Abdullah bin Aun said: I consulted Muhammad (Ibn Sirin, may Allah have mercy on him) about building a house in a field. He replied: When you intend to lay the foundation, inform me. So when I came to him and we both started walking, suddenly a man came and began to walk behind them. Muhammad (may Allah have mercy on him) stopped and said: Do you need anything? He said: No. He said: If you have no need, then go. Then he turned to me and said: Go, you also go. So I too (left him and) went away by another path.

It is narrated from Naseer (ibn Dha’looq) that when people (his students) would come to Rabee’ (may Allah have mercy on him), he used to say: I seek Allah’s refuge from your evil.

Abdur Rahman bin Bishr said: We were with Sayyiduna Khabbab bin Al-Aratt (may Allah be pleased with him), his students came to him and he remained silent. It was said: Will you not narrate hadith to your students? He replied: I fear that I might narrate something to them which I do not act upon myself.

Salih (bin Salih bin Hayy) said: I heard Imam Sha’bi, may Allah have mercy on him, say: My wish is that I would just break even in my knowledge, that I would neither gain anything (nor be held accountable), nor would I bear the burden of any sin.

It is narrated from Imam Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) that Sayyiduna Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) was walking and people started following him. He said: "Do not walk behind me. By Allah, if you knew for what reason I close my door, none of you would follow me."

Saeed bin Jubair, may Allah have mercy on him, said: For the one who is being followed, there is trial, and for the one who is following, there is humiliation and disgrace.

Umi (bin Rabee’ah) said: People were walking behind Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), and he said: Keep the sound of your shoes away from me, for it corrupts the hearts of the foolish and weak people.

It is narrated from Yazid bin Hazim that I heard Imam Hasan al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him, say: Stealing shoes behind people prevents fools from increasing in knowledge.

Laith narrated that when one or two people would sit with Imam Tawus (may Allah have mercy on him), he would stand up and move away from there.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Barzah Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The feet of any servant will not move on the Day (of Resurrection) until he is asked: In what did you spend your life? How much did you act upon your knowledge? From where did you earn your wealth and in what did you spend it? And in what (work) did you use your body?"