478. Islamic Etiquette Dua of Praising Others
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If you ever have to praise someone, say:
Etiquette Dua in Arabic
أَحْسِبُ فُلَانًا وَاللَّهُ حَسِيْبُهُ وَلَا أُزَكِّيْ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَحَدًا أَحْسِبُهُ كَذَا وَكَذَا
Etiquette Dua English Transliteration
A’hsibu fulanan wallahu ‘hasiibuhu wa laa ‘uzakkii ‘alAllahi a’hadan a’hsibuhu kaza wa kaza
Etiquette Dua English Translation
I think that he is so and so, and Allah knows exactly the truth, and I do not confirm anybody's good conduct before Allah, but I think him so and so.
It is a crime to slander a person from behind and praise him from the front. In the case of praise, one's special nature or quality can be praised. It is forbidden in the Hadith to praise someone or to say that someone is good. In the case of praise, I have to say: I think such a person is good; Confirmation cannot be expressed.
Hadith about the Dua
Arabic Text
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَامٍ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ الْحَذَّاءُ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ أَثْنَى رَجُلٌ عَلَى رَجُلٍ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ وَيْلَكَ قَطَعْتَ عُنُقَ صَاحِبِكَ قَطَعْتَ عُنُقَ صَاحِبِكَ مِرَارًا ثُمَّ قَالَ مَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَادِحًا أَخَاهُ لَا مَحَالَةَ فَلْيَقُلْ أَحْسِبُ فُلَانًا وَاللَّهُ حَسِيبُهُ وَلَا أُزَكِّي عَلَى اللَّهِ أَحَدًا أَحْسِبُهُ كَذَا وَكَذَا إِنْ كَانَ يَعْلَمُ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ
Narrated Abu Bakra: A man praised another man in front of the Prophet (ﷺ) . The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, "Woe to you, you have cut off your companion's neck, you have cut off your companion's neck," repeating it several times and then added, "Whoever amongst you has to praise his brother should say, 'I think that he is so and so, and Allah knows exactly the truth, and I do not confirm anybody's good conduct before Allah, but I think him so and so,' if he really knows what he says about him." [Bukhari: 2662]