The people of Egypt would disparage ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan, until al-Layth ibn Sa’d emerged from [amongst] them and spoke to them about his virtues, and so they refrained.
Category: Manners
Not to accept gifts from the students
Do not accept it, [I prefer that you continue to] relate [hadeeth] to me.
Maintaining cautious ties with the rulers
[The ruler] al-Ma.moon gifted my father 30,000 [deenaars], 10 horses and a slave girl – and he did not accept them.
From the etiquettes of debating
al-Muwaffaq [Ibn Qudaamah] would not debate anyone, except that he would smile [whilst doing so].
The various stages of knowledge
The first [stage] of knowledge is to listen [carefully], then [conscientiously] memorise it, then act according to it, then convey it [to others].
Attaining knowledge
It is not possible to attain knowledge while at ease and rest.
Act in accordance with your knowledge
Whoever does not act in accordance with his knowledge, then his knowledge has not benefited him; rather it has harmed him.
The smell of musk
Sulaymaan [ibn Tarhaan] at-Taymee borrowed a fur pelt from a man, and after wearing it he returned it back [to him]. And this man said: The smell of musk continues to emanate from it.
Until he knew where he was destined
Riba’ee ibn Hiraash took an oath that his teeth would not be seen when laughing, until he knew where he was destined.
Declaring a Muslim a disbeliever
Muhammad ibn Abee Haatim narrates that a man came to Abu ‘Abdillaah al-Bukhaaree and said: ‘O Abaa ‘Abdillaah, such and such has said that you are a disbeliever!!’