Hadith 26

Al-Adab Al-Mufrad

Book 33: Sayings

Chapter 336

When a person seeks something, he should ask forsomething small and not praise the person

بَابُ إِذَا طَلَبَ فَلْيَطْلُبْ طَلَبًا يَسِيرًا وَلا يَمْدَحُهُ

Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 779
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنِي الأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ أَبِي الأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ قَالَ‏:‏ إِذَا طَلَبَ أَحَدُكُمُ الْحَاجَةَ فَلْيَطْلُبْهَا طَلَبًا يَسِيرًا، فَإِنَّمَا لَهُ مَا قُدِّرَ لَهُ، وَلاَ يَأْتِي أَحَدُكُمْ صَاحِبَهُ فَيَمْدَحَهُ، فَيَقْطَعَ ظَهْرَهُ‏.‏
'Abdullah said, "When one of you seeks something he needs, he should ask for something small. He will have what is decreed for him. None of you should go to his companion and then praise him and thus break his back."