حياة السلف بين القول والعمل

What was said about concealing some knowledge for the sake of the greater good, and not spreading it to everyone: On the authority of Ibn Wahb, he said: Malik bin Anas, may God have mercy on him, said to me: Know that no man is safe if he narrates everything he hears. And he will never be an imam if he narrates everything he hears [Narrated by Muslim in his introduction].

What was said about concealing some knowledge for the sake of the greater good, and not spreading it to everyone: Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi, may God have mercy on him, said: A man cannot be an imam to be followed until he refrains from some of what he has heard. [Narrated by Muslim in his introduction].

What was said about concealing some knowledge for the sake of the greater good, and not spreading it to everyone: Sheikh Alam Al-Din said: On Thursday, the middle of Rabi’ Al-Awwal, the Chief Justice Shams Al-Din Ibn Muslim met with the Sheikh, the Imam, the scholar Taqi Al-Din Ibn Taymiyyah, may God have mercy on him, and advised him to refrain from issuing fatwas on the issue of swearing by divorce. The Sheikh accepted his advice and responded to what he advised. Out of consideration for his feelings and the feelings of the group of muftis, then the mail arrived at the beginning of Jumada al-Ula with a letter from the Sultan prohibiting Sheikh Taqi al-Din from issuing fatwas on the issue of swearing by divorce. A council was convened on this matter, and the situation was resolved according to what the Sultan had decreed, and it was announced in the city. Before the arrival of the decree, a group of senior muftis had met with Judge Ibn Muslim al-Hanbali and told him to advise the Sheikh to refrain from issuing fatwas on the issue of divorce. The Sheikh understood his advice, and that he only intended by that to avoid an outbreak of turmoil and evil. [Al-Bidaya wa'l-Nihaya 14/163].

On the authority of Abu al-Darda’, may God be pleased with him, who said: People are of three kinds: a scholar, a student, and the third is a rabble in whom there is no good. [Al-Hilya (its abridgment) 1/169].

Ka’b al-Ahbar, may God have mercy on him, said: You will soon see ignorant people boasting about knowledge and being jealous of it, just as women are jealous of men. That is their share of knowledge. [Al-Hilya (its abridgment) 2/250].