Sahih al-Bukhari #2558

Witnesses
Sahih

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ صَبَّاحٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ زَكَرِيَّاءَ، حَدَّثَنَا بُرَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ سَمِعَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَجُلاً يُثْنِي عَلَى رَجُلٍ، وَيُطْرِيهِ فِي مَدْحِهِ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ أَهْلَكْتُمْ ـ أَوْ قَطَعْتُمْ ـ ظَهْرَ الرَّجُلِ ‏"‏‏.‏
The Prophet (ﷺ) heard someone praising another and exaggerating in his praise. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "You have ruined or cut the man's back (by praising him so much).
Narrated by Narrated Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari:

Context

In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) addresses the issue of excessive praise. He overhears someone praising another man to an extreme degree and warns that such flattery can harm the person being praised. The takeaway is that while it is good to acknowledge others' virtues, one must be cautious not to exaggerate, as it can lead to negative consequences for the praised individual.

Modern Application

In today's society, it's important to recognize the value of humility and sincerity in our communications. Over-praising someone can create unrealistic expectations and pressure on them. Instead, offering genuine and balanced compliments fosters a healthier environment and relationships.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Respectful Communication because it emphasizes the importance of moderation in praise and the potential harm of excessive flattery.

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يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَرْفَعُوٓا۟ أَصْوَٰتَكُمْ فَوْقَ صَوْتِ ٱلنَّبِىِّ وَلَا تَجْهَرُوا۟ لَهُۥ بِٱلْقَوْلِ كَجَهْرِ بَعْضِكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ أَن تَحْبَطَ أَعْمَٰلُكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَشْعُرُونَ
O you who have believed, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet or be loud to him in speech like the loudness of some of you to others, lest your deeds become worthless while you perceive not.
سُورَةُ التَّوۡبَةِ
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وَمِنْهُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ ٱلنَّبِىَّ وَيَقُولُونَ هُوَ أُذُنٌۭ ۚ قُلْ أُذُنُ خَيْرٍۢ لَّكُمْ يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَيُؤْمِنُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَرَحْمَةٌۭ لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنكُمْ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ رَسُولَ ٱللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ
And among them are those who abuse the Prophet and say, "He is an ear." Say, "[It is] an ear of goodness for you that believes in Allah and believes the believers and [is] a mercy to those who believe among you." And those who abuse the Messenger of Allah - for them is a painful punishment.
سُورَةُ عَبَسَ
Abasa (He frowned)
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عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ
The Prophet frowned and turned away
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Qaaf (The letter Qaaf)
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So be patient, [O Muhammad], over what they say and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting,
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يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّذِينَ ءَاذَوْا۟ مُوسَىٰ فَبَرَّأَهُ ٱللَّهُ مِمَّا قَالُوا۟ ۚ وَكَانَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَجِيهًۭا
O you who have believed, be not like those who abused Moses; then Allah cleared him of what they said. And he, in the sight of Allah, was distinguished.

Common Words

82 total69 unique8 repeated
ٱلله4x
ٱلذين3x
ءامنوا3x
لا3x
يأيها2x
ٱلنبى2x
يؤذون2x
أذن2x
ترفعوا1x
أصوتكم1x
فوق1x
صوت1x
ولا1x
تجهروا1x
له1x
بٱلقول1x
كجهر1x
بعضكم1x
لبعض1x
أن1x
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About Sahih al-Bukhari

This hadith is #2558 from Sahih al-Bukhari, in the Book of Witnesses. It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari:.

About This Hadith