The Meaning of the Saying of Allah the Exalted: "And as for the favor of your Lord, then tell it forth."
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The Shaykh :[Ad-Duhaa 93:11] People should speak of Allah's favor, not to boast over others, but to display Allah's favor. Speaking of Allah's favor is divided into two categories: speaking with the tongue, by saying, "Allah has blessed me with a child," "He has blessed me with a wife," "Allah has blessed me with wealth," "Allah has blessed me with knowledge," and the like.
The second is speaking through action, where you see the effect of the favor upon you. If you are wealthy, you wear what the wealthy wear, you ride what the wealthy ride, and you eat what the wealthy eat. As for you wearing the clothes of the poor while Allah has made you wealthy, this is a cause for people to gloat over you, and it is not speaking of Allah's favor. So, speaking of Allah's favor, then, is done by what? By speech and by action. By speech, displaying Allah's favor upon you, not boasting over the servants of Allah. And by action, so that the effect of Allah's favor is seen upon you.
If someone were to ask: A man who was extravagant with himself, who was deviant in his belief, his morals, his worship, and his dealings—may he say, "I was such-and-such, and Allah guided me"? In detail, no, do not say it, for I fear this may be from those who are open in their sin, whom Allah conceals, and then they speak of it. But in general terms, there is no harm in saying, "By Allah, I was lost, wandering, and astray, and Allah granted me guidance and uprightness; there is no harm in that. As for in detail, I fear this may be from the open display of sin, about which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih al-Bukhari 6069.
But as for the favor of your Lord, report [it].
وأما بنعمة ربك فحدثThe second is speaking through action, where you see the effect of the favor upon you. If you are wealthy, you wear what the wealthy wear, you ride what the wealthy ride, and you eat what the wealthy eat. As for you wearing the clothes of the poor while Allah has made you wealthy, this is a cause for people to gloat over you, and it is not speaking of Allah's favor. So, speaking of Allah's favor, then, is done by what? By speech and by action. By speech, displaying Allah's favor upon you, not boasting over the servants of Allah. And by action, so that the effect of Allah's favor is seen upon you.
If someone were to ask: A man who was extravagant with himself, who was deviant in his belief, his morals, his worship, and his dealings—may he say, "I was such-and-such, and Allah guided me"? In detail, no, do not say it, for I fear this may be from those who are open in their sin, whom Allah conceals, and then they speak of it. But in general terms, there is no harm in saying, "By Allah, I was lost, wandering, and astray, and Allah granted me guidance and uprightness; there is no harm in that. As for in detail, I fear this may be from the open display of sin, about which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: