“Even if you lie to yourself (convince

yourself) that you are from the students of

knowledge, you are not!”

Shaikh ‘Abdullāh bin ‘AbdurRahīm al-Bukhārī ‫حفظه للا تعال‬

______________________________________________________

On 16th October, 2022 (corresponding to 20/3/1444) one of our

Scholars, Shaikh ‘Abdullāh al-Bukhārī ‫ حفظه هللا تعال‬released a short

knowledge-based research paper of 30 pages or so; upon reading it, I was

reminded of the many pieces of advice our teachers - with the Shaikh at the
forefront of them - would impart upon us at the University of Madīnah
pertaining to the correct methodology in writing such research papers
revolving around Hadīth & its sciences - all of which were evident in
abundance in the paper of the Shaikh, may Allāh bless him and benefit us
by way of him.

I, therefore, decided to translate some previous advice of the Shaikh himself

(from several years ago) in regards to the matter of knowledge-based
research papers and theses, and the correct methodology a true student of
knowledge should tread upon, as well as a warning against incorrect
practices many fall into with regards to the misuse of modern technology.

1
This should serve to be very useful for students currently in universities or
other institutions abroad studying specifically, and others besides them
generally, who rely on technology, apps, & various programs…dare I say,
even Google, to “compile” their knowledge…such a person is not a serious
student of a knowledge - even if he convinces himself he is.

I found this to be a very useful & beneficial advice, and hope it will be
beneficial for others too, certainly knowledge is not for the faint of heart,
nor for the lazy…it requires serious effort and striving, may we all be
granted success in that.

Abū Mu’ādh Taqweem

21st October, 2022
(25/3/1444)

2
Shaikh ‘Abdullāh bin ‘AbdurRahīm al-Bukhārī ‫ حفظه للا تعال‬said:

“This one is asking if there is any comprehensive book that collects

names of narrators who were declared reliable by some of the Huffādh
(scholars of Hadīth) but their rulings were not given consideration….

I don’t know any comprehensive book…you dive into it yourself, search,

and learn, we are educating you now, and we will give you examples,
dive into it, just as others besides you did, and learn, investigate….(but
people don’t want to search, instead) everything is wanted ready & pre-
prepared! They got used to fast-food, and even this fast-food you won’t
wait standing in the line for it, it’s not fast in reality.

Some of them search on the devices, and they make it their main go-to
method, they cannot go anywhere without it, this isn’t befitting my sons,
we’ve spoken about this many times, by Allāh it is a disgrace, that a
student of knowledge relies on these programs/apps as the main go-to
method, rather, do not rely on them! We have said, they are helpful (on
the side), and there is a difference between help and (completely relying
on it)…like a pen, you write with a blue, red, yellow pen, whatever it may
be, it helps you to write, so that you don’t forget (the information), does
this mean you rely on the pen in totality such that it writes (for you) by
itself! So if you don’t have a pen you sit there ignorant, this isn’t
appropriate…you must search (& study yourself), these are just means
that simplify the matters, may Allāh bless you, many people though -
3
with regret - have made these matters the default and totally rely on them.
And more catastrophic and severe than that…I mean what can I say, with
regret, it has become a go-to relied upon means for many people who
write knowledge-based theses even, they rely on this, by Allāh it’s a
disgrace, and a shame, that you rely on all this (devices, programs/apps
etc), my brother, you search for it, sorry, but this is not the origin (of
research), this is NOT the origin, the origin in the matter is that you
investigate yourself, you search, there should be a connection between
you and the actual book, an affinity between you, a closeness…when
your book is missing you look for it, and when you sit with it you feel
comfort & familiarity, this is the (real) comfort & familiarity through
these books, the books of knowledge. As for the books being stacked on
distant shelves, so that’s it, what do we do, at the press of a button we
have full libraries, thousands of books, but then what, if this button breaks
(i.e. the device or program/app breaks), or stops working, the same
happens to it as occurs to others?

The huffādh (scholars of Hadīth with extensive memorisation) used to

say and give preponderance to narrating from books as memorisation can
betray you, and that is precision of the chest (memorisation), so what
therefore of this betrayer, which will betray you at the time of your
greatest need, while you are in the greatest or most difficult part of your
thesis, the electricity goes out, or these other affairs turn off (battery or
other fault), or a virus attacks the device, and you are completely
depending on these devices/apps/programs etc, it’s a disgrace upon the

4
student of knowledge, a disgrace, it’s not befitting, this is not (considered)
from seeking knowledge, and don’t say you are a student of knowledge
if you do this, be warned from attributing yourself to (being upon)
seeking knowledge, while you do these things (rely on devices/apps
etc).

The origin is that you return back to the books of knowledge, the “yellow
books” as they say, research in them, look into them, and learn the
methodologies of the huffādh (scholars of Hadīth of great memorisation),
and the Imāms in their authorships and books and benefit, if you do not
benefit now, then when will you benefit? What many are concerned
about is to sit and give fatāwā (Islamic verdicts), to sit to be witnessed,
sits behind the screens like a statue, and opens up the answers and says
“go ahead, give me your questions”! A platform/forum (channel) for
fatāwā, a platform/forum for answers to various issues, and a
platform/forum for such and such….all of it is lies and fabrication upon
knowledge, he can’t go anywhere without it (his device), he has not
acquired any knowledge, and neither was he from its people ever, not
even a day, do you understand? May Allāh bless you.

This is what occurs and happens from these mercenaries who have taken
(self) supremacy over knowledge - and there is no might nor power except
with Allāh. Isn’t this occurring? I’m asking you, doesn’t this occur, is it
present? Or am I just speaking from my imagination?!

5
Then they say (these pretenders to knowledge in their works), “I studied
(the subject) thoroughly and looked into it…”, liar! Neither did he study
thoroughly, nor did he look into it, rather this (device/app etc) searched
thoroughly for him! It compiled everything for him and handed it to him,
true? This occurs, we see it when conducting thesis vivas, a lot, in large
compilations. To the extent that some of them - when they write their list
of references (books etc they referred to for their thesis) at the end, and
they are providing details of the reference, they copy & paste and end up
writing (things like), “Number of parts: 1”, What do you mean 1? How
many volumes do you think this book is?! You tell me, 1 or 2 or what?
(They reply), “I’m sorry Shaikh, I apologise….I just copied it from
Shāmilah (a program for a large compilation of books)…”, this is it in the
end, is this an answer?! Is this a proof I ask you by Allāh? Is this a (suitable
& appropriate) response? Blind like this, copy & paste anything? Those
who inserted into these programs (created them, inserted all the books
etc into them), are they human or angels? Humans…do they fall into
error or not? Do they make mistakes or not? Do they misspell (typos) or
not? Do they distort things or not? Do they omit things or not? How can
you be sure and safe? Don’t say to me there are photocopied exact
versions of the original books you can return to (on these programs)….

I’m sorry….even if you get to this level of reliance upon others, and
become accustomed to no willingness (to research yourself and work
properly), and it says to you “(such & such) is in Volume 1”, then stand

6
up and walk, move your feet, and check volume 1, is it the 1st, or the 3rd
etc (verify). Is it compulsory it must provide you the photocopy?!

Ok, and the one who inserted the photocopies (into the program), is he
human or not? Is it possible he may (err) and omit a page (here & there)
or not? There is no might nor power except with Allāh.

In the past they used to say that the “Nāsikh” (the one who copied out
books), of the books of knowledge, is a “Māsikh” (the one who deforms
or distorts), what of those people, some of them used to sit with the
Scholars, were students of knowledge generally and broadly speaking to
some degree, yet it was said about them “Māsikh”. What therefore is our
state now? How many are there from the Massākhūn (ones who end up
deforming & distorting when copying/photocopying etc), I’m not saying
“Nassākhūn” (copiers etc), rather Massākhūn, how many are there?!

To the extent that some of them from the lack of….some of those who
write theses and describe them as “knowledge-based”! They say it’s a
“checked, monitored & approved” thesis, not just a normal university
thesis (PhD and the like), but rather a knowledge-based “checked,
monitored & approved” thesis…what’s needed is that the one who
checked & approved it should fear Allāh in his checking & approval too.

What are these research papers? All of them just cut & paste, just take it
(from the programs) and hand it in, anything will do, to the extent that I

7
looked into one of these boasters boasting this way (claiming his research
was precisely checked, monitored, & approved etc), I looked into one of
his books at a bookshop, by Allāh I had entered just looking for some
books, I didn’t search for this man and I don’t know him, I heard some
speech, I had been told by some students (about his works), so I examined
this book - which he had released “checked, monitored, & approved” as
he claimed falsely…and in reality the whole book, look, all of it filled
with “www.”, “w” I don’t know what, such & such a site, Shāmilah
(books program), all sorts, I don’t know what…this is a knowledge-based
research paper/thesis? Is this a knowledge-based research
paper/thesis?! If he came to me with this thesis, I would’ve have
thrown it back in his face!

Write like men write! Real men in knowledge, students of

knowledge…this is just frivolousness and play, what is this nonsense
“www.”? I mean, he can’t even put it into Arabic, there is no Arabic of
it? Who are you writing for? (Referring to websites referenced in English
or languages other than Arabic).

This has become a reference now, in my mind I would think he has

verified & consolidated (his research), and there is no might nor power
except with Allāh.

This is undervaluing and belittling knowledge, there is no veneration,

there is no veneration for knowledge may Allāh bless you.

8
The physical book is the origin, these programs/apps etc are secondary,
and an aid, and it is not suitable that you return to them and search in
them, do not look into them…my brother, let yourself become tired,
exhaust yourself, exhaust yourself, you must exhaust yourself! Stand, sit,
read and search, and write, when are you going to that if not now?!
When? This is not appropriate my brother, it’s not possible, trust me
completely, it’s not possible you become a Scholar, not even a student
of knowledge with this method, it is not possible! Even if you lie to
yourself (convince yourself) that you are from the students of
knowledge, you are not so.

This (knowledge) is not an affair for you, so stand aside…go ahead,

go, so long! Either tread the path of knowledge upon the ways of the
Scholars, otherwise be gone!

Translation: Abū Mu’ādh Taqweem

21st October, 2022
25/3/1444