Chapter 10: Regarding it being disliked to praise (people) - كتاب الأدب
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو شِهَابٍ، عَنْ خَالِدٍ الْحَذَّاءِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، أَثْنَى عَلَى رَجُلٍ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ لَهُ " قَطَعْتَ عُنُقَ صَاحِبِكَ " . ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ " إِذَا مَدَحَ أَحَدُكُمْ صَاحِبَهُ لاَ مَحَالَةَ فَلْيَقُلْ إِنِّي أَحْسِبُهُ كَمَا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَقُولَ وَلاَ أُزَكِّيهِ عَلَى اللَّهِ " .
Abu Bakrah said that when a man praised another man in his face in the presence of the Prophet (ﷺ) said :
You have beheaded your friend (saying it three times). He then said : One who cannot help expressing praise of his companion, should say : I consider him such and such (as he intends to say), but I do not declare him pure with Allah.