Praising People Face To Face

Is it OK to praise people face to face? – المداحون الناس

Yes – if it is the truth (حق), and there is no fear that the person will feel proud etc.

EVIDENCES:

1- Khadijah praised the Prophet, face to face:
إِنَّكَ لَتَصِلُ الرَّحِمَ، وَتَصْدُقُ الْحَدِيثَ، وَتَحْمِلُ الْكَلَّ، وَتَقْرِي الضَّيْفَ، وَتُعِينُ عَلَى نَوَائِبِ الْحَقِّ
“Allah will never disgrace you as you keep good reactions with your Kith and kin, speak the truth, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guest generously and assist the deserving, calamity afflicted ones.”
[“Sahih Bukhari”, 111].

2- On the Night Journey, various Prophets kept saying to our Prophet:
مَرْحَبًا بِالنَّبِيِّ الصَّالِحِ وَالأَخِ الصَّالِحِ
‘Welcome! O pious Prophet and pious brother!”
[“Sahih Bukhari”, 349].

SCHOLARLY EXPLANATIONS:

3- Imam Ibn Battal says in his explanation of Bukhari (1/38):
وفيه جواز تزكية الرجل فى وجهه بما فيه الخير ، وليس بمعارض لقوله ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) : تمت احثوا التراب فى وجوه المداحين – . وإنما أراد بذلك إذا مدحوه بالباطل ، وبما ليس فى الممدوح .
فقد مدح رسول الله عليه السلام فى الشعر والخطب والمخاطبة ، ولم يحث فى وجه المداحين ولا أمر بذلك
“This is evidence that it is permissible to praise a person face to face with the good qualities that he possesses.
That is not contrary to the Hadith: “Throw sand in the faces of those who praise people”, because that means those people who praise others with lies and praise them for what they do not deserve.
The Prophet was praised in many poems and speeches, and no one threw sand in their faces and he did not command anyone to do it.”

4- Imam Nawawi says in his explanation of Sahih Muslim (358):
وفيه جواز مدح الإنسان فى وجهه إذا أمن عليه الإعجاب وغيره من أسباب الفتنة
“And from the hadith, it is permissible to compliment someone face to face, if the person will not be affected by the feelings of arrogance and safe from others from matters that could lead to fitnah.”

5- Imam Badrudin ‘Ayini says in his explanation of Bukhari (1/167):
فيه جواز مدح الإنسان في وجهه لمصلحة
ولا يعارضه قوله ( احثوا في وجوه المداحين التراب ) لأن هذا فيما يمدح بباطل أو يؤدي إلى باطل
“This (hadith) proves that it is permissible to praise someone in the face if there is benefit in it.
That is not contrary to the saying of the Prophet: “Throw sand in the faces of those who praise others”, because that is about a praise that is false or leads to falsehood.”

6- Al-Ghazali says in “Ihya’ Ulum al-Din”, (3/233):
أمَّا إِذَا سَلِمَ المَدْح مِنْ هَذهِ الآفَات فِي حَقِّ المَادِحِ وَالمَمْدُوحِ لَمْ يَكُنْ بِهِ بَأسٌ ، بَلْ رُبَّمَا كَانَ مَنْدُوبًا إِلَيهِ
“However, if a person feels that it is safe from the above harms, whether it is for the person who is complimenting or being complimented, then compliments are not an issue and it is encouraged.”

7- Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani says in ‘Fath al-Bari’, (11/475):
وفي هذا الحديث جواز مدح الرجل في وجهه ما لم يخرج إلى ما ليس فيه
“And this Hadith proofs that it is permissible to praise a man face to face, as long as it does not exceed to something that is not found in him.”

8- Imam Suyuti says:
وفي شرح سنن ابن ماجه – السيوطي وآخرون – (1 / 266)
أن نحثو في وجوه المداحين الخ قال النووي في هذا الباب الأحاديث الواردة في النهي عن المدح وقد جاءت أحاديث كثيرة في الصحيحين بالمدح في الوجه قال العلماء طريق الجمع بينهما أن النهي محمول على المجازفة في المدح والزيادة في الأوصاف أو على من يخاف عليه فتنة من اعجاب ونحوه إذا سمع المدح واما من لا يخاف عليه ذلك لكمال تقواه ورسوخ عقله ومعرفته فلا نهي في مدح في وجهه إذا لم يكن فيه مجازفة بل ان كان يحصل بذلك مصلحة كنشط الخبر أو الازدياد منه أو الدوام عليه أو الاقتداء به كان مستحبا

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The Prophet praised many of his companions face to face – like Uthman for his Hayaa, Abu Bakr, and Omar saying even the devil runs away from you, Ali and others for their good qualities.

The scholars took evidence from all those texts.