Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech

Praise And Extolment

Praise and extolment-المدح والثَّناء

1. Be on your guard against excessive flattery and praise for indeed these two have a foul odour in the heart.

1ـ اِحْتَرِسُوا مِنْ سَوْرَةِ الإطْراءِ والمَدْحِ، فَإنَّ لَهُما ريحاً

2. Beware of praising anyone for something that is not in him, for indeed his action affirms his attribute and belies you.

2ـ إيّاكَ أنْ تُثْنِيَ عَلى أحَد بِما لَيْسَ فيهِ، فَإنَّ فِعْلَهُ

3. The ugliest truth is a person’s praise for himself.

3ـ أقْبَحُ الصِّدْقِ ثَناءُ الرَّجُلِ عَلى نَفْسهِ.

4. Verily the person who praises you is surely a deceiver of your intellect, [and] a cheater who cheats you about yourself with false compliments and spurious praise; so if you deprive him of your grant or withhold from him your favour, he will label you with every scandal and will attribute every ugly act to you.

4ـ إنَّ مادِحَكَ لَخادِعٌ لِعَقْلِكَ غاشٌّ لَكَ في نَفْسِكَ بِكاذِبِ

5. Commendation causes vainglory and brings one closer to heedlessness.

5ـ اَلإطْراءُ يُحْدِثُ الزَّهْوَ وَيُدْني مِنَ الغِرَّةِ.

6. When you praise, be brief.

6ـ إذا مَدَحْتَ فَاخْتَصِرْ.

7. When one of the pious believers is extolled [for his virtues], he fears what is said about him, so he says: I know myself better than others, and my Lord knows me better than myself. O Allah! Do not hold me accountable for what they say and make me better than what they think of me.

7ـ إذا زُكِّيَ أحَدٌ مِنَ المُتَّقينَ، خافَ مِمّا يُقالُ لَهُ

8. Recommendation of the evil ones is one of the greatest sins.

8ـ تَزْكِيَةُ الأشْرارِ مِنْ أعْظَمِ الأَوْزارِ.

9. Love for compliments and praise is from the surest opportunities of Satan.

9ـ حُبُّ الإطْراءِ والمَدْحِ مِنْ أوْثَقِ فُرَصِ الشَّيْطانِ.

10. The best praise is that which flows from the tongues of the righteous.

10ـ خَيْرُ الثَّناءِ ما جَرى عَلى اَلْسِنَةِ الأبْرارِ.

11. The worst praise is that which flows from the tongues of the wicked.

11ـ شَرُّ الثَّناءِ ما جَرى عَلى اَلْسِنَةِ الأشْرارِ.

12. Seeking praise without deserving it is foolishness.

12ـ طَلَبُ الثَّناءِ بِغَيْرِ اسْتِحْقاق خُرْقٌ.

13. How many a person is thrilled by the praise showered upon him.

13ـ كَمْ مِنْ مَفْتُون بِالثَّناءِ عَلَيْهِ.

14. Excessive praise is flattery; it causes vainglory and brings one closer to heedlessness.

14ـ كَثْرَةُ الثَّناءِ مَلَقٌ يُحْدِثُ الزَّهْوَ ويُدْني مِنَ

15. Every praiser has the right to a good reward or a handsome gift from whom he praises.

15ـ لِكُلِّ مُثْن عَلى مَنْ أثْنى عَلَيْهِ مَثُوبَةٌ مِنْ جَزاء

16. One who praises you has [actually] slaughtered you.

16ـ مَنْ مَدَحَكَ فَقَدْ ذَبَحَكَ.

17. One who praises you for what is not in you is indeed likely to blame you for that which you have not done.

17ـ مَنْ مَدَحَكَ بِما لَيْسَ فيكَ فَهُوَ خَليقٌ أنْ يَذُمُّكَ بِما

18. One who is praised for that which is not in him is ridiculed by it.

18ـ مَنْ أُثْنِيَ عَلَيْهِ بِما لَيْسَ فيهِ سُخِرَ بِهِ.

19. Whoever praises you for that which is not in you, then it is actually a criticism of you if you think about it.

19ـ مَنْ مَدَحَكَ بِما لَيْسَ فيكَ فَهُوَ ذَمٌّ لَكَ إنْ عَقَلْتَ.

20. One of the ugliest blameworthy acts [of a person] is praising the wicked.

20ـ مِنْ أقْبَحِ المَذامِّ مَدْحُ اللِّئامِ.

21. The one who praises a person for that which is not in him is mocking him.

21ـ مادِحُ الرَّجُلِ بِما لَيْسَ فيهِ مُسْتَهْزِيٌ بِهِ.

22. The one who praises you for that which is not in you is [actually] mocking you, and if you do not give him that which fulfils his wants, he will be excessive in his blame and defamation of you.

22ـ مادِحُكَ بِما لَيْسَ فيكَ مُسْتَهْزِيٌ بِكَ، فَإنْ لَمْ تُسْعِفْهُ