Sufyān ath-Thawrī’s Good Manners

قَالَ سُفْيَانَ الثَّوْرِيِّ رَحِمَهُ اللَّٰهُ: إنّ الرَجُلَ ليُحَدِّثُني بالحديثِ قد سمِعتُهُ أنا قبلَ أن تلِدَهُ أُمُّه فيحمِلُني حُسنُ الأدبِ أن أسمَعَهُ مِنه

Sufyān ath-Thawrī (may Allāh have mercy upon him) said:

“Sometimes a man will narrate a ḥadīth to me that I knew before his mother gave birth to him. However, out of good manners, I will listen to him (as though I did not know it).”