Abu ʿAbdillah Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi’ee 204 AH (May Allah have mercy on him) said, “ما فسد النَّاس إلا لما تركوا لسان العرب، واتبعوا لسان أرسطو “ “People did not become corrupted, or deviated, except after their abandonment of the Arabic language and their inclination to the language of Aristotle!” [Sharh Aqeedah al-Tahawiyyah 1/100; quoted by…

Abu ʿAbdillah Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi’ee 204 AH (May Allah have mercy on him) said, “ما ناظرتُ أحداً أحببتُ أن يخطئ إلا صاحب بدعة فإني أحب أن ينكشف أمره للناس ” “There is no one whom I love to see make a mistake except for a person of innovation. For indeed, it is beloved to…

Abu ʿAbdillah Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi’ee 204 AH (May Allah have mercy on him) said, شَكَوْتُ إِلَى وَكِيعٍ سُوءَ حِفْظِي… فَأَرْشَنِي إِلَى تَرْكِ الْمَعَاصِي  وَقَالَ بِأَنَّ الْعِلْمَ نُورٌ … وَنُورُ اللهِ لَا يُؤتَاهُ عَاصِي “I complained to Wakī’ of a deficiency in my ability to memorize ** So he instructed me to abandon sin And…

Abu ʿAbdillah Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi’ee 204 AH (May Allah have mercy on him) said, من وعظ أخاه سراً ، فقد نصحه وزانه ومن وعظه علانية ، فقد فضحـه وخانـه “To admonish your brother in private is to advise him and improve him. But to admonish him publicly is to disgrace and shame him.” Taken…

Abu ʿAbdillah Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi’ee 204 AH (May Allah have mercy on him) said, اصبر على مر الجفا من معلم *** فإن رسوب العلم في نفراتهBe patient over the teacher’s strictness and harshnessFor the stores of knowledge are present in his harshness ومن لم يذق ذل التعلم ساعة *** تجرع ذل الجهل طول حياتهWhoever…

Abu ʿAbdillah Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi’ee 204 AH (May Allah have mercy on him) said, ما جادلت عالما الا غلبته ، وما جادلت جاهلا الا غلبني “I have never debated with a knowledgeable person, except that I won the debate, and I have never debated with an ignorant person, except that I lost.”