If some people mention the pigeon, the donkey, the dog, or the like, and say: "May Allah honor you," what is the ruling on that?
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The questioner : If some people mention the pigeon, the donkey, the dog, or the like, and say: "May Allah honor you" or "May Allah make you noble," what is the ruling on that?
The Shaykh : There is nothing wrong with that, because it is one of the customary practices that reflects the good manners of the speaker. However, in my view, it would be better to leave it out, because the righteous predecessors used to mention such things but would not say to the person they were addressing, "May Allah honor you" or "May Allah make you noble." However, what is criticized is that some people, when speaking about a woman, say: "May Allah honor you" or the like. This is prohibited, because the woman is one of the children of Adam, and Allah (Mighty and Majestic) says:[Al-Isra 17:70] If the children of Adam are honored in the sight of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), how can the speaker say to the person he is addressing, "May Allah honor you," when he mentions a woman?
This is something that is condemned, and a person should not utter it.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : There is nothing wrong with that, because it is one of the customary practices that reflects the good manners of the speaker. However, in my view, it would be better to leave it out, because the righteous predecessors used to mention such things but would not say to the person they were addressing, "May Allah honor you" or "May Allah make you noble." However, what is criticized is that some people, when speaking about a woman, say: "May Allah honor you" or the like. This is prohibited, because the woman is one of the children of Adam, and Allah (Mighty and Majestic) says:
And We have certainly honored the children of Adam and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things and preferred them over much of what We have created, with [definite] preference.
وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَاهُمْ مِنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَى كَثِيرٍ مِمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلًاThis is something that is condemned, and a person should not utter it.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.