Statements:
Imam Abu Haneefah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
"If the hadeeth is saheeh then that is my madhhab."
“It is not permissible for anyone to follow what we say if they do not know where we got it from.”
(According to another report)
“It is haraam for the one who does not know my evidence to issue a fatwa based on my words.”(According to another report, he added:)
“We are human, we may say something today and retract it tomorrow.”“If I say something that goes against the Book of Allaah or the report of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then ignore what I say.”
Imam Maalik (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“I am only human, sometimes I make mistakes and sometimes I get things right. Look at my opinion and whatever is in accordance with the Qur’aan and Sunnah, take it, and whatever is not in accordance with the Qur’aan and Sunnah, ignore it.”
“There is no one after the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) whose words cannot be taken or left, apart from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).” (“Everyone’s statement can be taken or rejected except for the companion of this grave”)
Imam al-Shaafa’i (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“There is no one who will not be unaware of some of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Whatever I say or whatever guidelines I establish, if there is a report from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) which is different to what I said, then what matters is what the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, and that is my opinion.”
Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“Do not follow me blindly and do not follow Maalik or al-Shaafa’i or al-Awzaa’i or al-Thawri blindly. Learn from where they learned.”
“The opinion of al-Awzaa’i and the opinion of Maalik and the opinion of Abu Haneefah are all mere conjecture and it is all the same to me. Rather evidence is to be found in the reports – i.e., in the shar’i evidence.”
These statements are widely cited by many including Islamqa and are so much popular that people don't feel the necessity to give the source of it.
So I would like to know where this statement is written. What is the source of these statements? Where did these statements come from? There must be a source.
I hope someone will be able to find it.
Jazzak Allah Khair.