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Imaam Shaafi'ee (rahimahullah) (32)
The Secret to Illuminating the Heart with the Understanding of Deen
Written by user2Harmalah bin Yahya (rahimahullah) reports:
I once heard Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) mention the following in regard to purifying and illuminating the heart through which it will be easy for one to understand Deen:
“The one who wishes that Allah Ta‘ala should open and illuminate his heart (with deep understanding and profound knowledge), then he should hold firmly onto the following qualities; refraining from discussing that which does not concern him, leaving out all sins and abstaining from all forms of disobedience. Furthermore, he should carry out righteous actions which should be only between him and Allah Ta‘ala (i.e. with ikhlaas and without publicizing them before anyone). When one does this, then Allah Ta‘ala will bless him with such profound ‘ilm that he will remain immersed in it and it will safeguard him from becoming involved in other occupations of the world. Similarly, he will be concerned about his end which will keep him away from all other futile pursuits (i.e. the preparation for death and the Hereafter will safeguard him from getting involved in unbeneficial actions).”
(Manaaqib-ush-Shaafi‘ee li-lBayhaqi vol. 2 pg. 171)
Rabee’ bin Sulaimaan (rahimahullah) reports that he once heard Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) mention the following:
The goodness of this world and the next can be found in five qualities; the contentment of the heart, refraining from causing any harm or inconvenience to the creation, earning a halaal livelihood, adorning yourself with taqwa, and placing your trust in Allah Ta‘ala in all conditions.
(Manaaqib-ush-Shaafi‘ee li-lBayhaqi vol. 2 pg. 170)
Ebrahim Al-Muzani (rahimahullah) mentioned the following:
On one occasion, I entered the home of Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) while he was engaged in writing a kitaab. Seeing the exertion of Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) (and knowing that he was ill at that time), I said to him, “May Allah Ta‘ala have mercy on you! The students of Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) and the students of Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) have authored many kitaabs, and they have exerted themselves in the path of knowledge more than you are exerting yourself (in other words, the effort that they made is sufficient, so you do not have to exert yourself)!”
The Generosity of Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) – Part Seven
Written by user2Rabee’ (rahimahullah) mentioned the following, describing the profound generosity of Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah):
Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) was such that if any person asked him for anything, his complexion would change as he would feel overwhelmed by the need to assist the person, and he would thereafter hasten to give the person that which he sought.
The Generosity of Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) – Part Six
Written by user2Rabee’ bin Sulaimaan (rahimahullah) reports that he heard Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) mention the following:
On one occasion, the day of eid had drawn near, but I did not have any money for my wife’s expenditure. Seeing the constrained situation that we were in, my wife said to me, “There are certain people to whom you regularly give gifts. Why do you not take a loan from some of these people?” Accordingly, I took a loan of seventy dinars. I then left twenty dinars for my wife’s expenditure and I kept aside the remaining fifty dinars for other needs.
The Generosity of Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) – Part Five
Written by user2Harthamah narrates:
On one occasion, I came to Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) and informed him that Ameer-ul-Mu’mineen, Haroon Rasheed, had conveyed salaams to him. I also informed him that Haroon Rasheed had given the instruction that he should be given five thousand dinaars (gold coins) as a gift.
The Generosity of Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) – Part Four
Written by user2Muhammed bin ‘Abdillah bin ‘Abdil Hakam (rahimahullah) narrates the following:
On one occasion, Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) came to our home. On arriving at our home, he presented his animal to me and said, “Ride this conveyance of mine.” I thus mounted the animal and rode it a little. He then said to me, “Ride it forwards and backwards (to see if you are comfortable riding it).” Accordingly, I rode it forwards and backwards, as he instructed.
Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) then said, “I feel that this animal is suitable for you. Take it, for it is a gift from me to you.”
Muhammed bin ‘Abdillah bin ‘Abdil Hakam (rahimahullah) thereafter remarked, “Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) was among the most generous of people.”
(Manaaqib-ush-Shaafi‘ee lil-Bayhaqi pg. 2/223)
The Generosity of Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) – Part Three
Written by user2Rabee’ bin Sulaimaan (rahimahullah) narrates the following:
On one occasion, we were with Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) when he exited from the musjid in Egypt and the strap of his sandal broke. Seeing what transpired, a certain person came forward, fixed the strap of Imaam Shaafi‘ee’s (rahimahullah) sandal and handed it back to him.
Following a Person who Holds Deviated Beliefs in Deen
Written by user2Yunus bin ‘Abdil A’laa (rahimahullah) narrates the following:
I once said to Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah), “Our companion, Imaam Laith bin Sa’d (rahimahullah), has mentioned in regard to people who hold deviated beliefs, ‘Even if I see a person who holds deviated beliefs in deen walking on water, I will not accept him and follow him.’”
Hearing this, Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) remarked, “Imaam Laith (rahimahullah) has said well, but has not expressed the matter to the point I would have expressed it. I would say that let alone such a person walking on water, even if I see him flying in the air, I would not accept him and follow him.”
(Manaaqib-ush-Shaafi‘ee lilBayhaqi pg. 1/453)
In Baghdad, Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) was known by the title ‘Naasir-us-Sunnah’ (the savior of the Sunnah).
Haafiz Ibnu Katheer (rahimahullah) says, “Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) memorized the Qur’aan Majeed when he was only seven, the Muwatta of Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) when he was ten, and his Shaikh, Muslim bin Khallaad Al-Zanji (rahimahullah), permitted him to pass verdicts (Fatwa) when he was only fifteen (some narrations state that he was eighteen).”
Hazrat Abu Thowr (rahimahullah), one of the Mujtahideen of that era, says, “We never saw anyone as great as Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah).”
(Al-Bidaayah-wan-Nihaayah 10/276)
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Spending the Entire Night in the Recitation of the Qur’aan
Written by user2Haaroon bin Sa‘eed bin Haytham Al-Ayli narrates the following:
On one occasion, some of the Fuqahaa of Egypt entered the presence of Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) at the time of sehri. On entering and meeting him, they saw that he had the Qur’aan Majeed before him and was occupied with its recitation.
The Advice of Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) to Imaam Shaafi'ee (rahimahullah)
Written by user2Abu Haatim, Hasan bin Ahmed (rahimahullah) reports the following:
Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) once addressed Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) and advised him saying, “Allah Ta‘ala has instilled a special noor and divine light within your heart. Do not extinguish this noor through committing sins and falling into the disobedience of Allah Ta‘ala.”
(Manaaqib-ush-Shaafi‘ee lilBayhaqi pg. 1/104)
Not being Concerned about the Negative Remarks of People
Written by user2Yunus bin ‘Abdul A‘laa (rahimahullah) mentions the following:
Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) once said to me, “You will never be able to please and satisfy every person, and there is no way that you will be able to remain safe from the criticism and negative remarks of every person. Hence, do not be concerned about the negative remarks of people, but concern yourself with that which will benefit you and firmly hold onto it.”
(Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa 10/89)
Yunus bin ‘Abdul A‘laa (rahimahullah) mentions the following:
Hazrat Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) once said to me, “O Yunus! Staying away from people and totally refraining from interacting with them will create enmity in their hearts for you. On the other hand, associating with people too much will cause you to fall into bad company. You should thus adopt the path of moderation by neither associating with people too much, nor completely cutting yourself off from them.”
(Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa 10/89)