Too Many Words

Ibn 'Umar said, "Two men came from the east as orators in the time of the Messenger of Allah, (ﷺ). They stood up, spoke and then sat down. Thabit ibn Qays, the orator of the Messenger of Allah, (ﷺ), stood up and spoke and the people liked what he said. The Messenger of Allah, (ﷺ), stood up and said, 'O people, say what you have to say. seeking to present words is the best manner is from Shaytan.' Then the Messenger of Allah, (ﷺ), said, 'There is some magic in eloquence.'"

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَامِرٍ الْعَقَدِيُّ، قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ قَالَ‏:‏ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ يَقُولُ‏:‏ قَدِمَ رَجُلاَنِ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ خَطِيبَانِ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَقَامَا فَتَكَلَّمَا ثُمَّ قَعَدَا، وَقَامَ ثَابِتُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ، خَطِيبُ رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَتَكَلَّمَ، فَعَجِبَ النَّاسُ مِنْ كَلاَمِهِمَا، فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَخْطُبُ فَقَالَ‏:‏ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، قُولُوا قَوْلَكُمْ، فَإِنَّمَا تَشْقِيقُ الْكَلاَمِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ إِنَّ مِنَ الْبَيَانِ سِحْرًا‏.‏

Anas said, "A man gave a speech in the presence of 'Umar and said a lot. 'Umar said, 'Too many words in orations comes from the skills of shaytan.'"

حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ، قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ‏:‏ أَخْبَرَنِي حُمَيْدٌ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَنَسًا يَقُولُ‏:‏ خَطَبَ رَجُلٌ عِنْدَ عُمَرَ فَأَكْثَرَ الْكَلاَمَ، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ‏:‏ إِنَّ كَثْرَةَ الْكَلاَمِ فِي الْخُطَبِ مِنْ شَقَاشِقِ الشَّيْطَانِ‏.‏

Abu Yazid or Ma'n ibn Yazid reported that the Prophet, (ﷺ), said, "Gather in your mosques. When the people are gathered, come and tell me.' The first of those to whom he came was us and he sat down. One of the speakers spoke and said, 'Praise be to Allah. No praise can be directed to anyone except Him nor is there any escape without Him.' The Prophet (ﷺ) got angry, stood up and we blamed one another. Then he went to another mosque and sat in it. We sent to him and spoke to him. He came with us and sat where he had been sitting or near to it. Then he said, 'Praise be to Allah who puts whatever He wishes before Him and whatever He wishes behind Him. There is some magic in eloquence.' Then he commanded us and taught us."

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ، قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ حَمَّادٍ، قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ كُلَيْبٍ قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنِي سُهَيْلُ بْنُ ذِرَاعٍ قَالَ‏:‏ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا يَزِيدَ أَوْ مَعْنَ بْنَ يَزِيدَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ‏:‏ اجْتَمِعُوا فِي مَسَاجِدِكُمْ، وَكُلَّمَا اجْتَمَعَ قَوْمٌ فَلْيُؤْذِنُونِي، فَأَتَانَا أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَتَى، فَجَلَسَ، فَتَكَلَّمَ مُتَكَلِّمٌ مِنَّا، ثُمَّ قَالَ‏:‏ إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي لَيْسَ لِلْحَمْدِ دُونَهُ مَقْصَدٌ، وَلاَ وَرَاءَهُ مَنْفَذٌ‏.‏ فَغَضِبَ فَقَامَ، فَتَلاَوَمْنَا بَيْنَنَا، فَقُلْنَا‏:‏ أَتَانَا أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَتَى، فَذَهَبَ إِلَى مَسْجِدٍ آخَرَ فَجَلَسَ فِيهِ، فَأَتَيْنَاهُ فَكَلَّمْنَاهُ، فَجَاءَ مَعَنَا فَقَعَدَ فِي مَجْلِسِهِ أَوْ قَرِيبًا مِنْ مَجْلِسِهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ‏:‏ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي مَا شَاءَ جَعَلَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، وَمَا شَاءَ جَعَلَ خَلْفَهُ، وَإِنَّ مِنَ الْبَيَانِ سِحْرًا، ثُمَّ أَمَرَنَا وَعَلَّمَنَا‏.‏