Hazrat Husain Karaabeesee (rahimahullah) narrates, “I once spent a night with Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah). He would perform salaah for approximately one third of the night. I did not see Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) reciting more than fifty verses of the Qur’aan in his salaah. If he increased his recitation, than he would not recite more than one hundred verses. Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) would not recite a verse mentioning the mercy of Allah Ta‘ala without begging Allah Ta‘ala for His mercy, and similarly he would not recite a verse mentioning the punishment of Allah Ta‘ala without begging Allah Ta‘ala for His protection from punishment. It was as if Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) was a complete embodiment of both the fear of Allah Ta‘ala, and hope in the mercy of Allah Ta‘ala.”

(Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa’ 8/390)

(Continued)

The governor of Madinah Munawwarah said to the slave girl, “Tell him that I have a letter from the governor of Makkah Mukarramah regarding an urgent affair.” The slave girl entered the home, and after some time, returned with a chair which she placed on the ground. We then met Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah), a man who was advanced in age and tall in stature. When Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) exited his home to meet us, he exuded awe and dignity, and was wearing a taylasaan (a shawl worn over the head and shoulders).

The governor of Madinah Munawwarah handed the letter of the governor of Makkah Mukarramah to Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) who commenced reading it. When he reached the part of the letter in which the governor had written, “This (i.e. Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah)) is a man who is noble in his affairs and condition. You should teach him Hadith.” Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) threw the letter down and exclaimed, “Subhaanallah! Has the knowledge of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) become so cheap that it can now be acquired through a mere casual request?”

Rabee’ bin Sulaimaan (rahimahullah) narrates that he heard Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) mention the following:

I departed from Makkah Mukarramah and joined the tribe of Huzail, travelling with them in the desert. I learned their manner of speaking and the Arabic that they spoke, as they were among the most eloquent of Arabs. I stayed with them for some time, walking with them whenever they departed, and halting with them whenever they stopped.

Thereafter, I returned to Makkah Mukarramah and began to engage in reciting poetry and recounting the history of different people and tribes. One day, a certain man from the tribe of Zuhra passed by and said to me, “O Abu ‘Abdillah! It pains me to see that you are not engaged in acquiring the knowledge of Deen and Fiqh (the understanding of Deen). That which you are currently engaged in is merely the art of eloquence and speaking fluently.” I immediately asked the man, “Who still remains from the ‘Ulamaa who are frequented for their knowledge of Deen?” The man replied, “Imaam Maalik bin Anas (rahimahullah), the leader of the Muslims.”

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said:

إن الله يبعث لهذه الأمة على رأس كل مائة سنة من يجدد لها دينها (سنن أبي داود #4291)

Indeed Allah Ta‘ala sends for this Ummah, on the expiry of every one hundred years, a person who will revive their Deen for them.

Imaam Ahmed bin Hambal (rahimahullah) has mentioned the following:

Indeed Allah Ta‘ala sends for the Ummah, at the termination of every century, a personality who will teach them (and revive) the Sunnah, and purify the Deen of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) from fabrications and unfounded practices. When we reflected (over personalities who fitted this description), we had found that Hazrat ‘Umar bin ‘Abdul ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) was the personality who was blessed to revive Deen at the termination of the first century, and Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) was the personality who was blessed to revive Deen at the termination of the second century.”

(Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa 10/46)