حياة السلف بين القول والعمل

Respect for knowledge and its people: Al-Zuhri, may Allah have mercy on him, said: I served Ubaydullah ibn Abdullah ibn Utbah until his servant would come out and ask: Who is at the door? The maid would say: Your bleary-eyed servant—thinking that I was his servant. I used to serve him even to the point of drawing water for his ablution. [Hilyah (abridged edition) 2/23].

Respect for knowledge and its people: On the authority of Malik: A man came to Saeed bin Al-Musayyab, may God have mercy on him, while he was sick, and asked him about a hadith, while he was lying down. So he sat up and told him, and that man said to him: I wish you had not troubled yourself. He said: I disliked telling you about the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, while I was lying down. [Sifat Al-Safwa 2/437].

Respect for knowledge and its people: Imam Malik, may God have mercy on him, said: We used to visit Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani, may God have mercy on him, and when we mentioned to him a hadith of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, he would cry until we felt sorry for him. [Al-Siyar (its abridgment) 2/626].

Respect for knowledge and its people: On the authority of Ibn Abi Uways, he said: When Malik ibn Anas, may God have mercy on him, wanted to narrate a hadith, he would perform ablution, sit on the head of his bed, comb his beard, and sit with dignity and reverence, then he would narrate. When he was asked about this, he said: I like to honor the hadith of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and I do not narrate it except in a state of purity and in a state of readiness. He disliked narrating while standing or in a hurry on the road. He said: I like what I narrate from the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, to be understood. [Sifat al-Safwa 2/504].

Respect for knowledge and its people: Ma’n ibn Isa said: When Malik ibn Anas, may God have mercy on him, wanted to narrate a hadith of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, he would bathe, use incense, and apply perfume. If someone raised their voice in his presence, he would say: Lower your voice, for God, the Exalted and Majestic, says: “O you who have believed, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet” [Al-Hujurat: 2]. So whoever raises their voice when narrating a hadith of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, it is as if they have raised their voice above the voice of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace. [Sifat al-Safwa 2/504].