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. It is not shameful for one to reply, "I do not know" when it is applicable, but it is shameful to speak about religious matters without knowledge. Only Allah knows everything.

just to add some quotes from salaf regarding the topic

Imam Malik who was more likely to say "la adree" (I don't know) or "la ahsin" (I don't know it very well) in response to the constant flow of queries directed toward him. Once a person approached him and told him that he had come from Marrakesh --- after a six month journey --- only to ask a question. "My people back home are waiting for your answer," he said. After hearing the question Imam Malik replied, "Please tell your people that I do not know the answer to your question." In one case he was asked forty-eight questions and in response to thirty-two of them he said, "I don't know." It was commonly said that if somebody wrote down Imam Malik's answers to questions, he could easily fill pages with "I don't know" before writing a real answer.

Ibn Jareej used to attend the majlis (sitting) of Abdullah ibn Umar, Radi-Allahu anhuma. "In answer to more than half the questions he used to say I don't know." Ibn Abi Layla saw 120 Sahaba (companions). "Whenever one of them was asked a question he wished that someone else would answer it." Our pious predecessors expressed their impartiality with the simple phrase: "I don't know." They used to say: "Half of knowledge is to recognize that you do not know something." They also said: "Whoever refuses to admit that he does not know, that person will soon be disgraced."

Abdullah ibn 'Umar (rd) says: "Knowledge is of three thypes, the Book that is forever speaking (Quran), an established Sunnah, and 'I do not know'." (Ad-Daraqutni: Ghara'ib Mälik. Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi: Asmä' man rawa Abu Dawud. Kitab al-Fara'id, vol. 3, p. 164. Ibn Majah: in the lntroduction to his Sunan, chapter eight.)

An Alim's saying "I do not know" raises his rank

In his explanation to this Statement, al-Manawi rahmatullähi says: "It is learnt from this Hadith that it is the duty of an Alim that if he does not know the answer to a question, he should say: 'I do not know.' Or, 'I am not certain.' Or, 'I have no knowledge thereof.' Or, Allah knows best.' If a person is asked a question and he replies: 'I do not know', this does not drop his rank, as some ignorant people assume. This is because the ignorance of a qualified Alim with regard to certain matters does not harm him. Rather, his saying 'I do not know', raises his rank because it is proof of his great status, the strength of his din, the fear of his Sustainer, the purity of his heart, the perfection of his recognition (of Allah) the goodness of his intention."

1 It is a person whose religiosity is weak and whose recognition[of Allah] is little who will scorn such a statement.This is because he fears a drop in his status in eyes of those who are present but does not fear a drop in his Status in the sight of the Sustainer of the worlds. This is an act of ignorance and weakness in din. (AI-Munäwi: Fayd al-Qadir bi Sharh a/-Jami" as-Saghir, vol. 4, pp.388.)

The Statement "I do not know" and "I have no knowledge" have thus been recorded with regard to the four imäms, that four rightly-guided caliphs, in fact, even from Rasulullah (sw) and Jibra'il(aw). Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Someone once asked him: "Which land is most beloved to Allah, and which land is most despised by Him?"

The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: "I do not know until I ask the angel Gabriel."

Thereafter, Gabriel informed him that the most beloved places are the mosques and the most disliked are the marketplaces. [Musnad Ahmad, Musnad Abî Ya`la, and Mustadrak al-Hâkim]

2 Imam Abul Hasan al-Mäwardi rahmatullähi 'alayh says; "Since there is no way whatsoever of encompassing all knowledge, there is no shame in not knowing some of it.Since there is no shame in not knowing some of it, you should not feel shy to say: 'I do not know , with regard to what you do not know. " (Al-Mawardi: Adab ad-Dunya wa ad-Din, p. 82 as quoted in Sharh in Ihya', vol. l, p. 394 of az-Zabidi rahmatullahi 'alayh)

Saying "I do not know" is half of knowledge

Imam al-Ghazzali rahmatullahi 'alayh says: "The person who remains silent when he does not know - and he does this solely for Allah, is no lesser in reward than the persoin who speaks. This is because admitting ignorance is more difficult on the soul." Abu Tälib al-Makki says: "This is because the beauty of a person remaining silent for the sake of Allah out of piety is like the beauty of a person who speaks of knowledge for the sake of Allah willingly." Al-Ghazzäli: al-Ihyä'. vol. l, p. 69

Ibn Abdil Barr narrates from someone of knowledge who said: "Learn to say: 'I do not know', and do not learn to say: 'I know'. This is because if you say: 'I do not know', they will teach you till you know. But if you say: 'I know', they will continue questioning you till you have no answer.'"!(Ibn Abdil Barr: Jami' ßayan al-'Ilm. vol. 2, p. 55)
The Caliph `Umar b. al-Khattâb once, while delivering a sermon on the pulpit, read the verse 31 form Sûrah `Abasa: "And fruits and fodder."

The word translated here as "fodder" and also sometimes as "herbage" or "grasses" is the Arabic word abb. `Umar admitted on the pulpit that he did not know what this word means The very same admission has also been related from Abû Bakr Abu Khaythamah an-Nasa'i narrates on the authority of abdullah ibn 'Umar (rd) who said: "It is part of knowledge for a person who does not know to say: 'Allah knows best.'

Ibrahim an-Nakha'i rahmatullahi 'alayh asked a question to Amir ash-Sha'bi rahmatullahi who was a great imam a great scholar from among the Tabiin. So the latter replied: "I do not know." On hearing this, Ibrahim an-nakha'i rahmatullahi 'alayh said: "I take an oath by Allah that this is a true Alim - he was asked about something which he did not know and he said: 'I do not know.'"