Al-Rabi a relates that Al-Shafi'i used to recite the whole Koran seventy times during the month of Ramazan，and that in his daily prayers.Quoth Al-Shafi'i （Allah accept him！），'During ten years I never ate my fill of barley bread，for fullness hardeneth the heart and deadeneth the wit and induceth sleep and enfeebleth one from standing up to pray.'[368] It is reported of Abdullah bin Mohammed al-Sakra that he said，'I was once talking with Omar and he observed to me，'Never saw I a more God fearing or eloquent man than Mohammed bin Idris al-Shafi'i.'It so happened I went out one day with Al-Haris bin Labib al-Saffar，who was a disciple of Al-Muzani[369] and had a fine voice and he read the saying of the Almighty，'This shall be a day whereon they shall not speak to any purpose，nor shall they be permitted to excuse themselves.'[370] I saw Al-Shafi'i's colour change；his skin shuddered with horripilation，he was violently moved and he fell down in a fainting fit When he revived he said，'I take refuge with Allah from the stead of the liars and the lot of the negligent！O Allah，before whom the hearts of the wise abase themselves，O Allah，of Thy bene ficence accord to me the remission of my sins，adorn me with the curtain of Thy protection and pardon me my shortcomings，by the magnanimity of Thy Being！'
Then I rose and went away.Quoth one of the pious，'When I entered Baghdad，Al-Shafi'i was there.So I sat down on the river bank to make the ablution before prayer；and behold，there passed me one who said，'O youth，make thy Wuzu-ablution well and Allah will make it well for thee in this world and in the next.'
I turned and lo！there was a man behind whom came a company of people.So I hastened to finish my ablution and followed him.
Presently，he turned and asked me，'Say，dost thou want aught？'
'Yes，'answered I，'I desire that thou teach me somewhat of that which Allah Almighty hath taught thee.'He said，'Know then that whoso believeth in Allah shall be saved，and whoso jealously loveth his faith shall be delivered from destruction，and whoso practiseth abstinence in this world，his eyes shall be solaced on the morrow of death.Shall I tell thee any more？'I replied，'Assuredly；'and he continued，'Be thou of the world that is，heedless；and of the world to come，greediest.Be truthful in all thy dealings，and thou shalt be saved with the Salvationists.'Then he went on and I asked about him and was told that he was the Imam Al-Shafi'i.Al-Shafi'i was wont to remark，'I love to see folk profit by this learning of mine，on condition that nothing of it be attributed to me.'--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Eighty-fourth Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that the Wazir Dandan continued to Zau al-Makan，'The old woman bespake thy sire，saying，'The Imam Al-Shafi'i was wont to remark，I love to see folk profit by this learning of mine on condition that nothing of it be attributed to me.'He also said，'I never disputed with any one，but I would that Almighty Allah should give him the knowledge of the Truth and aid him to dispread it：
nor did I ever dispute with anyone at all but for the showing forth of the Truth，and I reck not whether Allah manifest it by my tongue or by His.'He said also （whom Allah accept！），'If thou fear to grow conceited of thy lore，then bethink thee Whose grace thou seekest and for what good thou yearnest and what punishment thou dreadest.'It was told to Abu Hanifah that the Commander of the Faithful，Abu Ja'afar al-Mansur，had appointed him Kazi and ordered him a salary of ten thousand dirhams；but he would not accept of this；and，when the day came on which the money was to be paid him，he prayed the dawn prayer，then covered his head with his robe--and spoke not.When the Caliph's messenger came with the money，he went in to the Imam and accosted him，but he would not speak to him.So the messenger said，'Verily this money is lawfully thine.''I know that it is lawfully mine，'replied he： 'but I abhor that the love of tyrants get a hold upon my heart.'[371]Asked the other，'If thou go in to them canst thou not guard thyself from loving them？'Answered Abu Hanifah，'Can I look to enter the sea without my clothes being wet？'
Another of Al-Shafi'i's sayings （Allah accept him！） is，'Oh soul of me，an thou accept my rede，Thou shalt be wealthy and of grace entire：
Cast off ambitious hopes and vain desires，How many a death was done by vain desire！'
Among the sayings of Sufyan al-Thauri，with which he admonished Ali bin al-Hasan al-Salami was，'Be thou a man of truth and 'ware lies and treachery and hypocrisy and pride.Be not indebted save to Him who is merciful to His debtors；and let thine associate be one who shall dissociate thee from the world.Be ever mindful of death and be constant in craving pardon of Allah and in beseeching of Allah peace for what remaineth of thy life.
Counsel every True Believer，when he asketh thee concerning the things of his faith；and beware of betraying a Believer，for whoso betrayeth a Believer，betrayeth Allah and His Apostle.
