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The Mad Mufti
It is reported that ‘Abdullāh b. Mas’ūd – Allāh be pleased with him – said:
By Allāh, he who gives people verdicts (fatwā) for every question they ask him is crazy (majnūn).
Ibn Battah Al-’Ukbarī, Ibtāl Al-Hiyal article 81, et al.
Imām Ibn Battah (d. 304H) laments:
So here is Ibn Mas’ūd, swearing by Allāh that a person who gives people verdicts for every question they ask him is mad. And [now] if a person swore, he would not be breaking his oath, and if a person said, he would be speaking the truth: that most of the muftis of our time are mad. For you will hardly find a man who is asked about an issue pausing to consider carefully before answering, nor fearing Allāh and bringing to mind that Allāh is watching him, and fearing that He will say to him: What is the basis of your answer? Rather, most of them worry that it will be said: so-and-so was asked a question and he had no answer…
The Fabler-Preachers (Storytellers)
It is reported that Abū Qilābah – Allāh Have mercy on him – said:
It is only the storyteller-preachers (al-qusās) who have killed knowledge. A man listens to a storyteller for a year without really learning anything that will last, whereas a man who sits with a scholar for an hour learns what will last and benefit him before he even gets up.
Abō Nu’aym, Hilyatu Al-Awliyā` 2:287.
The Hated Muezzin
It is reported that a man once came to ‘Abdullâh b. ‘Umar – Allâh be pleased with him – and said:
I love you for Allâh.
Ibn ‘Umar replied:
Then bear witness that I hate you for Allâh!
The man asked, “Why?”
He replied, “Because you sing in your adhân (call to prayer), and you take a wage [for calling it]!”
Al-Tabarânî, Al-Mu’jam Al-Kabîr, article 13059; from Shaykh Al-Albânî, Al-Sahîhah 1:104, where he grades it authentic.
The Humble Heretic
‘Alî b. Abî Khâlid – Allâh have mercy on him – reports:
I once said to Ahmad, “This shaykh – referring to an older man who was with us – is my neighbor. I told him not to keep the company of a certain person, and he would like to hear what you have to say about him: I am referring to Hârith Al-Qasîr (Al-Hârith Al-Muhâsibî). Many years ago, you saw me with him and told me not to sit with him nor speak with him. I have not spoken to him since that time. This shaykh, however, does sit with him. So what do you say?”
I saw Ahmad go red with anger, his eyes bulging; I had never before seen him like this. He started to say, “Him! May Allâh do such-and-such to him! Only those well-informed of him know what he really is, only those who really know him know what he is. Al-Mughâzilî, Ya’qûb and so-and-so sat with him, and he caused them to adopt the views of Jahm (Ibn Safwân, leader of the Jahmites). They were destroyed because of him.”
The old man said, “But Abû ‘Abdillâh, he reports hadîth, and he is mild and humble; he has done such-and-such [good works].” Abû ‘Abdillâh (Imâm Ahmad) became angry and began repeating, “Let not his humility and softness deceive you”. He also said, “Do not be fooled by his bowed head, he is an evil man; only those well-informed of him through experience know him. Do not speak to him – with all disrespect to him. Are you going to sit with everyone who narrates from Allâh’s Messenger – may the praise and peace of Allâh be upon him – though he be a heretic (mubtadi’)? No, with all disrespect.”
Tabaqât Al-Hanâbilah, article 325.