Shaykhul Islaam said: and we were informed by Abu Mansoor Muhammad bin 'Ali bin Muhammad bin al-Hasan bin Sahl bin Khaleefah bin as- Sabbaah al- Baladi who said: I was informed by my grandfather Muhammad bin al-Muhsin bin Sahal bin Khaleefah who said: we were informed by Abu 'Ali al-Husayn bin Hishaam bin 'Umar al- Baladi who said:

This is the last testament of Muhammad bin Idrees ash- Shaafi'i (رحمه الله), he left as his last testament:

1. That he bears witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allaah, without partners, and that Muhammad ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) is His slave and messenger.

2. And that he believes in Allaah, His angels, His books, and His messengers: “We do not differentiate between any of His messengers.”

3. And that my prayer, my slaughtering, my living, and my dying are for Allaah the Lord of the Worlds, He has no partners and this is that with which I have been ordered.

4. And that Allaah will resurrect those who are in their graves.

5.And that the paradise is a reality.

6. And that the hellfire is a reality.

7. And that the punishment of the grave, the taking of account, the scale, and the bridge are realities.

8. And that Allaah will take His slaves to account in accordance with their actions.

9. By Him do I live and die, and by Him will I be resurrected if Allaah Wills.

10. And I bear witness that belief is made up of statements and actions, and knowledge in the heart, and it increases and decreases.

11. And that the Qur'aan is the Speech of Allaah, the Exalted, and it is not created.

12. And that Allaah, the Mighty and Exalted, shall be seen in the hereafter. The believers will see him directly with the naked eye, and they will hear His Words.

13. And that He is above His throne.

14. And that pre-destination, its good and its bad, is from Allaah, the Mighty and Exalted. Nothing will be except that which He, the Mighty and Exalted, Wished, Willed, and Ordained.

15. And that the best of mankind after the Messenger of Allaah ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) is Abu Bakr, then U'mar, then U'thmaan, then A'li bin Abi Taalib, may Allaah be pleased with all of them. And I ally with them, I ask forgiveness for them, and for the people of the Battle of the Camel and the Battle of Siffeen, those who killed and those who were killed, as well as for all of the companions of the Prophet ) صلى الله عليه وسلم ).

16. And that listening and obedience belongs to those in authority, as long as they pray, and those who are under their leadership should not revolt against them with the sword.

17. And that khilafah is for the Quraysh.

18. And that everything that intoxicates in great amounts is prohibited in small amounts.

19. And that Mut'ah is prohibited.

20. And I leave, as my testament, the fear of Allaah, the Mighty and Exalted, and holding fast to the Sunnah and the narrations from the Messenger of Allaah ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) and his companions, and leaving off innovations and desires and staying far away from them.

21. And “Fear Allaah the fear He deserves and do not die unless you are a Muslim.” For this is the last testament of the early ones and the later ones.

22. And that “Whoever fears Allaah, He will make for him a way out. And He will provide for him from whence he would not expect.” And fear Allaah to the best of your ability.

23. And hold fast to Jumu'ah and the Jama'ah, and hold firmly upon the Sunnah, and Belief, and seeking knowledge of the religion.

24. And whoever is with me [near my death bed] then let him prompt me with “There is no diety worthy of worship but Allaah, alone, without partners, and Muhammad ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) is his slave and messenger, and clip my nails and mustache before I die, if Allaah Wills it so, and if I am approached by death and there are women around me, then let them leave, and let those who are with me apply oil and perfume upon my bed.

• And Shaykhul Islaam said: we were informed by Abu Ya'la al- Khaleel bin A'bdillaah al- Haafith who said: we were informed by Abu al-Qaasim bin A'lqamah al- Abhari who said: we were informed by A'bdur Rahmaan bin Abee Haatim ar-Raazi, from Abee Shu'ayb, and Abee Thawr, from Abee A'bdillaah Muhammad bin Idrees ash- Shaafi'i(رحمه الله) that he said:
  

That which is said regarding the Sunnah, and that which I am upon and that which I found our companions upon from the people of hadeeth upon, those whom I have seen and took from them, like Sufyaan [ibn 'Uyaynah ] and Maalik, and others is:

25. The affirmation of the testimony that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allaah and that Muhammad ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) is the Messenger of Allaah, and then he mentioned something, and then he said: and that Allaah is upon His throne upon His heavens, and He comes close to His creation however He Wills.

26. And that Allaah, the Exalted, descends to the lower heaven however He Wills, (and then he mentioned the rest of the beliefs with this chain of narration.)

I heard Abu 'Abdillaah Muhammad bin Idrees ash- Shaafi'i (رحمه الله) say- and he had been asked about the Attributes of Allaah, the Exalted, and what he believes- so he said:

27. That Allaah, the Exalted, has Names and Attributes, which were brought by His Book, and He informed His Prophet ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) and his ummah about them. It is not allowed for anyone from the creation of Allaah, the Exalted, can reject them after the proof has been established upon him, because the Qur'aan was descended with them, and it has been reported authentically from the Messenger of Allaah ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) that he spoke with them, in that which a trustworthy person has narrated from him. And if he opposes this after proof has been established upon him then he is a disbeliever. As for [his situation] before the proof being established upon him then he is excused due to ignorance, because the knowledge of this cannot be perceived by the mind, nor by seeing or pondering, and none commit disbelief by not knowing them except after the authentication of a narration that contains them. And we affirm these Attributes, and we reject any likeness [with the creation] as He negated likeness [with the creation] from Himself as He said: “There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Seer, All-Hearer.”

The leadership of Abu Bakr was ordained by Allaah from above His heaven, and He united the hearts of the companions of the Prophet ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) in agreement upon it.