Imam Sha’bi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If these people of opinion had been present in the time of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), then it would generally be found in the Holy Qur’an: «يسألونك، يسألونك» (i.e., verses would have been revealed in this form).

It is narrated from Abu Hamzah Maymun that Imam Ibrahim al-Nakha'i, may Allah have mercy on him, said to me: O Abu Hamzah! I have spoken, and if there had been any alternative, I would not have uttered a word. Indeed, this time in which I have become the jurist of the people of Kufa is an evil time.

It is narrated from Mujahid that Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Beware! Refrain from analogy and philosophical speech in words and actions.

Imam Sha’bi, may Allah have mercy on him, said: I was present with (Qadi) Shurayh, may Allah have mercy on him, when a man from (the tribe of) Murad came to him and asked: Abu Umayyah! What is the blood money for the fingers? He replied: For each finger, ten camels. The man joined his thumb and little finger together and said: Subhan Allah! Are these two equal? Qadi Shurayh, may Allah have mercy on him, said: Subhan Allah! Are your ear and your hand equal? The ear is covered by hair or a turban, so for it (the blood money is) half the full amount, and for the hand (it is the same), half the full amount. Woe to you, the Sunnah takes precedence over your analogy, so follow the Sunnah and do not invent innovations, and as long as you hold on to the hadith, you will not go astray. Abu Bakr al-Hudhali (the narrator) said: Imam Sha’bi, may Allah have mercy on him, said to me: O Hudhali! If one of your crippled or lame men is killed, or a (nursing) child in the cradle is killed, would the blood money for both not be equal? I said: Yes! The blood money for both is equal. He said: Then where has your analogy gone?

Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Noble Qur’an will become easy for the people until women, children, and men all will recite it. A man will say,“I have recited the Holy Qur’an but I am not followed; by Allah, I will surely recite it (again), perhaps I will be followed.”Thus, he will recite it again, and still no one will follow him. Then he will say,“I have recited the Qur’an but I was not followed; I stood up with it among them, yet it was of no benefit. Now I will build a mosque in my house, perhaps I will be followed.”So he will build a mosque in his house, but still he will not be followed. Then he will say,“I have recited the Qur’an but I was not followed; I stood up with it, yet I was not followed; I built a mosque in my house, yet I was not followed. By Allah, now I will bring to them things which they will neither find in the Book of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, nor have they heard from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), perhaps then I will be followed.”Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Beware! Avoid what he tells you (whatever he brings besides the Qur’an and Sunnah), for it is misguidance.