Four Imaams (130)
Imaam Muzani (rahimahullah) mentions:
I went to visit Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) during his final illness. I said to him, “O Abu ‘Abdillah! How are you feeling this morning?” Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) raised his head and replied, “I have commenced the morning departing from the dunya, separating from my brothers and friends, going to receive the recompense of my actions, and proceeding to meet Allah Ta‘ala. I do not know whether my soul is going to Jannah so that I should congratulate it, or whether it is going to Jahannum so that I should console it.” Saying this, Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) began to cry.
(Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa 8/411)
Arguing Causes the Noor of ‘Ilm to be Lost from the Hearts
Written by user2Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) would say, “Arguing and quarrelling in the knowledge of Deen causes the noor of knowledge to be lost from the hearts of the servants.”
Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) was once asked, “If a person has been blessed with the knowledge of the Sunnah, should he argue in defense of the Sunnah when he sees people opposing it?” Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) replied, “No! However, he should inform people of the Sunnah. If they accept what he says, then well and good, and if not, then he should remain silent (and refrain from arguing with them).”
(Ad-Deebaaj-ul-Muzahhab 1/115)
Hazrat Abu Ja’far Balkhi (rahimahullah) mentioned the following:
I heard that if Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) encountered difficulty in understanding any mas’alah and found the mas’alah to be complex and confusing, then he would address his students and say, “This difficulty can only be on account of a sin that I must have committed.” Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) would thus engage in istighfaar (repenting to Allah Ta‘ala). Sometimes, Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) would stand, make wudhu, perform two rakaats of salaah and thereafter repent to Allah Ta‘ala.
Marroozi (rahimahullah) mentions:
When Abu ‘Abdillah (Imaam Ahmed bin Hambal (rahimahullah)) would remember death, he would cry so excessively that he would be choked by tears. Imaam Ahmed (rahimahullah) would say, “At times, fear of the Hereafter prevents me from eating and drinking. When I think of death, every affair and difficulty of this world becomes easy for me to endure. The life of this world is nothing more than passing phases, wherein a person consumes one meal after the next and wears one set of clothing after the next. The life of this world only remains for a few days. I do not regard anything as virtuous (in assisting one to the Hereafter) as possessing less of the world. If I was able to, I would have not associated with people so that nobody would speak about me.”
(Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa vol. 9 pg. 459)
Imaam Ahmed (rahimahullah) was once asked regarding Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah). Imaam Ahmed (rahimahullah) thus said the following:
Allah Ta‘ala favored us and blessed us with Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah). We would learn the verdicts of the various ‘Ulamaa and we would record the knowledge of their kitaabs until Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) came to us. When we heard Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) speak, we realized that he was blessed with more knowledge of Deen than others. We thus sat with him (to learn the knowledge of Deen) during the days and the nights, and we only saw every form of goodness from him.”
Hazrat Yahya (rahimahullah) reports:
We (the students of Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah)) would gather at the door of Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah). Once we had all gathered, a person would announce, “The people of Madinah Munawwarah should first enter.” After the people of Madinah Munawwarah would enter, this person would make an announcement for the other students to enter. Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) would thereafter enter and make salaam, after which he would remain silent. We would also remain silent in the presence of Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) for some moments (before the lesson would commence).
Abu Mu’ayyid Khawaarizmi (rahimahullah) narrates that Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Mubaarak (rahimahullah) said, “On one occasion, a few goats were stolen in Kufah. On hearing of this, Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) enquired about the average age of a goat. When he was informed that goats normally live for up to seven years, he abstained from eating goat meat for seven years.”
Note: According to the Hanafi Mazhab, it is permissible for one to purchase a goat from the market in which a few goats were stolen when the majority of the goats in the market is of halaal sources and one does not have proof that the goat which he is purchasing is from the stolen goats. However, Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah), in his individual capacity, exercised extra caution and refrained from purchasing goats for seven years.
(‘Uqood-ul-Jummaan pg. 240)
The Abstinence of Imaam Ahmed (rahimahullah) – Part Two
Written by user2Imaam Ishaaq bin Raahwayh (rahimahullah) once mentioned, “When Imaam Ahmed (rahimahullah) was travelling to study Hadith under Imaam ‘Abdur Razzaaq (rahimahullah), his wealth depleted and ran out. He thus hired himself to some camel drivers (and worked for them while travelling) until he reached San‘aa. The companions of Imaam Ahmed (rahimahullah) had offered to share their wealth with him, but he had refused to accept it.
(Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa vol. 9 pg. 458)
Respect for the Neighbors of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)
Written by user2Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) had a doorkeeper who would announce when people would arrive and seek permission for them to enter. When people would gather at the door of Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) (to learn the mubaarak Ahaadith of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)), Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) would instruct the doorkeeper to call them in. Permission would first be granted to certain special students of Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) to enter. Thereafter, permission would be given for other people to enter.
Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) once mentioned the following:
True ‘Ilm creates steadfastness upon Deen, and the outcome of steadfastness upon Deen is that one will be safeguarded (from falling into sin and wrong). True abstinence of the world creates contentment, and the outcome of contentment is that one will enjoy peace and comfort. True sabr creates determination, and the outcome of determination is that one will eventually reach his goal. The ability to carry out righteous deeds is in actual fact the taufeeq of Allah Ta‘ala, and the outcome of taufeeq is that one will be successful (in acquiring the pleasure of Allah Ta‘ala and Jannah), and every good by Allah Ta‘ala is based on truthfulness.
(Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa vol. 8 pg. 393)
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A woman once came to Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah), wishing to purchase a silken cloth. When Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) showed her a certain cloth, she said to him, “I am a weak woman, and it is an amaanah (with which I have been entrusted to purchase this cloth), so please sell me this cloth for the amount that it costed you.” Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) immediately said to her, “Take it for four dirhams.” The woman could not believe that Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) was prepared to sell her the silken cloth for such a low price, and thus exclaimed, “Do not joke with me, as I am an old woman!”
Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) explained to her, “I purchased two cloths. I sold one of the two cloths for a price which covered the entire capital with which I purchased both cloths besides four dirhams. Hence, this cloth now remains with only four dirhams of the capital amount outstanding. (Therefore, I have sold the second cloth to you for four dirhams.)”
(Akhbaar Abi Hanifah wa Saahibayhi lis-Saymari pg. 50-51)
A woman once came to Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) with a silken cloth and said to him, “Please sell it for me (as I am not experienced in trade. Hence, I wish you to assist me in correctly evaluating it and selling it to someone who wishes to purchase it from me).” Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) asked the woman, “How much were you advised to sell the cloth for?” The woman replied, “One hundred.” Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) remarked, “It is worth more than one hundred!”
Emulation and Love for Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)
Written by user2Hazrat ‘Abdullah (rahimahullah), the son of Imaam Ahmed (rahimahullah), narrates the following, “I saw my father take a strand from the blessed hair of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), place it on his lips and kiss it. I also remember seeing him place it on his eyes, and place it in water after which he drank the water, hoping for shifaa (cure and blessings).”
The Generosity of Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) – Part Two
Written by user2Rabee’ (rahimahullah) narrates, “Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) was once passing by the shoe-makers when his whip fell. Seeing his whip fall, a young lad immediately sprang forward, picked up the whip, wiped it with his sleeve and handed it to Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah). In appreciation, Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) handed the lad seven dinars (gold coins).