Crafting Knowledge: A Lesson in Scholarly Integrity and Presentation

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Cook Well and Serve with Elegance

By: Dr. Muhammad Akram Nadwi
Oxford, UK

Disclaimer:

This article has been translated for accessibility purposes. For the original Urdu text, please visit: <a href=”https://t.me/DrAkramNadwi/5780″ target=”_blank”>https://t.me/DrAkramNadwi/5780

There is a dear friend and benefactor of ours—whose name, for reasons of discretion, will remain undisclosed—who is a Mufti of the Age. In this world, he assumes the role of Allah’s “warden,” and neither humans nor jinn are safe from his grip. His presence invokes a trembling more intense than what was once felt at the sight of a Saudi Mutawwa. His arguments are always grounded in the sayings of elders or fatwas from institutions. Should he occasionally reference a hadith, it is invariably fabricated, weak, or anomalous. Authentic hadiths have no place in his discourse, and the Qur’an is even further removed, for it is a book only recited during Tarawih.

Yesterday, to the delight of myself and many other Muslims, the Mufti Sahib cited a well-known hadith from the Sahihayn to support his stance. We began to harbor hope that one day, he might also deem the Divine Book worthy of consideration. However, before we could fully savor this moment, Mufti Sahib demanded that we accept his view and sincerely repent from all our beliefs.

We respectfully requested him to pen an article explaining how this hadith substantiates his position and refutes ours. Shortly thereafter, he disappeared, and we refrained from reminding him further, fearing that one day, he might label us deniers of hadith.

This episode, though personal, is far from unique. Many scholars and muftis adopt a similar path with unshakeable confidence. They present references from a saying, a letter, a fatwa, a hadith, or even the Qur’an, followed by the phrase: “Our duty is only to convey the message”.

They seem oblivious to the fact that an isolated word or incomplete phrase does not constitute a coherent argument. Throwing disorganized sentences at an audience cannot be called a mubahatha (scholarly discussion). They also complain: “Why do the educated classes read so-and-so’s books?” These people, they claim, are misguiding others. Their solution? Compel adherence to their sect through fatwas and polemical debates.

A Tale of Four Friends and a Meal

Imagine four friends hosting guests. They agree to prepare a lavish meal. One brings a plump chicken, another purchases a large fish, the third buys ingredients for biryani, and the fourth gathers fresh vegetables to sauté with oil, onions, and spices.

When the guests arrive, the first friend places the live chicken in a corner of the dining room. The second sets the fish, still swimming in water, on the table. The third scatters the raw ingredients of biryani on the floor. Only the fourth friend thoughtfully cooks the vegetables and serves them in an elegant dish, alongside freshly baked bread and water.

The guests, pleased with the presentation, enjoy the vegetable dish and praise its taste and arrangement. After they leave, the first friend laments the guests’ lack of appreciation for his chicken. The second angrily declares: “How rude! What could be better than fish?” The third scorns the guests for ignoring his biryani and accuses the fourth friend of having cast a spell on them.

They collectively turn against him, expel him from their home, and declare the guests as followers of some deviant sect.

In retaliation, the three friends write ten treatises against their fourth companion and hold public debates to refute him. When a wise person advises them to prepare their dishes properly, they retort: “Are you suggesting our ancestors didn’t know how to cook? How else did so many people flock to their feasts?” They vow to write ten more books and disgrace him in public debates.

Lessons for Scholars A good host ensures the chicken is slaughtered, cut, and properly cooked. The fish is washed, its odor removed, and prepared with oil and spices. The biryani ingredients are arranged systematically, and the dish is cooked to perfection. All dishes are then served elegantly on the dining table.

Similarly, a good scholar must research thoroughly, organize their notes logically, provide evidence, and connect arguments cohesively. They should present their ideas in a language the audience understands, using relatable examples and analogies.

To mistake isolated references for knowledge is a grave delusion. The beauty of the Taj Mahal lies in its architecture, not just its stones. These stones may still exist, but only a fool would call them the Taj Mahal. Similarly, owning the same books read by Shibli and Suleiman won’t make you like them, nor will memorizing the words used by Ghalib and Iqbal make you their equal.

Conclusion

This world thrives on competition. Stop complaining, abandon baseless accusations, and refrain from alienating others with divisive rhetoric. Recognize your shortcomings, seek knowledge, study the works of true scholars, and learn to present information logically and elegantly. One day, the world will read your work too.