The ruling on relying solely on reading books without taking knowledge from scholars

Question:
The questioner says: If it becomes difficult to find a shaykh, is it sufficient for the student of knowledge to limit himself to reading books?

Answer:
And listening to lessons. That is not sufficient. Seeking knowledge is not accomplished by reading alone, or by listening to recordings, or… This is necessary: you must take knowledge from the scholars. If there are no scholars in your country, travel to them, to whatever country they are in, and learn from them, and return to your country. Yes, we travel a second and third time, maintaining contact with the country. As for you starting in a country and saying, "It is sufficient for me to set up a library and read in it and listen to tapes," this is not sufficient. Rather, this deceives you, where you understand something that is contrary to reality. Yes.