Today’s Beautiful Hadith of Imam Shafi’ee’s Night
The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “The superiority of a learned man over a worshipper is like my superiority over ordinary men.” [Ihya Ulum Id-Deen]
Imam Shafi’ee prayed the Isha prayer with Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal in the Masjid and then while Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal continued to pray at home Imam Shafi’ee promptly lay down to rest. The time for Tahujjud came and ended but Imam Shafi’ee didn't get out of bed then either. When Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal was about to set out for Fajr he called out to him. Then he set out for the Masjid with Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal without performing Wudu. After the Fajr prayer Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal remained in the Masjid occupied in devotions (Zikr) until the sun rose. He prayed Ishraq and then returned home. Imam Shafi’ee on the other hand returned home right after the prayers and lay down on his bed again.
The reason for this unexpected and strange behaviour was that he hadn't been able to get a wink of sleep last night. In the Isha prayers Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal had recited the Ayah of Surah Baqarah: ‘And if there is one in misery, then (the creditor should allow) deferment till (his) ease, and that you forgo it as alms is much better for you, if you really know.’ [Ayah 280] When Imam Shaffer heard this Ayah it occurred to him that from it Islam’s law of bankruptcy is derived. Then he kept thinking about it all night long and deriving precepts, principles and laws from it until Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal called him for the Fajr prayer whereupon he had reached the 108th possibility. Since he hadn't slept at all he hadn't needed to perform Wudu.
