صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would speak, attendees would lower their heads as if birds were upon them.”^[1]

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                 صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Dear Islamic brothers, along with the honourable Companions  رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُم , the elders and saints of Islam رَحِمَہُمُ اللہُ السَّلام would also show great reverence to hadith.

Sayyidunā Sa’īd bin Musayyab رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was once laying down when someone came and asked about a particular hadith. He immediately got up, sat upright and related it to the person. ‘I did not wish to cause you difficulty in getting up’, the man said. Sayyidunā Sa’īd bin Musayyab رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه responded, اِنِّیْ كَرِهْتُ اَنْ اُحَدِّثَك عَنْ رَّسُوْلِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَاَنَا مُضْطَجِعٌ - “(Out of respect) I cannot relay a hadith of the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم whilst laying down.”^[2]

Two names that come to the fore whenever the topic of respecting hadith arises are Imam Mālik and Imam Bukhāri   رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْهمَا .

As explained by Sayyidunā Abu Mus’ab  رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه , “Out of reverence, Imam Mālik رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه would not relate the blessed hadith of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم except in the state of wudu.”

Sayyidunā Mutarrif bin ‘Abd Allah رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه further adds:

When people would come to Imam Mālik رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه to ask about some matter, a maid would come outside and inquire if it was regarding hadith or a ruling of shari’ah.