectation and not to be dragged by the devil to exaggeration and flattery that lead to committing what is prohibited of Shirk (polytheism) and its means.
Lessons
This Hadīth shows how the Prophet's Companions held and revered him in high esteem.
Prohibiting affectation in words and encouraging the act of speaking moderately.
Protecting Tawhīd (monotheism) from words and deeds that could violate it.
Prohibition of exaggeration in praising, which is one of the devil's access points.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is the master of the children of Adam, and what is mentioned in the Hadīth is an expression of humility and fear for them lest they exaggerate in honoring him.
Explanation in Arabic
جاءَ جماعةٌ إلى النبيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فلمّا وَصَلَوا إليه قالوا -مَادِحِين له- بعضَ الكلمات التي كَرِهَها صلى الله عليه وسلم،
ثم أرشدَهم النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يقولوا قولهم المعتاد ولا يتكلَّفوا الألفاظ، وألَّا يَجُرَّهم الشيطان إلى الغلو والإطراء الذي يُوقِع فيما حُرِّم من الشرك ووسائله.
عظم قدر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في نفوس أصحابه واحترامهم له.
النهي عن التكلّف في الألفاظ، والاقتصاد في المقال.
حماية التوحيد عما يُخِلُّ به من الأقوال والأعمال.
النهي عن الغلو في المدح، فهو من مداخل الشيطان.
النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم هو سيِّدُ ولد آدم، وما جاء في الحديث هو من باب التواضع، ومن باب الخوف عليهم أن يغلو فيه.
