A talk by the Shaykh regarding the scholar's statement "I do not know" and that it is half of knowledge.

The Shaykh : It is not difficult for you to accept that one who is greater than us in knowledge, when asked about a matter here, says: "I do not know," because half of knowledge is "I do not know." It is established from some of the Imams of the Salaf, and I think it was Imam Malik, that a man from Khurasan came to him with a list longer than this one, containing one hundred questions from the people of Khurasan. They sent these questions with this man, saying: "Ask Imam Malik, the Imam of the City of Migration, for us and get the answers from him." So he took the paper, studied it, and gave answers to only three out of the one hundred questions. The messenger, this intermediary, was stunned and said: "You are the Imam of the City of Migration, and you were sent to specifically with one hundred questions, and you give me only [answers to] three?" He said to him: "Go back and tell them that Imam Malik does not know the answers to these questions except for these three." This is the people of knowledge; they do not say what they do not know, because Allah (Mighty and Majestic) forbade the Muslim from saying what he does not know. And so we always say in our supplications: "Our Lord, increase us in knowledge." Why? Because Allah said: , and this is what we have not been given until now. My answer is: I do not know, I do not know. Yes.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh : And beware of that.