“We were with Al-Aʿmash – Allāh have mercy on him – while he was asking Imām Abū Ḥanīfah about legal issues, and Abū Ḥanīfah answered him. Al-Aʿmash said, ‘Where did you get this from?’ Abū Ḥanīfah replied, ‘You narrated to us from Ibrāhīm such-and-such, and you narrated to us from Al-Shaʿbī such-and-such.’ Al-Aʿmash then said, ‘O scholars of Fiqh, you are the doctors, and we are the pharmacists.’”
Naṣīḥat Ahl al-Ḥadīth (p. 26)
The true faqīh (scholar) is the one who the fear of Allāh makes talk and the fear of Allāh makes silent. If he speaks it is by the Book and the Sunnah, and if he is silent, it is by the Book and the Sunnah. And if something is confusing to him and unclear, he withholds judgement and refers it back to whoever knows about it.
Ibn Baṭṭah, Ibṭāl Al-Ḥiyal p18, 19.
Ibn Masʿūd and [the rest of] the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ used to say the qunūt supplication before bowing in the witr prayer.
Ibn Abī Shaybah, Al-Muṣannaf ḥadīth 6911, and others.
“Ibn Masʿūd used to say such-and-such [about this issue].” The man asked, “But tell me your opinion.” He replied, “Are you not all astonished by this man? I inform him of what Ibn Masʿūd [said] and he asks me my opinion. My religion is more important to me than that. By Allāh, I would rather sing a song than inform you of my opinion.”
Al-Dārimī, Al-Sunan ḥadīth 108.
Whoever has not heard the differences of opinion, then do not consider him a scholar.
Ibn ʿAbd Al-Barr, Jāmiʿ Bayān Al-ʿIlm wa Faḍlihī no. 1521.
No man should appoint himself to issue verdicts (fatwa) until and unless he fulfills five characteristics: First, he should have a [firm and good] intention; for if he does not, he will have no light upon him, and nor will his words. Second, he should be forbearing, tranquil and serene. Third, he should be strong upon what he is involved in, strong in its knowledge. Fourth, he should have sufficient means (wealth), otherwise the people will chew him up. Fifth, he should know people and their ways.
Ibn Battah, Ibtāl Al-Hiyal p24.
To learn a single topic of knowledge and teach it to a Muslim is more beloved to me than having the whole world and giving it in the cause of Allāh. Al-Khaṭīb Al-Baghdādī, Al-Faqīh wa Al-Mutafaqqih article 53.
Al-Khaṭīb Al-Baghdādī, Al-Faqīh wa Al-Mutafaqqih article 53.
By Allāh, he who gives people verdicts (fatwā) for every question they ask him is crazy (majnūn). Ibn Battah Al-‘Ukbarī, Ibṭāl Al-Ḥiyal article 81, et al. Imām Ibn Battah (d. 304H) laments: So here is Ibn Masʿūd, swearing by Allāh that a person who gives people verdicts for every question they ask him is mad. And [now] if a person swore, he would not be breaking his oath, and if a person said, he would be speaking the truth: that most of the muftis of our time are mad. For you will hardly find a man who is asked about an issue pausing to consider carefully before answering, nor fearing Allāh and bringing to mind that Allāh is watching him, and fearing that He will say to him: What is the basis of your answer? Rather, most of them worry that it will be said: so-and-so was asked a question and he had no answer…
So here is Ibn Masʿūd, swearing by Allāh that a person who gives people verdicts for every question they ask him is mad. And [now] if a person swore, he would not be breaking his oath, and if a person said, he would be speaking the truth: that most of the muftis of our time are mad. For you will hardly find a man who is asked about an issue pausing to consider carefully before answering, nor fearing Allāh and bringing to mind that Allāh is watching him, and fearing that He will say to him: What is the basis of your answer? Rather, most of them worry that it will be said: so-and-so was asked a question and he had no answer…
The Sunnah of Al-Fiṭr consists of three things: Walking to the prayer place (muṣallā), eating before leaving [for the prayer] and taking a full bath.
Al-Firyābī, Aḥkām Al-ʿEidayn #18. Shaykh Al-Albānī graded its chain of transmission ṣaḥīḥ in Irwāʾ Al-Ghalīl 3:104.
Sit down. Then he would give a small address: Verily the fasting of this month has been made a duty upon you, and standing in night prayer has not been made a duty upon you, but those amongst you who can stand in prayer should do so, for it is from the extra good deeds about which Allāh told us: so whoever cannot stand in prayer, let him sleep on his bed. And beware of saying: I will fast if so and so fasts and I will stand in night prayer if so and so stands in prayer. Whoever fasts or stands in night prayer, he must make this for Allāh. And you should know that you are in prayer as long as you are waiting for a prayer. Minimize any vain or false speech in the houses of Allāh (mosques; he said this two or three times). Let none of you fast a few days before the month (in order to avoid missing the beginning of the month; he said this three times). And do not fast until you see [the crescent of the new month] unless it is overcast. If it is overcast, count [the previous month] as 30 days. Then do not break your fasts until you see the night upon the mountain (i.e. you are sure the sun has set). ‘Abd Al-Razzāq Al-Ṣan’ānī, Al-Muṣannaf article 7748.
‘Abd Al-Razzāq Al-Ṣan’ānī, Al-Muṣannaf article 7748.