We said: You are our master. He said: "The Master is Allah." We said: And the best of us in superiority and the greatest among us in bounty. He said: "Say what you have to say, or part of what you have to say, but do not let the devil deviate you (in praising me)

A group of people came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and on reaching him, they said - praising him - some words that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) disliked. They said: "You are our master." But the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "The Master is Allah," Who possesses full sovereignty over His creation and they are His slaves. They also said: You are "the best of us in superiority"

and the highest among us in rank, honor, and in merit. And you are "the greatest among us in bounteousness" and the most giving, the loftiest, and the most prestigious among us. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then advised them to say what they would typically say without affectation and not to be dragged by the devil to exaggeration and flattery that lead to committing what is prohibited of Shirk (polytheism) and its means.