Poetry Exchange: Imam ash-Shafei'ee & Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal

قال الامام الشافعى رحمه الله

احب الصالحين ولست منهم *** لعلي أن انال بهم شفاعة
واكره من تجارته المعاصي *** وإن كنا سواء في البضاعة

Imam Shafi'ee (May Allah have mercy on him) said:

I love the righteous, although I'm not of them
Perhaps i shall receive intercession through them
And I hate he who deals/trades in sins
although we are equal in our trade/product

فرد عليه الامام احمد رحمه الله

تحب الصالحين وانت منهم *** ومنكم سوف يلقون الشفاعة
وتكره من تجارته المعاصي *** وقانا الله من شر البضاعة

So Imam Ahmad (May Allah have mercy on him) responded:

You love the righteous and you are of them
And from you shall they receive intercession
And you hate he who trades in sin
May Allah protect us from the evil of such product