If Allaah intends evil for the people [due to their wicked character], He opens for them [the door to] argumentation and denies them [righteous] action[s].
Category: Words of Wisdom
I do not know
I accompanied Ibn 'Umar رضي الله عنهما for 34 months, and [during this time] whenever he was asked a question, he would respond with: 'I do not know.' He then turned to me and said
A secretive man
Ibraaheem ibn Ad.ham رحمه الله was a secretive man; and I never saw him openly glorifying Allaah, nor [openly doing] any acts of charity.
Humility even in front of his family
It was reported regarding ar-Rabee' ib Kuthaym that when a family member would enter his room, he would [hasten to] cover his Qur.aan.
Essential attributes of the Scholar
The scholar is not he who [just] knows about the good and the bad, rather, the scholar is he who knows about the good and adheres to it, [just as he] knows of the bad and refrains from it.
Four thousand men on horseback welcomed him
I heard my colleagues saying: 'When al-Bukhaaree entered Neesaaboor, four thousand men on horseback welcomed him, in addition to those riding mules and donkeys and [those who came] on foot.'
Narrating hadeeth and not adopting it
It was said to ash-Shaafi'ee رحمه الله: 'Do you take this hadeeth O Abaa 'Abdillaah?' So he said
I have not memorised anything and then forgotten it
I have not heard anything except that I have memorised it, and I have not memorised anything and then forgotten it.
Seek benefit from them
I heard a talk from 'Ali ibn al-Madeenee which amazed me. He read to us the hadeeth of al-ghaar, then said
Never did I see anyone who remembered death more than him
Never did I sit in the gathering of Sufyaan, except that there was mention of death, [and] never did I see anyone who remembered death more than him.