Imām Al-Shāfiʿī

A man once asked Ubay b. Kaʿb – Allāh be pleased with him, “Exhort me with something I can benefit by and by which I will be rewarded.” He replied, “Be brotherly with brothers according to how righteous they are, do not expend your speech on those who are not interested in it, do not seek anyone to meet your need who does not care if he does not fulfil it, and do not envy the living except for something you would envy the dead.”

Al-Ājurrī, Juz fīhi Ḥikāyāt ʿan Al-Shāfiʿī article 24.

Do not live in a land in which there is neither a scholar to inform you about your religion, nor a doctor to tell you about your body.

Al-Bayhaqī, Manāqib Al-Shāfiʿī 2:115

It is reported that Imām Al-Shāfʿee – Allāh have mercy on him – said, The loftiest in status are those who do not know their own status, and the most virtuous of them are those who do not know their own virtue.

Al-Dhahabī, Siyar ʾAʿlām Al-Nubalāʾ 10:99

Al-Shāfi’ī used to divide the night into three parts: he would write (knowledge) for the first third, pray during the second third and sleep during the last third. It is reported from Ḥusayn Al-Karābīsī that he said: I spent the night with Al-Shāfi’ī. He would pray for about a third of the night. I hardly ever saw him recite more than fifty verses (in the prayer), one hundred at most. Whenever he came to a verse about mercy, he would ask Allāh for His Mercy, for himself and for the believers; and whenever he came to a verse about punishment, he would seek Allāh’s refuge from it, and ask salvation for himself and for all the believers. So it is as if both hope and fear were brought together for him. Al-Bayhaqī, Ma’rifatu Al-Sunan articles 362, 365.

Al-Bayhaqī, Ma’rifatu Al-Sunan articles 362, 365.

Al-Shāfi’ī saw me sitting in his circle, and there was some ink on my shirt I was trying to hide. He said, “Young man, why are you hiding it? Having ink on ones clothes is a sign of lofty conduct: to the sight it is black, but to the insight it is white (with the light of knowledge).” It is reported that ‘Abdullāh b. Al-Mubārak – Allāh have mercy on him – said: Ink on the clothes is the perfume of the scholars. – Some put this in verse (from Arabic): The ink-pot’s ink is the perfume of men As saffron is the perfume of women So the former befits the garments of those men As the latter the garments of wives It is reported that Imām Aḥmad said, seeing the students of ḥadīth approaching with their ink-pots: These are the lanterns of Islām. Al-Khaṭīb Al-Baghdādī, Al-Jāmi’ li-Akhlāq Al-Rāwī, articles 508, 509, 512 .

Al-Khaṭīb Al-Baghdādī, Al-Jāmi’ li-Akhlāq Al-Rāwī, articles 508, 509, 512 .

If you fear becoming deluded and impressed by your deeds then remember whose pleasure you are seeking, and the joy (Paradise) in which you want to be, and what punishment you fear. Whoever thinks about these things will diminish his deeds. Al-Dhahabī, Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā` 10:42.

Al-Dhahabī, Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā` 10:42.

I heard Al-Shāfi’ī say, “A man does not become complete in this life except when he has four [qualities]: religiousness (al-diyānah), trustworthiness (al-amānah), safeguarding [from sin] (al-ṣiyānah) and sobriety (al-razānah).” Al-Bayhaqī, Manāqib Al-Shāfi’ī 2:189.

Al-Bayhaqī, Manāqib Al-Shāfi’ī 2:189.

When I see a man from the Adherents of Ḥadīth, it is as if I have seen the Prophet – Allāh’s peace and blessings be upon him – alive. Al-Khaṭīb Al-Baghdādī, Sharaf Ashāb Al-Ḥadīth article 85.

Al-Khaṭīb Al-Baghdādī, Sharaf Ashāb Al-Ḥadīth article 85.

Abū Nu’aym, Ḥilyatu Al-Awliyā` 1:250. It is related from Al-Rabī’ b. Sulaymān, “Muḥammad b. Idrīs Al-Shāfi’ī used to complete reciting the Quran in the month of Ramadan sixty times, all in the prayer.” Ibid. 4:107 It is reported that Abul-Ash-hab said, “Abū Al-Rajā` [Al-Aṭārudī] would complete with us a recitation of the Quran in the night prayers of Ramadan every ten days.” Ibid. 1:348 It is reported that Qatādah used to complete a recitation of the Quran once every seven nights, and when Ramadan came, once every three nights. During the last ten nights, he would complete a recitation every night. Ibid. 1:364 It is reported that Al-Bukhārī used to complete a recitation [of the Quran] once a day in Ramadan, and would pray after Tarāwīḥ every night, completing another recitation every three nights. Al-Dhahabī, Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā` 12:439 Notes After mentioning some similar examples from the Salaf, Ibn Rajab says in Laṭā`if Al-Ma’ārif p319: The prohibition of reciting the Quran in less than three days [found in some ahadith] refers to doing so regularly [throughout the year]. As for virtuous times, like Ramadan – especially the nights in which it is hoped Laylatu Al-Qadr will occur – or virtuous places, like Makkah – for those who enter it and are not residents there, then it is recommended to increase in reciting the Quran, making the most of the time and the place. This is the position of [Imam] Aḥmad, Isḥāq [ibn Rāhūyah] and other Imams, and the practice of others [from the Salaf] indicates [they held the same position].

The prohibition of reciting the Quran in less than three days [found in some ahadith] refers to doing so regularly [throughout the year]. As for virtuous times, like Ramadan – especially the nights in which it is hoped Laylatu Al-Qadr will occur – or virtuous places, like Makkah – for those who enter it and are not residents there, then it is recommended to increase in reciting the Quran, making the most of the time and the place. This is the position of [Imam] Aḥmad, Isḥāq [ibn Rāhūyah] and other Imams, and the practice of others [from the Salaf] indicates [they held the same position].

Al-Lālakā`ī, Sharh Usūl ‘I’tiqād Ahl Al-Sunnah Vol.1 p228; Ibn Battah, Al-Ibānah Al-Kubrā Vol2. P175; Ibn Al-Jawzī, Talbīs Iblīs p14 – with slightly variant wordings.

They (the heretics) were destroyed by their inability in Arabic (al-‘ujmah). Al-Bukhārī, Al-Tārīkh Al-Kabīr Vol.5 p99. And Imām Al-Shāfi’ī said: People didn’t become ignorant and didn’t differ amongst themselves except because they left Arabic and leaned towards the language of Aristotle. Quoted by Al-Suyūṭī in Ṣawn Al-Manṭiq p15. He said on p22: I have found Salaf before Al- Shāfi’ī indicate what he did: that the cause of heresy (al-ibtidā’) is ignorance of Arabic language.

I have found Salaf before Al- Shāfi’ī indicate what he did: that the cause of heresy (al-ibtidā’) is ignorance of Arabic language.

I heard Al-Shāfi’ī comment on the statement of Allah: Nay, they (the unbelievers) will be on that day veiled from their Lord. [Al-Muṭaffifīn: 15] He said, “In this verse there is evidence that the awliyā` of Allah (His beloved righteous worshippers) will see their Lord on the Day of Resurrection.” Al-Lālakā`ī in Sharḥ Usūl I’tiqād Ahl Al-Sunnah wa Al-Jamā’ah Vol.2 p309.

Al-Lālakā`ī in Sharḥ Usūl I’tiqād Ahl Al-Sunnah wa Al-Jamā’ah Vol.2 p309.

Actions are but by intentions, and everyone will have what he intended. So whoever migrated to Allah and His Messenger, he migrated to Allah and His Messenger. But whoever migrated for some worldly benefit, or to take a woman in marriage, then his migration was only to what he migrated to.

Al-Bukhāri, Muslim and others.