Ibnul Mubaarak (rahimahullaah) was asked a question about an affair of the religion in the presence of Sufyaan Bin Uyaynah (rahimahullaah); so he said:”We have been forbidden from speaking in the presence of our elders”
Ali Ibnul Husayn Bin Ali Bin Abee Taalib (rahimahullaah) used to sit with Aslam the freed slave of Umar (radiyallaahu-anhu); so a man from Quraish said to him: “You leave Quraish and sit with a slave of the clan of Adiy?” So he said: “Indeed a man sits where he benefits”
Imaam Dhahabi (rahimahullaah) reported from Baqiyyah Ibn Al-Waleed (rahimahullaah) that Abdul Malik Bin Abee An-Nu’maan Al-Jazariy (rahimahullaah) said: Maymoon Bin Mehraan narrated to us, saying: A man argued with him about Ir’jaa, so whilst (speaking), they heard a woman singing. Maymoon then said: “Where is the Imaan of this one (i.e. the woman who was signing) compared to the Imaan of Maryam Bint Imraan?” So the man left and did not respond to him.
”There was no one amongst the people of hadeeth who (merely) defended his father, brother or son in the knowledge of hadeeth. Ali Bin Abdillaah Ibnil Madeenee was an Imaam of Hadeeth in his era, but not a single word has been seen from him in (declaring) his father a strong (or good) narrator; rather it is opposite that has been seen.”
Whenever Dahhaak Bin Muzaahim (rahimahullaah) reached the night, he used to weep; so he was asked, ”what makes you weep.” He said: ”I do not know which of my deeds have been raised today (i.e. accepted by Allaah)”
Muhammad Ibn Haaroon Al-Fallaas (rahimahullaah) said: If you see a man speaking ill of Yahyah Bin Ma’een, then know that he is a liar who fabricates hadeeth. He only hates him (i.e. hates Yahyah) because of what he clarifies concerning the affair of the liars.[1]
Question to Al-Allaamah, Shaikh Saaleh Al-Luhaydaan (may Allaah preserve him):
”Why is there so much speech about Shaikh Rabee (may Allaah preserve him) and why do they speak ill of him?”
Answer:
How excellent a man he is in his creed and jealousy for the Sunnah! And there is no doubt that those who speak against him do so because he refutes those who oppose the Sunnah. They hate him because he refutes the Mukhaalifoon (i.e. opposers of the Sunnah and the sound methodology of Ahlus Sunnah). And perhaps the one who does not oppose (the Sunnah) envies him because he cautions against what that person does not realize. How excellent a man in knowledge and religion! [2]