Al-Adab Al-Mufrad
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 336
Arabic hadith text
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ السَّلامِ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصٌ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ عُمَرَ يَقُولُ: الْمَدْحُ ذَبْحٌ، قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: يَعْنِي إِذَا قَبِلَهَا.
Translation
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Zayd ibn Aslam reported that his father heard ‘Umar say: Praise is slaughter. Muhammad explained: He meant when a person accepts it.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The saying uses a stark metaphor; the transmitter’s gloss limits its application to praise that the recipient accepts.