Allah Almighty says: {Say [O Prophet], “I do not ask you for any reward for it, nor do I pretend to be what I am not.”} [Surat Sād: 86]
1655/1 - ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “We were forbidden from pretension.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
1) It is forbidden to ask too many questions about things of no avail and to bear unnecessary burdens in religious or worldly matters.
2) One should not preoccupy himself with useless speech or acts. That falls under dispraised affectation.
1656/2 - Masrūq reported: “We visited ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: ‘O people, he who has knowledge about something should speak accordingly; and he who has no such knowledge should say: Allah knows best. Indeed, it is part of knowledge that, when you do not know something, you say: Allah knows best. Allah Almighty says to His Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him): {Say [O Prophet], “I do not ask you for any reward for it, nor do I pretend to be what I am not.”}” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
1) It informs us of the firm prohibition of affectation and speaking without knowledge.
2) Half of knowledge lies in saying: “Allah knows best” when you do not know.
The erudite scholar Ibn Sa‘di (may Allah have mercy upon him) said:
“When a person refrains from speaking about things he does not know, this achieves numerous benefits like the following:
- This is what he is required to do.
- When he refrains and says: “Allah knows best”, knowledge will readily come to him.
- When he refrains from speaking about what he does not know, this indicates his reliability and integrity, as well as his mastery of the things he confidently speaks about, and Allah knows best.” [Al-Fatāwa al-Sa‘diyyah]