Yasir Qadhi wrote on his Facebook page
'Imam al-Shafi'i (d. 204 AH) once remarked, "Sometimes a young man comes to me and quotes me a hadith that I've already heard even before his mother gave birth to him. Yet, I remain silent and listen, out of respect to the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam)."

Never interpret the silence of a person of knowledge as his weakness or ignorance, for at times even in his silence there is wisdom and manners.

Imam al-Shafi'i was the greatest scholar of his generation, yet he still humbled himself to remain quiet when a hadith was recited. If this was his respect in merely listening to a hadith, then how does one think he felt about the importance of *acting* on a hadith? And the same goes for all of the great scholars of Islam: all of their legal rulings are based on their sincerest attempts to derive laws from the hadiths of the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam).

Respect these great figures of our religion, and never assume that you know more than them. And know that all of these great scholars respected hadiths more than any of us ever can.'