Suhnoon was asked whether it is possible for a scholar to say ‘I do not know’ in response to a matter he knows about?
Category: Words of Wisdom
I do not know
[To say] ‘I do not know’ is half of [all] knowledge.
I do not know
It is befitting for the scholar to bequeath his companions the term ‘I do not know’, so it becomes a principle to which they seek refuge [from the danger of speaking without knowledge].
Humility of the scholar
I have never seen a scholar say “I do not know” more than Taawoos [ibn Keesaan].
I do not know
[To say] “I do not know” is half of [all] knowledge.
He refused to take it
A man came to Ahmad ibn Hanbal with 10,000 [deenaars] of profit from his trade, and he refused [to take] it.
Three essential characteristics
You will not be a scholar until you possess three characteristics.
Accuracy and precision
That day, Ghundar brought out a sack of books, and said: ‘Do your best to find an error in them.’
The generous companion
Reference: Siyar A’laam an-Nubalaa – Volume 8, Page 312 Yahyaa al-Wihaathee narrated: I have not seen a man who was more generous than Ismaa’eel ibn ‘Ayyaash. When we would visit him at the farm, he would suffice only with [slaughtering] a sheep for us and [some] dried fried dates. I heard him say: ‘I inherited 4,000 […]
Rectifying the misunderstandings of the people
The people of Egypt would disparage ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan, until al-Layth ibn Sa’d emerged from [amongst] them and spoke to them about his virtues, and so they refrained.