al-Ilam bi Hurmat Ahl al-Ilm wal-Islam
- Author died
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- Editions
- Dār Ṭaybah - Maktabat al-Kawthar
al-I‘lam bi-Hurmat Ahl al-‘Ilm wal-Islam (Notifying of the Inviolability of the People of Knowledge and Islam) is a contemporary treatise written by the Egyptian Salafi scholar Muhammad Ismail al-Muqaddim (b. 1371 AH / 1952 CE), addressing the sanctity and honor of Islamic scholars and the prohibition of disparaging and slandering them.
Background and Structure
The author composed the work as a reminder (تذكرة) in response to issues observed in contemporary Islamic activism, where rapid growth occurred without adequate moral upbringing, resulting in junior students and non-specialists attacking established scholars, magnifying their mistakes, and misapplying the rules of criticism (al-jarh wa-l-ta‘dil).
The text is structured around two primary themes:
- Adab with fellow Muslims: Maintaining good character toward every Muslim, upholding their inviolability, and refraining from violating their honor, with particular focus on the prohibition of backbiting (ghibah).
- Etiquette toward scholars: Recognizing the distinct status of religious scholars as the heirs of the prophets, maintaining reverence for their rank, and avoiding defamation or slander against them.
Core Arguments and Themes
Al-Muqaddim argues that the rights of scholars encompass both the general inviolability granted to all Muslims and several specific rights, including the respect due to elders, bearers of the Quran, and practicing scholars. Because sanctity is magnified depending on its context, transgressing against scholars is presented as a severe sin; he cites Shafi‘i juristic rulings classifying backbiting against scholars and Quran bearers as a major sin (kabirah).
The book also frames the disparagement of eminent scholars as a tactic historically employed to undermine the religion itself—a concept the author terms "demolishing the peaks" (هدم القمم). He illustrates this through historical precedents, including the slander campaign against Aisha and orientalist attacks against the prominent Companion Abu Hurayrah, arguing that defaming transmitters ultimately seeks to invalidate the transmitted Islamic tradition.
Publication and Reception
The book was published in its first edition in 1419 AH (1998 CE) by Dar Taybah and Maktabat al-Kawthar in Riyadh. It is frequently referenced by contemporary authorities alongside works such as Bakr Abu Zayd's Tasnif al-Nas bayn al-Zann wal-Yaqin as an important critique of partisan factionalism and the misuse of jarh wa-ta‘dil against scholars and preachers.
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