Doubt Regarding Seeking Knowledge With The Scholars & Books & Audios | Shaykh ʿAbdullāh al-Bukhārī

Shaykh ʿAbdullāh Al-Bukhārī On The Baseless Claim That There Is No Difference Between Seeking Knowledge With The Scholars And Seeking Knowledge From Books And Audios:

The Question: “There is someone who says, and this is the last question, there is someone who says that there is no difference between the student of knowledge…rather seeking knowledge from the scholars and seeking knowledge from books and audios in terms of acquiring knowledge; in fact, audios are better because they can be stopped; meaning the recording and repeated. And he goes on to say where is the difference between the one who sits in front of a scholar and the one who listens to him [the same scholar] during a live broadcast in terms of acquiring knowledge?”

Shaykh ʿAbdullāh al-Bukhārī: “There is someone who says… it has occurred previously in many questions that we have addressed before –may Allāh bless you-, that speech is often spread; isn't that correct? And some of the students from our brothers here have conveyed what some of them say. Does everything that is said require from us that we pay attention to it? Meaning everyone who says something, must I consider it and address it? Some speech is so clearly invalid that it does not require someone to invalidate it. In the biography of Imām Aḥmad, from [the book] Siyar [Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ], al-Ḥāfiẓ al-Dhahabī mentioned that Imām Aḥmad was seated in his gathering, wherein he would teach, and there were approximately five thousand students in attendance.

Five hundred of those students wrote; whereas the remaining students observed his guidance, conduct and his way. They learned from his guidance and from his way. Is this found in an audio? This is a blessing. The ability to record is a blessing; a favor [conferred upon us]. Do not turn it into something which merits the punishment of Allāh and thus you bely the favor of Allāh upon you by way of this statement.

So don't ever make them equal and it is not possible to make the two equal under any circumstances. And no one who recognizes [true] knowledge would say this and make listening to audios the same as sitting with a scholar or a teacher. Never, there is a major difference and great disparity between this and that.

So the matter –may Allāh bless you-, is one in which the falsehood is clear. And the corruption contained in it is likewise clear. It does not require any further teaching. However, does this mean that the one who is unable to reach [them] that he should not study? No. He should learn and listen. All praise is due to Allāh, these are [from the] means of conveying good. So listen to them [recordings and audios].
However, it is obligatory to note, and we have mentioned this many times, and as such it is something that needs to be highlighted, there might be a word mentioned during the lesson that was mistakenly said by the Shaykh or the scholar or other than this which is uttered as a slip of the tongue or the like. Perhaps he holds it to be correct or it is possible that he worships Allāh based upon it and perhaps he spreads it. It is important to be deliberate and take one's time and to pay attention. Any problematic expression or other than this which is recorded, if one is able to communicate with him, one should attempt to meet with him during Ḥajj or ʿUmrah or during a visit with him or other than this.Yes, that Shaykh should be asked for an answer about it or something similar. As for making the two equal, then this is from the worst forms of falsehood.

And you should look into the books which contain biographies –may Allāh bless you- look at Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, whenever a narrator's biographical account is mentioned, Ādam ibn Abī Iyās al-ʿAsqalānī for example so & so and so & so. [It is mentioned that] He narrated from [so & so and so & so] and then a number of names are mentioned. And [it is mentioned] from those who narrated from him. All of this –may Allāh bless you- is either based upon hearing directly from someone or by way of an intermediary who either heard directly from him so either a direct transmission or a transmission by way of an intermediary and like this; and why would they travel? Why would one of them burden himself by going here and there in order to acquire and seek knowledge and a single letter from a ḥadīth of the Messenger of Allāh ().

Tell me, by your Lord, is the one who sits with Imām ʿAbdul-ʿAzīz ibn ʿAbdullāh ibn Bāz and takes from him [directly] and the one who listens to him and asks him [questions directly] if he is able to ask or has discussions with him and who took from him whatever he gave. Is he the same as the one who listens to these lessons and discussions in the east and the west? Are they the same?

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Translated By: Abul-Layth Qāsim Mutiva
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