A conversation between some students and the Shaykh regarding some scholarly books.

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : ... in Syria.

The questioner : He is in Syria, visiting the Zahiriyyah, as well as the Language Institute... I visit some of the libraries. We have some manuscripts and photocopies. I want us to obtain other copies of them, particularly from the books of 'Abd al-Ghani al-Azdi. I have "Iydhah al-Ishkal," as well as all his existing works that have reached us, "al-Mu'talif wa al-Mukhtalif" and "Mushabbah al-Nasibah." We have several copies of them, so we are looking for other old copies... And we had a project to publish all the works of the Shaykh "Shams al-Haqq al-'Azzimabadi." May Allah will it, all his works that have reached us will be published in this series, and what remains of them is "Ghayat al-Maqsud" and "al-Sharh al-Kabir 'ala Sunan Abi Dawud."

The Shaykh : Are you planning to print it?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Did you obtain the complete copy?

The questioner : No, it is not complete, but we have obtained about a tenth of the book.

The Shaykh : Only?

The questioner : Just that; meaning, the commentary on the Book of Purification and the Book of Prayer only. So this collection, meaning, the Shaykh's great-grandson gifted it to you... his name is 'Abd al-Raqqab.

The Shaykh : May Allah reward him with good.

The questioner : And it was printed in Riyadh. This is the "Thabtat al-Asanid," "al-Wujazah fi al-Ijazah," and "Risalah fi Tahrim al-Dara'ih." We have two volumes of it. "al-Tahqiqat al-'Ula bi-Ithbat Fardhiyyat al-Jumu'ah fi al-Qura," and "Uqud al-Juman." This is a second edition prepared by Dr. Wasi Allah 'Abbas...
How are you doing?

The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, my condition is that of an old Shaykh, but I am well, praise be to Allah.

The questioner : And how are the brothers here in Jordan...? I finally met them. I am sorry, I was not able to meet them until recently. I had some questions, particularly about your works and some other things; they are not, meaning, scientific issues, some are scientific issues and some relate to authorship and... but some of the treatises that were printed long ago in Damascus and other countries are not available. If you have copies of them, we would benefit from them.

The Shaykh : For example?

The questioner : Like the first treatise of "Tasdid al-Ibahah ila..."

The Shaykh : We have been thinking for a long time about reprinting these treatises that were printed long ago, but it has not been possible for me to do so. I had started adding new benefits, and indeed I added them, but due to the many scholarly engagements, the time for publishing them has not yet come.

The questioner : Meaning, is it possible to obtain the copies that were published thirty or forty years ago?

The Shaykh : We do not have copies. I do not have anything but single copies.

The questioner : Meaning, is it possible to obtain them and photograph them, for example, the first treatise of this series, as well as "al-Radd 'ala al-Ta'qub al-Hathith"? This is also printed.

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : I wanted to...

The Shaykh : I did not understand your last question after I explained to you that I do not have anything but single copies; so what is your last question about them?

The questioner : "al-Radd 'ala al-Ta'qub al-Hathith"?

The Shaykh : It is not available except in single copies.

The questioner : The ones that were published from the beginning?

The Shaykh : What is it?

The questioner : Like "al-Lihya fi Nazar al-Din," this...

The Shaykh : I do not possess a copy of it. I personally do not have a copy.