Ḥubb al-Madḥ · The Hunger for Praise

The story

When someone praised ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib effusively, he said: 'I am less than what you say, and greater than what they think.' He had calibrated his heart away from the praise-disease.

Why it's named first

The Prophet ﷺ warned us about the praise-lover and the criticism-averse. The disease shapes behavior: we speak what wins applause, withhold what costs popularity, post for likes, write for approval. The heart's compass drifts from Allah's pleasure to people's pleasure.

In the Qur'an

لَا تَحْسَبَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَفْرَحُونَ بِمَآ أَتَوا۟ وَّيُحِبُّونَ أَن يُحْمَدُوا۟ بِمَا لَمْ يَفْعَلُوا۟ فَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّهُم بِمَفَازَةٍ مِّنَ ٱلْعَذَابِ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

“And never think that those who rejoice in what they have perpetrated and like to be praised for what they did not do - never think them [to be] in safety from the punishment, and for them is a painful punishment.”

3:188Listen Read 3:188 with tafsir

Svenska: Tro inte att de som gläder sig åt det som de [anser sig ha] uträttat men också gärna vill få beröm för vad de inte har gjort - tro inte att straffet för dem skall utebli; nej, ett svårt lidande väntar dem.

In the Sunnah

«إِذَا رَأَيتُمُ المَدّاحِينَ فَاحْثُوا فِي وُجُوهِهِمُ التُّرَابَ». 'When you see those who praise [to a person's face], throw dust in their faces.' (Muslim 3002)

The cure

Distrust praise. When complimented, immediately turn the heart to Allah: 'this is from You, not from me.' Never repeat the praise you received. Don't seek validation through posts. Refuse to speak only for applause.

What is at stake

The praise-lover acts for the audience. The Day will reveal that the audience was the wrong court.