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Shaykh Saalih al-Fowzaan said:
And the people of knowledge are well known; not everyone who has a certificate [becomes a scholar], [nor he who] has graduated from a [university] faculty or…not everyone who has memorised ahaadeeth or memorised aayaat [becomes a scholar].
Not everybody who has read books becomes a Faqeeh (a scholar of insight and understanding). The Fuqahaa (scholars of insight and understanding) are well known to the people.
However, some people, or many of the people, they only really want someone who is appropriate for himself. [So] he goes around to whoever will be right for him – even if the one who speaks [to him] is the most ignorant of people, or the most misguided of people.
The important thing is that he agrees with his whims and desires – and this is extremely dangerous, particularly in this time wherein the scholars have decreased [in number]; The Fuqahaa have decreased [in number], while those [who have sought knowledge by merely] reading books have increased. Those [who have sought knowledge by merely] reading books have increased, while the Fuqahaa have decreased.
And [it occurs] in his ﷺ statement:
«Indeed, Allaah does not take away knowledge by snatching it from the chests of the men, but rather He takes away knowledge by way of the death of the scholars, until no scholar remains, and the people [then] turn to the ignorant as their leaders. They deliver religious verdicts without knowledge. They themselves are misguided and so, misguide others.»[1]And there is no Might nor Power, except with Allaah.
We fear that this has [already] started in this time of ours. So we must be cautious, and fearful [in this respect], and take precaution; and [in doing so, we must] refer to the people of knowledge, and the reliable trustworthy people – as much as possible – from those [of the scholars] who remain; As for the scholars of the past and the greats amongst them, then they have passed, [so refer to] the best of those who remain.
[And Allaah (‘Azza wa Jall) says:]
{So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can.}[2]We ask Allaah to grant us and you the towfeeq to know the truth and act in accordance with it.
…و صلى الله و سلم على نبينا محمد و على آله
Originally published on 13 March, 2014.
[1] Saheeh Muslim, The Book of Knowledge;
[2] Soorah at-Taghaabun, Aayah 16.
