Question

Could you provide the reference for this statement of ‘Allamah Dhahabi (rahimahullah)?

Imam Dhahabi (rahimahullah) said:

“The sign of a sincere person is that when he is reminded of his mistake, he does not defend himself but instead he admits his mistake while saying: ‘May Allah have mercy on the person who pointed out my mistake.'”

 

Answer

‘Allamah Dhahabi (rahimahullah) has written this in his Siyaru A’lamin Nubala.

He writes: “The sign of a sincere person -who may desire fame without realising it- is that when he is criticised for it, he neither becomes offended nor tries to justify himself. Rather, he admits it and says, “May Allah have mercy on the one who gifts me my faults….”

(Siyaru A’lamin Nubala, vol. 7, pg. 393)

 

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.

Answered by: Mawlana Suhail Motala

Approved by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar

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التخريج من المصادر العربية

سير أعلام النبلاء: (٧/ ٣٩٣)
عبد الرحمن بن مهدي: عن طالوت: سمعت إبراهيم بن أدهم يقول: ما صدق الله عبد أحب الشهرة.
قلت: علامة المخلص الذي قد يحب شهرة، ولا يشعر بها، أنه إذا عوتب في ذلك، لا يحرد ولا يبرئ نفسه، بل يعترف، ويقول: رحم الله من أهدى إلي عيوبي، ولا يكن معجبا بنفسه؛ لا يشعر بعيوبها، بل لا يشعر أنه لا يشعر، فإن هذا داء مزمن.