The Shaykh's answer to the questioner who asked him to attend their gathering?

The questioner : It is not a question for the lesson, O our Shaykh. We want you to honor us with your presence, if Allah wills.

The Shaykh : But there is a valid aspect to it in my view. I am aware of the hadith that the one to whom charity is given, when he accepts the charity, is not better than the one who gives the charity. This is regarding material things, so what about spiritual things? When we find students like you who accept knowledge and even strive for it, I fear that the merit may be yours over ours, because we find fertile ground for such a seed.

The questioner : If Allah wills, O Lord.

The Shaykh : Therefore, I say to many of our brothers in such cases: I do not make jokes; that is, whoever invites me, I respond, except that there are many, many requests in the subject matter, so we are forced to regulate the responses and organize them. And without a doubt, the matter is as He, the Exalted, said: , and as the common proverb says: "One hand cannot clap." So, due to my immersion in research and knowledge and the like, as you know, I cannot keep in my mind that so-and-so has requested this and so-and-so has a second and third request. So we assign some of our brothers to handle this. Our brother Abu 'Abdullah 'Aziz is the one who takes charge of organizing the execution of these requests; so you must go to him.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh : And I am with you on that, if he is there.

The questioner : If Allah wills. All right, O our Shaykh, we have now obtained the initial approval, if Allah wills.

The Shaykh : And it is so.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh : This is our duty.

The questioner : May Allah preserve you.