It is narrated from Imam Sha'bi that Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O people! We do not know, it may be that we command you regarding matters which are not permissible for you, and it may be that we declare things forbidden for you which are actually lawful for you. The last verse revealed in the Noble Qur'an was about usury, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not explain it to us in detail before he passed away. Therefore, leave that which you are doubtful about, and adopt that which you have no doubt about (act upon it).

Abdullah bin Idris narrated from his uncle that when I left from Ibrahim al-Nakha'i, Hammad (may Allah have mercy on him) received me and asked me to inquire about eight types of issues. I asked Ibrahim about them, and he answered four of the issues and did not answer four types of questions.

Zubayd al-Yami said: Whenever I asked Ibrahim about an issue, I noticed displeasure on his face.

Umar bin Abi Zaidah said: I have not heard anyone say more than Imam Sha’bi (may Allah have mercy on him): «لا علم لي به» I do not know about it.

Abu Asim heard Abdullah bin Aun say that when Sha’bi was asked about an issue, he would avoid answering, while Ibrahim (al-Nakha’i) would give a fatwa. Abu Asim said: In this regard, according to Ibn Aun, Sha’bi was better than Ibrahim (because of his caution).

Ja'far bin Iyas said: I said to Sa'id bin Jubayr, may Allah have mercy on him: What is the matter that you do not speak about the issue of divorce? He said: There is nothing related to divorce about which I have not asked (i.e., have not acquired knowledge), but I do not like to declare the unlawful as lawful and the lawful as unlawful.

Ata bin As-Sa'ib said: I heard Abdullah bin Abi Ya'la say, he said: I found one hundred and twenty Ansari Companions in this (Prophet's) mosque; whenever any of them narrated a hadith, he wished that his companion would narrate it instead, and if any of them was asked for a fatwa, he preferred that one of his companions would undertake that task.

Dawud bin Abi Hind said: I asked Sha'bi: What would you do when you were asked about an issue? He replied: You have asked someone experienced in this matter. When someone was asked about an issue, he would say to his companion, "You answer," and the companion would say, "You answer," until after repetition, the question would return to the first person.

Ibn al-Munkadir said: The scholar intervenes between Allah Almighty and His servants (through issuing fatwas), so he should seek a way out for himself (i.e., he should avoid issuing fatwas).

Mus‘ar said: Ma‘n bin ‘Abdur Rahman brought out a book for me and swore that it was written in the handwriting of his father. I saw that it was written in it: It is narrated from ‘Abdullah, he said: By Him besides whom there is no deity, I have not seen anyone more severe and harsh upon those who go to extremes than the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), then I have not seen anyone more severe upon them than Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and now I am seeing Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that there is no one who fears them or makes others fear them more than him.