Which is better: listening to the shaykhs via the radio or reading from books?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh: How.
The questioner: If you would allow me a question.
The Shaykh: Go ahead.
The questioner: I find, O our Shaykh, a very strong desire to follow the Saudi Radio from when it opens until it ends at twelve in the evening. I mean, I cannot leave it for a moment. I even have a small radio with me if I am on the road or on the bus or in any place, so I follow the lessons, meaning at home or outside the home, meaning. So, do you see anything wrong with that, or do you advise us to do so, or?
The Shaykh: No, I do not see anything wrong, but first, do you not have a job?
The questioner: No, I am in books and tapes.
The Shaykh: How.
The questioner: In religious books and tapes.
The Shaykh: You sell tapes and books.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: Okay, and what is your education, meaning, if you read, do you understand?
The questioner: I follow Shaykh 'Abd al-'Aziz daily, his daily lessons.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner: Except during the time when the Shaykh is starting, I follow the Saudi Radio.
The Shaykh: Yes, that is good, but I suggest that you expand your knowledge beyond what you hear from Shaykh 'Abd al-'Aziz or from the Saudi Radio. You should read books, meaning, you should be active in reading.
The questioner: I find that listening is more beneficial to me than reading?
The Shaykh: Yes, but if you are listening to everything, you could read. I tell you there is no harm, but what you hear is much less than what you read and benefit from.
The questioner: When I come to start reading, I find, for example, that Shaykh Ibn Baz has a session or "Nur 'ala al-Darb" or Ibn Uthaymeen has a lesson, a lecture, or fatwas or something similar. When I start reading, I find that Shaykh Ibn Baz or Ibn Uthaymeen or similar shaykhs are speaking in the recording or on the radio, so I say, how can I read and leave the Shaykh speaking in the recording or on the radio?
The Shaykh: But my brother, Shaykh Ibn Baz or Ibn Uthaymeen are not always speaking every twenty-four hours. No, you must seek out the times when the words of the scholars and shaykhs are published, and in times other than these, you should occupy yourself with reading. Do not forget that you must read the Qur'an, reflect upon it, understand it, and get used to referring to books of tafsir if the meaning of a verse is unclear to you.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: Ah, this way you become a strong student of knowledge. If you are always, your merchandise is only listening, your knowledge will be very limited over time.
The questioner: May Allah reward you with good for us.
The questioner: If you would allow me a question.
The Shaykh: Go ahead.
The questioner: I find, O our Shaykh, a very strong desire to follow the Saudi Radio from when it opens until it ends at twelve in the evening. I mean, I cannot leave it for a moment. I even have a small radio with me if I am on the road or on the bus or in any place, so I follow the lessons, meaning at home or outside the home, meaning. So, do you see anything wrong with that, or do you advise us to do so, or?
The Shaykh: No, I do not see anything wrong, but first, do you not have a job?
The questioner: No, I am in books and tapes.
The Shaykh: How.
The questioner: In religious books and tapes.
The Shaykh: You sell tapes and books.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: Okay, and what is your education, meaning, if you read, do you understand?
The questioner: I follow Shaykh 'Abd al-'Aziz daily, his daily lessons.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner: Except during the time when the Shaykh is starting, I follow the Saudi Radio.
The Shaykh: Yes, that is good, but I suggest that you expand your knowledge beyond what you hear from Shaykh 'Abd al-'Aziz or from the Saudi Radio. You should read books, meaning, you should be active in reading.
The questioner: I find that listening is more beneficial to me than reading?
The Shaykh: Yes, but if you are listening to everything, you could read. I tell you there is no harm, but what you hear is much less than what you read and benefit from.
The questioner: When I come to start reading, I find, for example, that Shaykh Ibn Baz has a session or "Nur 'ala al-Darb" or Ibn Uthaymeen has a lesson, a lecture, or fatwas or something similar. When I start reading, I find that Shaykh Ibn Baz or Ibn Uthaymeen or similar shaykhs are speaking in the recording or on the radio, so I say, how can I read and leave the Shaykh speaking in the recording or on the radio?
The Shaykh: But my brother, Shaykh Ibn Baz or Ibn Uthaymeen are not always speaking every twenty-four hours. No, you must seek out the times when the words of the scholars and shaykhs are published, and in times other than these, you should occupy yourself with reading. Do not forget that you must read the Qur'an, reflect upon it, understand it, and get used to referring to books of tafsir if the meaning of a verse is unclear to you.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: Ah, this way you become a strong student of knowledge. If you are always, your merchandise is only listening, your knowledge will be very limited over time.
The questioner: May Allah reward you with good for us.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.