Praising

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

A person should not praise another to their face as it is not free from problems. The person might be excessive in his praising and end up lying, or he might display love by the praising but not actually have that feelings of love and thus he is being a hypocrite, or he might bring about arrogance and conceitedness in the one praised which are destructive traits, or the one praised might be joyed by the praise, be pleased with himself and leave some good works as only those who are displeased with themselves actively perform good works.

If a person praises another for a good deed to encourage him to perform the like of it, and to encourage others to follow him then it is not blameworthy praise. Rather, it might be recommended if free from the above mentioned problems.

The religiously corrupt should not be praised. Rather, they should be censured.

If people praise you as being someone you are not, then you should resolve to be what they praise you of and increase the good action which people praise you for. For example, if people praise you as being religious, then you should increase your acts of worship. If people praise you as being generous during a fundraiser, then you should give more charity outside the fundraiser.

This du'a is recommended if someone praises you. This was the du'a of Ali Abi Talib, Allah be pleased with him.

اللهم لا تؤاخذني بما يفولون واغفرلي مالا يعلمون واجعاني خيرا مما يظنون

Allahumma laa tu'aakhithnee bimaa yaquluna, waghfir lee maa laa ya'lamuna [waj'alnee khayran mimmaa yadhunnun]

O Allah, do not call me to account for what they say and forgive me for what they have no knowledge of [and make me better than they imagine.] (Bukhari)

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam