When praising a person can you speak about their rank with Allah?

It is not permitted to speak about a persons rank with Allah Most High when praising them. Unless such things have been mentioned in Quran and Hadith. This is because we cannot speak on behalf of Allah Most High, rather we can convey what He (Most High) has revealed.

عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ: أَنَّ رَجُلًا ذُكِرَ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ خَيْرًا، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:  وَيْحَكَ، قَطَعْتَ عُنُقَ صَاحِبِكَ – يَقُولُهُ مِرَارًا – إِنْ كَانَ أَحَدُكُمْ مَادِحًا لاَ مَحَالَةَ فَلْيَقُلْ: أَحْسِبُ كَذَا وَكَذَا، إِنْ كَانَ يُرَى أَنَّهُ كَذَلِكَ، وَحَسِيبُهُ اللَّهُ، وَلاَ يُزَكِّي عَلَى اللَّهِ أَحَدًا 

Abdal Rahman Ibn Abi Bakrah narrated, on the authority of his father, that a man was mentioned in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ, so another man praised him. The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Mercy be upon you. You have cut the neck of your friend. He ﷺ said it repeatedly. If any one of you must praise someone, then he should say: I presume such and such, if he truly deems that he is as such, and his Judge is Allah (Most High). He must not speak about a person’s piety before Allah (Most High).’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6061).

Many Muslims are unaware of the religious guidance provided in Quran and Hadith regarding praising people. Which is why so many people fall into grave errors. Every Muslim must study this guidance alongside other rules governing our speech.

When a Muslim praises a person, he can only speak about matters he has access to. So, he cannot speak about what is in another’s heart. As the hearts are known to Allah (Most High), not us. He cannot speak about this persons rank with Allah (Most High) or recompense in the afterlife, unless he can quote and explicit verse of the Holy Quran or Hadith from the Noble Sunnah.

أَيْ لَا أَقْطَعُ عَلَى عَاقِبَةِ أَحَدٍ وَلَا عَلَى مَا فِي ضَمِيرِهِ لِكَوْنِ ذَلِكَ مُغَيَّبًا عَنْهُ وَجِيءَ بِذَلِكَ بِلَفْظِ الْخَبَرِ وَمَعْنَاهُ النَّهْيُ أَيْ لَا تُزَكُّوا أَحَدًا عَلَى اللَّهِ لِأَنَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ مِنْكُمْ. (فتح الباري شرح صحيح البخاري)

Meaning I will not comment definitively regarding the judgement of any person. Nor will I comment on what is in him (in his heart). Rather that is from the unseen. It was mentioned with the words of a narration. However, the meaning is one of prohibition. Meaning, do not speak about a person’s piety before Allah (Most High). Rather He (Most High) knows better than you. (Imam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani, Fath al-Bari).

Even when commenting upon a person’s outward, we must be careful and not use definitive descriptions. Rather we recognise that only Allah (Most High) knows the reality of every person.

وَالْمَعْنَى فَلْيَقُلْ أَحْسِبُ أَنَّ فُلَانًا كَذَا إِنْ كَانَ يُحْسَبُ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ سِرَّهُ لِأَنَّهُ هُوَ الَّذِي يُجَازِيهِ وَلَا يَقُلْ أَتَيَقَّنُ وَلَا أَتَحَقَّقُ جَازِمًا بِذَلِكَ. (فتح الباري شرح صحيح البخاري)

And the meaning of ‘Let him say, I think that so and so is as such,’ is if he considers that to be true of him. Whilst (recognizing) that Allah (Most High) knows his (true) reality, because He (Most High) is the One to recompense him. He must not say, ‘I am sure’ or ‘I can confirm’ in a definitive manner. (Imam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani, Fath al-Bari).

The most manifest violation of these rules tends to occur when people are speaking about scholars and religious leaders. Even, so called, learned people fall into these errors. So, one must take greater care in such a context and observe the guidance of the Holy Prophet ﷺ closely. The Prophet ﷺ was sent as a mercy to mankind, whenever we stray from his ﷺ guidance we will be impacted personally and as a community.

عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ: أَثْنَى رَجُلٌ عَلَى رَجُلٍ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، فَقَالَ: وَيْلَكَ قَطَعْتَ عُنُقَ صَاحِبِكَ، قَطَعْتَ عُنُقَ صَاحِبِكَ. مِرَارًا، ثُمَّ قَالَ: مَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَادِحًا أَخَاهُ لاَ مَحَالَةَ، فَلْيَقُلْ أَحْسِبُ فُلاَنًا، وَاللَّهُ حَسِيبُهُ، وَلاَ أُزَكِّي عَلَى اللَّهِ أَحَدًا أَحْسِبُهُ كَذَا وَكَذَا، إِنْ كَانَ يَعْلَمُ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ

Abdal Rahman Ibn Abi Bakrah narrated, on the authority of his father, that a man was mentioned in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ, so another man praised him. The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Mercy be upon you. You have cut the neck of your friend.’ He ﷺ said it repeatedly. Then he said, ‘If any one of you must praise his brother, then he should say: I presume him to be such and such, and his Judge is Allah (Most High). I do not speak about a person’s piety before Allah (Most High). Rather he says, I presume him to be such and such, if he truly knows that to be the case.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, 2662).

In the above narration from Sahih al-Bukhari it is clarified that even the permissible form of praise is only acceptable when he has actual knowledge that it is correct. So even when one is not speaking about matters of the unseen, one must still be careful with praise in a religious context.

And Allah Most High Knows Best

-Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (16.12.2022)

-With special thanks to Sidi Yusuf Asghar for assisting with Nusoos translation

See also:
Is it acceptable to say someone is in Jannah?

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