✍🏻 Abu Khalid
Of all the lamps of knowledge and guidance that have been lit by human hands, the pen holds the most prominent position. It is this pen that has conveyed the knowledge of prophethood to the heirs of Adam (peace be upon him). It is this pen that has preserved the thoughts and experiences of past prophets, saints, wise men, and imams. If the process of writing and compiling had not existed, the scholarly heritage of the Ummah of Muhammad would have been scattered, and all the treasures that the scholars of the past had opened would have been buried under the dust of time. The people of the pen have done a great favor to this Ummah, through whose ink people have become acquainted with the religion. May Allah Almighty grant them a reward befitting their status.
Even today, there is a need for people of knowledge to bring their experiences and information to the tip of the pen, according to their ability and power, and to keep the process of writing ongoing for the coming generations.
Indeed, the field of writing is of great virtue, but also extremely dangerous and arduous. So, let's find out what the scholars have to say about this.
Ibn Jama'ah (may Allah have mercy on him) says that his passion for Hadith led him to engage in writing, compiling, and authoring, despite the fact that he had complete virtue and solid competence, because through the act of writing, a person gains access to the realities of various arts and the intricacies of knowledge, because it requires a lot of searching, studying, contemplation, and reference. [Tadhkirat al-Sami' wal-Mutakallim: 18]
Abdullah bin al-Mu'tazz (may Allah have mercy on him): A person's knowledge is his eternal offspring. [Al-Jami' li-Akhlaq al-Rawi: 280/2]
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him): A scholar's writings are his eternal offspring, not his real offspring. [Bada'i' al-Fawa'id: 227/3]
Ibn al-Jawzi (may Allah have mercy on him): A scholar's writing is his immortal offspring (offspring that remains forever). [Sayd al-Khatir: 34]
He further said: I have seen the correct opinion that the benefit of writing is greater than the benefit of face-to-face teaching, because in face-to-face teaching, I can only meet a limited number of students in my lifetime, but through my writing, I reach countless people who will be born even after me. The proof of this is that people benefit from the writings of the predecessors much more than they benefit from their teachers. [Sayd al-Khatir: 241]
And he said: A scholar should, if Allah has granted him the ability to write something useful, devote himself to it completely, because not every writing is a writing. The purpose is not merely to collect something, but these are the secrets that Allah Almighty reveals to His special servants, and grants them the ability to uncover them, so that they may collect scattered knowledge, arrange scattered words, or clarify something meaningless — this is useful writing. [Sayd al-Khatir: 242]
Imam al-Mundhiri (may Allah have mercy on him): Whoever transmits beneficial knowledge, for him is his own reward and the reward of the person who read it, wrote it, or acted upon it — as long as his handwriting remains. And whoever transmits a writing based on sin, upon him is his own sin and the sin of those who act upon it, as long as that handwriting remains. [Fayd al-Qadir: 437/1]
Khatib Baghdadi (may Allah have mercy on him): Few people gain expertise in the science of Hadith, reach its depths, and become aware of its precise benefits, except for those who collect scattered material, bring together disparate things, and engage in the compilation of chapters and the arrangement of categories. This action strengthens the soul, solidifies the memory, illuminates the heart, sharpens the nature, makes the tongue fluent, improves the expression, clarifies ambiguous matters, and illuminates vague things. Also, this action gives the author a beautiful memory and lasting fame, as the poet said: (Translator)
Some people die, but their knowledge keeps their memory alive,
While ignorance joins the dead to the dead.
[Al-Jami' li-Akhlaq al-Rawi: 280/2]
And he said: It is necessary for the author to free his heart for writing, focus all his attention on it, dedicate all his activities to it, and spend his time in it. [Al-Jami' li-Akhlaq al-Rawi: 282/2]
Taj al-Din al-Subki (may Allah have mercy on him): Even if a scholar has a high position in knowledge, has strong arguments in the arenas of debate, and his arms are so strong that he can break all obstacles, is complete in himself and solid in defense, his benefit is limited to his life only — unless he writes a book that remains after him, or leaves behind knowledge that his student conveys to people when he himself departs from the world, or guides a group that benefits from his knowledge even after him.
Undoubtedly! Writing holds the highest position in all these forms, because its effect lasts for the longest period, and sometimes it lives even after the author's death.
[Fath al-Mughith: 318/3]
Khatib Baghdadi (may Allah have mercy on him): The book also has superiority over its author and becomes a source of honor for him in many ways, for example: the book is read everywhere, its contents are revealed in every language, and it remains in every era, even if times are different and distances between cities. This is something that is not possible for the author or debater himself. Sometimes the scholar departs from the world, but his books remain, the intellect perishes, but its effect remains. [Taqyid al-'Ilm: 117]
Abu al-Fath Ali bin Muhammad al-Busti: People say that a person's memory remains through his offspring, although if there is no offspring, there is no memory. I said to them: My offspring are the rare gems of my wisdom, so whoever is proud of offspring, let him see that we have offspring only through our writings.
[Al-Jami' li-Akhlaq al-Rawi: 280/2]
Yahya bin Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The inheritance of knowledge is better than the inheritance of wealth.
[Al-Madkhal ila al-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Bayhaqi: 277/1]
Abu Muhammad Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him) says: We have only mentioned those writings that are really worth mentioning, and they come in seven categories, in one of which a wise person writes:
1. Invent something that no one has written about before.
2. Complete something incomplete.
3. Clarify a difficult matter.
4. Present a long book in a concise manner, without any loss of meaning.
5. Collect scattered knowledge.
6. Arrange mixed material.
7. Correct the mistake of a previous author.
[Rasail Ibn Hazm: 186/2]
Haji Khalifa (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated from some scholars: The student should engage in writing and research according to his understanding, when people need it. Clarify the expression, do not deviate from the terms, clarify the difficult things, illuminate the vague things, so that he may achieve good mention and lasting name.
Therefore, when he intends to write, he should free his heart for it, and focus all his attention on it, so that no obstacle prevents him from reaching this honor.
And when the book is completed, he should correct, revise, research, and repeatedly study it before presenting it to the people, because it has been said: A person is free within the circle of his intellect and safe from the language of his people, as long as he does not write a book or compose poetry.
[Kashf al-Zunun: 38/1]
Ibrahim al-Suli (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The one who sees the book recognizes its flaws more than the author.
[Al-A'lam lil-Zarkali: 22/1]
Qadi Abd al-Rahman al-Baysani (may Allah have mercy on him) said: I saw a person writing a book and the very next day saying: If this matter were changed, it would be better, if this were added, it would be good, if this were presented, it would be more appropriate, if this were removed, it would be more beautiful.
[Kashf al-Zunun: 18/1]
Muzni (may Allah have mercy on him) says: I read Imam Shafi'i's book Al-Risala eighty (80) times, and every time I noticed some mistake in it.
Imam Shafi'i said: By Allah! Stop — Allah has not created any book perfect in every respect except His Book.
And it was said: If a book is presented seventy times, a mistake will still be found in it. Allah has not kept any book free from error except His Book. (Al-Muntaqa 280)
Mu'ammar (may Allah have mercy on him) says: Even if a book is presented a hundred times, it will not be free from any omission or error.
Tha'alibi (may Allah have mercy on him) says: No one spends even one night writing a book but the next day he wants to add or subtract something from it — this is the state in one night, so what will be the state after years!
Sakhawi (may Allah have mercy on him) says: How many books are there that I have read and said in my heart that I have corrected it, but when I read it again, I found a tasheef (error), and then I corrected it. [Al-Maqasid al-Hasana: 39]
Yahya bin Khalid (may Allah have mercy on him) says: A person's letters and writings are the most indicative of the degree of his intellect, and the truest witness to his inner self, but rather reveal its meaning and depth much more than face-to-face conversation.
[Al-Adab al-Shar'iyya: 359/1]
Hilal bin al-Ala' (may Allah have mercy on him) says: A person's intellect and understanding are judged after his death by the books he has written, the poems he has said, and the writings he has written.
[Al-Jami' li-Akhlaq al-Rawi: 283/2]
Khatib Baghdadi (may Allah have mercy on him) says: Whoever writes a book, it is as if he has placed his intellect and understanding on a tray and presented it to the people.
[Al-Arba'un 'ala al-Tabaqat li-'Ali bin Mufaddal al-Maqdisi: 505/1]
Yahya bin Khalid al-Barmaki (may Allah have mercy on him) says: Three things indicate the intellect of their possessors: a book, which is according to the intellect of its author; a message, which is according to the intellect of its sender; and a gift, which is according to the intellect and awareness of its giver.
[Al-Adab al-Shar'iyya: 211/2]
Ibn al-Muqaffa' (may Allah have mercy on him) says: Whoever writes a book, he makes himself a target; if he writes well, he will be honored, and if he writes badly, he will be humiliated. [Murooj al-Dhahab: 5/1]
Some people of knowledge said: Whoever wants to write a book should assume that all the people in the world are his enemies, all are experts in all sciences, and all are free to look at his book. [Al-Hayawan: 88/1]
It is narrated: A man is in veil and safe until he composes poetry or writes a book; because his poetry is a translator of his knowledge, and his writing is a title of his intellect and awareness.
[Ghayat al-Amani: 124/1]
Further: Presenting one's physical sons (offspring) for marriage is easier than presenting one's intellectual sons (thoughts and ideas) to people of understanding.
Also: A person's book is the title of his intellect and the translator of his virtue.
[Zahrat al-Adab: 140/1]
And it was said: The minds of men are hidden under the tips of their pens.
[Al-Tara'if wal-Lata'if: 104]
Ibn Abd al-Barr (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates: When Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) intended to write Al-Muwatta and prepared it, at that time other scholars of Medina also prepared Muwattas. Someone said to Imam Malik: You have put yourself in such hard work, while people have also written similar books.
Imam Malik said: Bring them, show me their writings.
When they were presented, he saw them, then threw them away and said: Know that only that book will be elevated which is intended for the face (pleasure) of Allah.
Then it happened as if all those books were thrown into wells — no mention of any of them remained, and only Imam Malik's Al-Muwatta remained.
[Al-Tamhid lima fi al-Muwatta min al-Ma'ani wal-Asanid: 286/1]