Verses by Al-Shafi’i Filled with Wisdom and Teachings

Wisdom and Maxims of Al-Shafi’i

• The value of knowledge is such that even those lacking it may claim it with joy when attributed to them.
• It is significant ignorance when an individual disavows it while being steeped in it, becoming angered when accused of it.
• Why do you hold the stick tight, though you are not weak? He replied: To remind myself that I am a traveler.
• The most challenging deeds are three: generosity in scarcity, piety in solitude, and speaking the truth when addressing those who can bring harm or benefit.
• If you fear your actions becoming vain, consider whose pleasure you seek, which rewards you desire, what punishments you dread, what blessings you express gratitude for, and what trials you remember. Contemplating any one of these traits can diminish your actions in your eyes.
• If it were not for the inkpots, heretics would be delivering sermons from the pulpits.
• A wise and discerning person is one who knows how to overlook faults.
• Any household where women do not associate with other men, nor do men associate with other women, is likely to bear foolish children.
• Other than distinguishing between the lawful and the unlawful, I do not know of a knowledge more noble than medicine; however, the people of the Book have excelled us in it.

Maxims of Al-Shafi’i

• No one is raised above their station without being lowered in proportion to their elevation.
• A learned man is lost without companions, a fool is lost due to lack of understanding, and the most lost of all is he who befriends a fool.
• Embrace asceticism, for it is more beautiful on the ascetic than adornments are on a beautiful woman.
• Withdrawal from people breeds enmity, while being overly open attracts bad companions; therefore, maintain a balance between the two.
• True knowledge is that which is beneficial, not merely retained.
• Assist your speech with silence, and your reasoning with thought.
• The most esteemed individuals are those who do not perceive their own worth, and the most virtuous among them are those who do not recognize their own virtue.
• If you desire to receive kindness from others, begin by assuming good intentions toward them.
• Everyone has admirers and detractors; if you must choose, align yourself with the righteous servants of Allah, the Exalted.
• True worth is found in religious commitment, not lineage. Were lineage the measure of worth, no one would surpass Fatimah, daughter of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), nor his other daughters.
• If I saw a person of desires walking on water, I would not accept them.
• Just as the eye has limits, so too does reason.
• If the working scholars are not the allies of Allah, I do not know of anyone who is.

Poetic Verses by Al-Shafi’i Full of Wisdom

• Do you mock supplication and look down upon it
  And know not the power of prayer?

  Silent arrows of night do not miss their mark,

  But they have a time, and time will inevitably pass.

• Lions die in the forests from hunger
  While dogs feast on the flesh of sheep.

  A slave may sleep on silk,

  While a nobleman’s bed is made of dust.

• The fool speaks to me with all his vileness,
  I detest responding to him.

  His foolishness increases as I grow patient,

  Like a stick that is charred, yet becomes fragrant.

• When the fool speaks, do not respond to him,
  For silence is better than engaging.

  If you reply, he will find relief,

  Yet if you leave him to his anguish, he will fade away.

• Those who fear men will be feared,
  And those who belittle men will not have their respect returned.

  Those who have their rights recognized by men,

  And those who disobey, what do they gain?

• The trials of time have led to their disgrace,
  And it has become obvious how they have failed;

  They traded their faith for worldly gain,

  And their profits have been in vain.

• Often, a man finds himself in difficulty,
  But with Allah, exit is always possible.

  As difficulties tighten their grip,

  Relief comes when one least expects it.

• Exercise patience; relief is near.

  Those who are conscious of Allah succeed in all matters,

  And whoever trusts in Allah suffers no harm.

Beautiful Verses and Wisdom of Al-Shafi’i

• They said I fell silent when I was opposed; I told them,

  The answer is the key to evil doors.

  Silence before a fool or an ignorant person is an honor,

  And therein lies restoration.

• Have you considered the lion? It fears while it is silent,
  Yet the dog barks loudly, to my knowledge.
• If you delve into sins openly and
  Fear the reckoning on the Day of Judgment,

  Then know that the Merciful has granted you forgiveness,

  And poured out further blessings upon you.

• Do not despair of your Lord’s mercy during your mother’s womb,
  For you were but a morsel, and here you are born.

  If He had willed, you would have been permanently cast into the fire—

  But thank Allah for your heart that harbors monotheism.

• Travel far from your homeland in pursuit of greatness,
  For journeys bring five rewards.

  They release burdens, provide sustenance,

  And yield knowledge, refinement, and noble companionship.

• O you, who embraces the fleeting world,
  You pass through life between journeys.

  Why not abandon worldly desires,

  That you may embrace the eternal Paradise?

• If you seek eternal gardens to dwell in,
  Then you must not feel secure from the Fire.
• No one can scratch your skin better than your own nails;
  Take charge of all your affairs.

  And if you seek to fulfill a need,

  Approach those who acknowledge your worth.

• Time is made of two days: one of safety and one of danger,
  And life consists of two states: clear and cloudy.

  Do you not see the sea? It carries the corpses of men,
  Yet at its depths lie priceless pearls.

• I found silence to be a marketplace, so I embraced it;

  If I found no profit, I had not lost.

  And silence among men is a trade,

  And its merchant surpasses all others.

• Learn, for no one is born a scholar;
  And not all relatives of knowledge are equals.

  A great leader can be ignorant,

  But a small man can be wise when society honors him.

• Guard your soul and lead it to weigh its worth,
  So you may live in safety, with kind words about you.

  Do not turn from people except for true greetings,

  Unless you are weathering time or a friend’s neglect.

• And if the sustenance is tight today, await tomorrow;
  For perhaps the trials of time will ultimately ease for you.

  And there is no goodness in the affection of a fickle person,

  Who sways with every breeze.

• Friends are abundant when counted,
  Yet they are few in times of crisis.