Ahmad ibn Mahdee was someone who [despite having] experienced [financial] loss and [an increase in] wealth, he spent 300,000 dirhams on the people of knowledge.
Category: Sincerity
Writing books
Whoever authors [books], then he has placed his mind on a plate for display to the people.
Never too late to start learning
Indeed, al-Kisaa.ee studied Arabic grammar in old age.
I do not know
Suhnoon was asked whether it is possible for a scholar to say ‘I do not know’ in response to a matter he knows about?
I do not know
[To say] ‘I do not know’ is half of [all] knowledge.
I do not know
It is befitting for the scholar to bequeath his companions the term ‘I do not know’, so it becomes a principle to which they seek refuge [from the danger of speaking without knowledge].
Humility of the scholar
I have never seen a scholar say “I do not know” more than Taawoos [ibn Keesaan].
I do not know
[To say] “I do not know” is half of [all] knowledge.
He refused to take it
A man came to Ahmad ibn Hanbal with 10,000 [deenaars] of profit from his trade, and he refused [to take] it.
Three essential characteristics
You will not be a scholar until you possess three characteristics.