I am not concerned if the book of Sufyaan was stolen from me, for indeed I have memorised it all.
Category: Words of Wisdom
Dictated 20,000 hadeeth to us from memory
'Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Mahdee dictated 20,000 hadeeth to us from memory.
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
How would he preoccupy himself?
It was said to the sister of Maalik ibn Deenaar: 'How would Maalik preoccupy himself at home?' She replied: 'The Qur.aan and [its] recitation.'
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.
Verily these hearts are but utensils
Verily these hearts are but utensils, so busy them with the Qur.aan, and do not busy them with anything else.
Concern and attention for one's sins
The concern and attention the servant [of Allaah] has for his sins, motivates [him] to abandon them. And his remorse over them is the key to repentance.
Never had to pay zakaah on his wealth-2
It was reported about al-Husayn ibn Hafs that his yearly income was 100,000 [deenaars], and [despite such a huge income] he was never obligated to extract the zakaah [from his wealth].