How to handle praise?
Mufti Taqi Usmani (D.B)
(reported from Imam Auza’i in Shu’ab al -iman of Imam Baihaqi)
Imam Baihaqi reported in Shu'ab al-Iman from Imam Auza’i (R.A) “When some one praises a person infront of him, he should say:
Allahumma anta a’alamu bee minnafsee wa ana a’alamu binafsee minan naas Allaahumma laa tu'aakhidhnee bimaa yaqooloona, waghfir lee maa laa ya'lamoona”
" Oh Allah! You know me better than myself and I know about myself better than what the people know about me. Oh Allah do not call me to account for what they say & forgive me for what they have no knowledge of (i.e. my faults and defects)."
The praise of people is not less than a fitnah for those who serve the deen by speech or writing. So, praising in front of the person is prohibited as it gives rise to the disease of vanity. Imam Auza’i has prescribed this du’a to cure it.
Shaykh Dr. Abdul Hai Arifi (R.A)'s advise:
Shaykh Dr. Abdul Hai Arifi (R.A) used to say that if someone praises you, then say in your heart, “Oh Allah! All thanks be to you that you have shown only my virtues to this person, for, if you were to expose my weaknesses and defects, he would hate me.”
He would also say, “ Desire for fame and praise cannot be satisfied by one’s own effort but it is up to others to fulfill it. Even if it is fulfilled, it is very short lived. Man should think, “what is the benefit achieved from this praise”?
Source: tazkiyatips.blogspot
