Is this reliable
كان أبو بكر إذا مدح قال: اللهم أنت أعلم مني بنفسي وأنا أعلم بنفسي منهم، اللهم اجعلني خيرا مما يظنون واغفر لي ما لا يعلمون ولا تؤاخذني بما يقولون
Answer
Translation:
When Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (radiyallahu’anhu) would be praised by others, he would recite this du’a:
اَللّهُمَّ أَنتَ أَعلَمُ مِنِّي بِنَفسِي وَأَنَا أَعلَمُ بِنَفسِي مِنهُم، اَللّهُمَّ اجعَلنِي خَيرًا مِّمَّا يَظُنُّونَ وَاغفِر لِي مَا لَا يَعلَمُونَ وَلَا تُؤَاخِذنِي بِمَا يَقُولُون
Allahumma anta a’lamu minni binafsi wa ana a’lamu binafsi minhum, Allahummaj ‘alni khayram mimma yazunnun, waghfirli ma la y’alamun, wala tua khidhni bima yaqulun.
O Allah, You Know me better than I know myself, and I know myself better than them.
O Allah, make me better than they think of me, and do not hold me responsible for what they say about me.
This du’a is recorded with a broken chain by Imam Ibnul Athir (rahimahullah).
(Usdul Ghabah, vol.3 pg.324)
Despite its weakness, it is still suitable for the topic of du’a, especially since it has other supports as well.
See similar words reported from other earlier figures in Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, Hadith: 36853, Shu’abul Iman, Hadith: 4533, 4534 & Fathul Bari, Hadith: 6061.
I’ve also heard My Honourable Teacher; Al-‘Allamatul Muhaddith, Shaykh Muhammad ‘Awwamah (hafizahullah) reciting this du’a as well.
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,
Answered by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar