روى الخلال من حديث عبد الرزاق عن معمر عن الزهري قال : قال عمر رضي الله عنه إن العلم ليس عن حداثة السن ولا قدمه ، ولكن الله تعالى يضعه حيث يشاء وقال وكيع : لا يكون الرجل عالما حتى يسمع ممن هو أسن منه ومن هو مثله ومن هو دونه في السن . هذه طريقة الإمام أحمد على ما ذكره البيهقي في مناقبه وغيره .
Umar radiallah anhu said. Knowledge is not linked with young age or older age but rather Allaah places it wherever he wishes. And wakee said. A man cannot become a scholar until he hears takes from someone who is above him in age equel to him in age and lower than him in age.
هذه طريقة الإمام أحمد على ما ذكره البيهقي في مناقبه وغيره .
Abu Umayyah narrates the Messenger of Allah (Sallalahu Alayhi Wasallam) was asked concerning the signs of the hour. To which he replied, “When knowledge is taken from the younger ones (Asaghir)” (Tabarani, Mu’ajam al-Kabir (22/362), Haithami, al-Majma’a (1:135), Ibn Mubarak, al-Zuhd (no,61), Lalika’i, Sharh Usul al-Ei’tiqad Ahl al-Sunnah (1:102), Abu Amr al-Dani, al-Fitan (2:62), Ibn Abdul Barr, Jam’e Bayan al-Ilm Wa Fadlihi (1:612 no.1051-1052), al-Harawi, Dhamm al-Kalam (2:137), Abd al-Ghani al-Maqdisi, al-Ilm (2:16), Ibn Mandah, al-Ma’rifah (2:220). The Hadith is Hasan.
Who devoted a whole chapter in seeking knowledge from those younger in age and all of the examples he gives are of the Salaf, the same salaf who have been blessed from Wahi.
This report is weak, it is via Zuhri who said Umar (RadhiAllahu Anhu) said, however there is inqita ie disconnection in the chain as Zuhri did not meet Umar, and hence the narration is rendered to be weak, it is clearly at the very least a maqtu narration and not mawquf. It is not even authentic to Umar (RadhiAllahu Anhu).
It is also general, in fact very general and totally contrary to the points we mentioned that is safer and sound to refer back to the major scholars of this era without taking anything away from the younger student of knowledge, who no doubt possess knowledge. This statement can be understood further that Allah can place knowledge any where he wishes to do so. So much so even to the shaytan, in reference to Ayah al-Kursi. The point of referring to the older scholars as Ulama and Shaikhs is the point of contention. The scholars of the past were known for their knowledge the issue is in our time when everyone is given the title of Shaikh, even to someone who is 32 years old is something to think about without being stubborn.
It also opposes what Umar (RadhiAllahu Anhu) said, “The most truthful speech is the speech of Allah, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (Sallalahu Alayhi Wasallam). The worst of the affairs are the newly invented matters – innovations. “The people will not cease to be upon good as long as they take knowledge from their senior ones.” (Jam’e Bayan al-Ilm Wa Fadlihi (1:615 no.1054). Its chain authentic and its narrators are trustworthy.
I looked through two editions Imam Baihaqi’s Manaqib of Imam al-Shafi’i which is printed in 2 volumes 1390H / 1970, Dar al-Turath, Cairo, ed. al-Sayyid Ahmad Saqar but was unable to find it which does not suggest it is not in there, but I was not able to find and it maybe possible that it was circulated from Ibn Muflih like this.
Hafiz Ibn Hajr also shows this understanding in his Fath al-Bari (1:479) in the ranks of the Mashaikh, writing and narrating hadith from them, He brings the maqtu report of Waki, and again it has nothing to do with the age of the scholars except but the narration of ahadith from anyone who was a narrator, whatever their age. The specifically mentioned young ones because they would sit in the circles of the muhadithin at young ages and would thus memorise and preserve the ahadith at younger ages and then narrate them through out their lives as they got older. This is the understanding of both maqtu reports and not what has been presented.
Lastly these reports, which are firstly maqtu, with one being disconnected, both oppose the marfu hadith of the Messenger of Allah (Sallalahu Alayhi Wasallam) and hence there is no comparison.