A Response to Those Who Warn Against Reading al-Nawawi’s and Ibn Hajar’s Commentaries on the Two Sahihs

Question:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. I have begun seeking knowledge and started reading al-Nawawi’s commentary on Sahih Muslim. One of the students of knowledge told me not to read this commentary, and not to read Ibn Hajar’s commentary either, because they are innovators (mubtadi'ah) who are astray and deserve to have their books burned. What is the opinion on this? This is not something said

Answer:
except by the extremists who blow up in the streets; this is part of their speech. As for the people of the Sunnah and the community (Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah), they do not say this about Imam Ibn Hajar and Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on them both). They are two great imams, hadith scholars, and jurists, and Allah has benefited people through their books and knowledge. Scholars quote from them and use their statements as evidence, until this pretentious person comes along and describes them as being astray. This is among the ugliest of speech, and I seek refuge in Allah. You should read the books of these two imams and others, but my brother, seeking knowledge is not sufficient with just reading; it is necessary that you read under the shaykhs and receive knowledge from the shaykhs.
And you should read the books under the shaykhs, not by yourself, because you are a beginner, and there may be statements you do not understand, or you may understand them incorrectly, thinking you have understood them when you have not. Therefore, it is necessary to receive knowledge from the scholars. Yes.