What is your opinion regarding Abu Ghuddah’s annotations and marginal notes on some of the books of the people of hadith, and what is your advice to students of knowledge concerning Abu Ghuddah’s annotations?
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The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
The questioner: Currently, the books edited by Abu Ghuddah have become widespread, especially those that deal with books of hadith, such as Qawa'id al-Tahrir and al-Takmil by al-Kanwi, and others. There is no doubt that when students of knowledge see these books, they buy them. So what are your comments regarding Abu Ghuddah’s annotations and the marginal notes he inserts into such books, and what is your advice to students of knowledge regarding Abu Ghuddah’s annotations?
The Shaykh: I advise students of knowledge to choose their shaykhs from among the people of the Sunnah and knowledge of the Book and the hadith. Shaykhs today are different from those of the past, as was the case with direct apprenticeship. In the past, apprenticeship or the seeking of knowledge was done directly with the shaykhs by attending their gatherings and circles of lessons, and the like. Today, this method of seeking knowledge has become rare because the means of disseminating knowledge through the printing of books have become easy. Consequently, the works have taken the place of the authors. Just as it was obligatory in the old method for the student of knowledge to choose a shaykh known for the soundness of his 'aqidah, first of all, free from deviation and influence by some of the misguided Islamic sects, and just as it was obligatory for him to choose, after this selection, a scholar—a scholar in the true sense of the word, in the correct scientific sense, of the Book and the Sunnah, and not a scholar of the sayings of some of the imams or some of their followers. This is not a scholar. The scholar is, as Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his description of knowledge:
"Knowledge is: Allah said, His Messenger said, *** The Companions said; it is not obfuscation.
Knowledge is not setting you up for foolish disagreement *** Between the Messenger and the opinion of a jurist.
Nor is it denying the attributes and negating them *** Out of fear of ta'til (denial of the divine attributes) and tashbih (likening Allah to creation)."
The questioner: Currently, the books edited by Abu Ghuddah have become widespread, especially those that deal with books of hadith, such as Qawa'id al-Tahrir and al-Takmil by al-Kanwi, and others. There is no doubt that when students of knowledge see these books, they buy them. So what are your comments regarding Abu Ghuddah’s annotations and the marginal notes he inserts into such books, and what is your advice to students of knowledge regarding Abu Ghuddah’s annotations?
The Shaykh: I advise students of knowledge to choose their shaykhs from among the people of the Sunnah and knowledge of the Book and the hadith. Shaykhs today are different from those of the past, as was the case with direct apprenticeship. In the past, apprenticeship or the seeking of knowledge was done directly with the shaykhs by attending their gatherings and circles of lessons, and the like. Today, this method of seeking knowledge has become rare because the means of disseminating knowledge through the printing of books have become easy. Consequently, the works have taken the place of the authors. Just as it was obligatory in the old method for the student of knowledge to choose a shaykh known for the soundness of his 'aqidah, first of all, free from deviation and influence by some of the misguided Islamic sects, and just as it was obligatory for him to choose, after this selection, a scholar—a scholar in the true sense of the word, in the correct scientific sense, of the Book and the Sunnah, and not a scholar of the sayings of some of the imams or some of their followers. This is not a scholar. The scholar is, as Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his description of knowledge:
"Knowledge is: Allah said, His Messenger said, *** The Companions said; it is not obfuscation.
Knowledge is not setting you up for foolish disagreement *** Between the Messenger and the opinion of a jurist.
Nor is it denying the attributes and negating them *** Out of fear of ta'til (denial of the divine attributes) and tashbih (likening Allah to creation)."
Source
www.al-albany.com
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