The Sufficient (Vol 2) · Hadith 1690 (#Ḥadīth #7)
Chapter 16 | Praising Allah Before Praying and Pleading for Help
7ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبِي كَهْمَسٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ دَخَلَ رَجُلٌ الْمَسْجِدَ فَابْتَدَأَ قَبْلَ الثَّنَاءِ عَلَى الله وَالصَّلاةِ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) فَقَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) عَاجَلَ الْعَبْدُ رَبَّهُ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ آخَرُ فَصَلَّى وَأَثْنَى عَلَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَصَلَّى عَلَى رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) فَقَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) سَلْ تُعْطَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ فِي كِتَابِ عَلِيٍّ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ الثَّنَاءَ عَلَى الله وَالصَّلاةَ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ قَبْلَ الْمَسْأَلَةِ وَإِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ لَيَأْتِي الرَّجُلَ يَطْلُبُ الْحَاجَةَ فَيُحِبُّ أَنْ يَقُولَ لَهُ خَيْراً قَبْلَ أَنْ يَسْأَلَهُ حَاجَتَهُ.
7. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn al-Hakam from abu Kahmas who has said the following: “I heard Abu ‘Abdillah saying, ‘Once a man came to the Mosque and he began without praising Allah and asking from Him favors for the Holy Prophet. The Messenger of Allah said, ‘The servant (of Allah) hastened his Lord.’ Then another man came in and prayed, praised Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, and asked favors from Him for the Messenger of Allah. The Messenger of Allah said, ‘Ask for help you will receive it.’ Thereafter the Imam said, ‘It is in the book of Ali “Praising Allah and asking favors from Him for the Messenger of Allah should come before asking for help. When anyone comes to a man to request a favor, he loves to say to him the best words to him before asking for help.’”
Gradings are classical jarḥ-wa-taʿdīl, name-matched to a rijāl index (not individually re-verified).