“Abū ʿAbd Allāh, apart from the people of Medina, no one knows more about commercial transactions than the people of Egypt.” Mālik asked, “From whom did they learn that?” He replied, “From you, Abū ʿAbd Allāh.” Mālik said, “I do not know these matters myself, so how could they have learned them from me?”

Abū Bakr Ahmad ibn Zuhayr related: Mālik used to attend Rabīʿa’s lessons, yet even during Rabīʿa’s lifetime, his own study circle was as large as Rabīʿa’s, and larger still. Rabīʿa also issued legal opinions alongside him before the ruler. Among the signs of Mālik’s scrupulousness and virtue was his refraining from answering many of the questions put to him.

ʿAbd al-Rahmān ibn Mahdī related that a man asked Mālik ibn Anas about a matter, mentioning that he had been sent to ask him about it from a place six months’ journey away. Mālik said, “Tell the person who sent you that I have no knowledge of this.” The man asked, “Who knows it, then?” He replied, “The one who taught it to him.” ʿAbd al-Rahmān said: The angels said, “We have no knowledge except what You have taught us.”

Abū al-Haytham ibn Jamīl related: I was present when Mālik ibn Anas was asked forty-eight questions. To thirty-two of them, he answered, “I do not know.”

Khālid ibn Khudāsh related: I came to Mālik from Iraq with forty questions and asked him about them, but he answered only five. It is also related that he said, “A scholar’s shield is ‘I do not know.’ If he fails to use it, he leaves himself open to a mortal blow.”

Ibn Wahb related that Mālik said: I heard ʿAbd Allāh ibn Yazīd say, “A scholar should pass on to those who sit with him the practice of saying ‘I do not know,’ so that it becomes an established principle to which they turn. Then, when one of them is asked about something he does not know, he will say, ‘I do not know.’”

Abū ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-Barr said: It is authentically reported that Abū al-Dardāʾ, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “‘I do not know’ is half of knowledge.”

Muhammad ibn Rumh related: More than fifty years ago, I saw the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in a dream. I said to him, “Messenger of Allah, Mālik and al-Layth differ. Which of them should we follow?” He replied, “Mālik.”

Ashhab related that al-Darāwardī said: I saw in a dream that I entered the mosque of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and found him addressing the people. Just then, Mālik approached and entered through the mosque’s doorway. When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, saw him, he said, “Come here to me! Come here!” Mālik approached until he was close to him. He then slipped his ring off his little finger and placed it on Mālik’s little finger.

It is related from Musʿab ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Zubayrī