Narrated Abu Bakra: A man praised another man in the presence of Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be to him). The Blessed Messenger said to him, “Woe to you, you have cut off your companion’s neck, you have cut off your companion’s neck,” repeating it several times and then added, “Whosoever among you has to praise your brother should say, ‘I think that he is so and so, and Allah knows exactly the truth, and I do not confirm anybody’s good conduct before Allah, but I think him so and so,’ if he really knows what he says about him.”
(Bukhari)
Thankfulness is one of the salient traits of a civilized person. Spurred by this inbuilt quality, a person praises his fellow brother for some favour from him. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) who has taught the believer etiquette of day-to-day life, has also taught him the etiquette of praising. He has prohibited him from praising a brother in his presence. He likened a Muslim’s praise for his fellow brother to cutting off his companion’s neck. This metaphor of cutting off his companion’s neck very effectively conveys the Blessed Messenger’s denunciation of the act of praising a person in his presence.
Mercy to mankind as he is, the Blessed Messenger was not content to express his dislike for the act of praising. He taught the believer not to praise his brother in his presence. This is so because only Allah knows how good or praiseworthy a person is.