If it was a matter of shari’ah that they needed guidance in, Imam Mālik رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه would come out of his home straight away and resolve their issue. If people came inquiring about hadith, however, Imam Mālik رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه would perform ghusl, apply fragrance, change his clothes and then come outside. A special chair would be brought forth upon which the great imam would sit and convey hadith. Bakhoor would also be used to fragrance the area. The chair used by the imam when relaying hadith was solely kept for this purpose. When someone asked the reason behind this great degree of decorum, the great imam said, اُحِبُّ اَنْ اُعَظِّمَ حَدِیْثَہُ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ - “I like to respect the hadith of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in this way.”^[1]

Similarly, Imam Bukhāri رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه would also show profound respect for hadith. In regard to how he gathered pearls of hadith and compiled the treasure known as Sahih al-Bukhāri, he himself says:

مَاکَتَـبْتُ فِیْ کِتَابِ الصَّحِیْحِ حَدِیْثًا اِلَّا اِغْتَسَلْتُ قَبْلَ ذٰلِکَ وَ صَلَّیْتُ رَکْعَتَیْنِ

“I would perform ghusl and offer two units of salah before writing every hadith in my book of Sahih.”^[2]

Dear Islamic brothers, look at how comprehensively and thoroughly our pious predecessors would show respect for the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم . Sayyidunā Sa’īd bin Musayyab رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه did not mention hadith whilst laying down. Imams of the calibre of Mālik and Bukhāri  رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْهمَا would perform ghusl and offer voluntary salah before even writing or speaking of a hadith. Imam Mālik رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه would even change his clothes, apply fragrance, and would reserve a special seat for this noble purpose. In this manner, our pious predecessors, as well as elders