Advices from Ash- Shaafi'ee

Ash-Shaafi’ee (rahimahullaah) said:
“Knowledge is that which benefits not that which is memorised”

Sincerity
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Ash-Shaafi’ee (rahimahullaah) said:
“If one of you were to strive with utmost striving to make all the people pleased with him then there is no way for him (i.e. he’ll never be able to do that).
So let the servant purify his actions which are between him and Allaah Ta’aala.”

And he also said,
“No-one knows Riyaa (showing-off, insincerity etc) except the sincere ones.”

Silence, Love and Honour
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Muraaqabah of the Tongue
Ash-Shaafi’ee (rahimahullaah) was asked regarding an issue (mas’alah).
It was said to him: “Will you not answer, may Allaah have mercy on you!
He said: “(No), Until I know the benefit and virtue in either my silence or in my answer.”

Love and Love
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Ash-Shaafi’ee (rahimahullaah) said:
“Whoever claims to have gathered in his heart the love of this world and the love of its Creator (Allaah), has indeed lied.”

Ash-Shaafi’ee (rahimahullaah) said:
“Whoever is not honoured by Taqwa, then there is no honour for him.”

Nobility & Salvation
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Beware of the love of people
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“Be silent in that era as it moves along
And regarding the mortals, flee from their monastery
And wash your hands from the occasion and its people
And be cautious of their love whereby you reach their goodness
I explored but did not find a companion
To befriend through life and befriend no-one but he
So I abandoned the lowest of them due to the excess of his evil
And I abandoned the loftiest of them due the shortage of his goodness.”

Oppressor of his own self
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Ash-Shaafi’ee (rahimahullaah) said:
“The one who oppresses himself the most is:
The one who humbles himself for one who does not honour him
And strives in the friendship of one who does not benefit him
And accepts praise from one who does not know him”ه

Companion of desires
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“If I saw a companion of his own desires even walk on water, I would not accept him.”

With the people of obedience
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“There is no-one except that he has a lover and a hater. So if that must be the case, then let a person be with the people of obedience to Allaah, ‘azza wa jall.”

Arts of ‘Ilm
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The virtues of the people of Hadeeth
Imaam Ash-Shaafi’ee (rahimahullaah) said:
“If I saw a man from the people of hadeeth, then it’s as if I saw a man from the Companions of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam). May Allaah reward them, they preserved for us the foundation so they have a right of virtue upon us.”

He said: “Upon you is (to accompany) the people of hadeeth for they are the most correct from amongst the people.”

Goodness is in five
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He (rahimahullaah) said:
Goodness is in 5 matters:
- Richness of the soul
- Resistance from harm
- Earning halaal
- Taqwa
- And trust in Allaah

Pleasure of the people
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Seeking the pleasure of people is an objective that can never be obtained
And there is no way to safety from the tongues of people
So upon you is to adhere to only that which benefits you.

Sincerity in Knowledge
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Whoever desires the Hereafter then upon him is sincerity in knowledge

The Art of knowledge
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Whoever learns Qur’aan, then his value becomes great
Whoever speaks in Fiqh (learns it), his capacity grows
Whoever writes ahadeeth, his evidence strengthens
Whoever examines into language, his nature softens
Whoever contemplates the reckoning, his opinion becomes sound
And whoever does not protect himself, his knowledge does not benefit him

The Slanderer
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Whoever slanders to you about others, will slander about you
And whoever reports to you, will soon report about you