Sifat al-Irtibat bayn al-Ulama fi al-Qadim - ضمن «Athar al-Muallimi»
- Author died
- 1386 AH
- Editions
- Dār ‘Ālam al-Fawā’id lil-Nashr wa-al-Tawzī‘
Sifat al-Irtibat bayn al-Ulama fi al-Qadim (The Manner of Connection Among Scholars in the Past) is a short treatise by the Yemeni scholar Abd al-Rahman al-Muallimi al-Yamani (d. 1386 AH / 1966 CE) exploring scholarly correspondence, travel, and intellectual cooperation in Islamic history in contrast to contemporary neglect .
Origin and Context
The work originated as a lecture delivered by al-Mu'allimi in 1356 AH (1937 CE) during one of the cultural seasons organized by Da'irat al-Ma'arif al-Uthmaniyyah in Hyderabad, Deccan . The occasion was the reception of a visiting delegation of scholars from al-Azhar to the Da'irah, and the title was designated by al-Mu'allimi himself .
Contents and Themes
Al-Mu'allimi structured his discourse around contrasting the strong scholarly bonds of early Islamic eras with the estrangement observed among contemporary scholars :
- Historical Communication and Travel: He highlights how early scholars journeyed vast distances despite travel hardships to meet peers, exchange knowledge, and maintain lifelong correspondence, citing exchanges such as those between al-Layth ibn Sa'd and Malik ibn Anas, and between al-Shafi'i and Ahmad ibn Hanbal . He also notes journeys by the Companions to verify single hadiths, such as Abu Ayyub al-Ansari's travel to Egypt to meet Uqba ibn Amir .
- The Hajj and Communal Gatherings: He describes the pilgrimage to Mecca and congregational prayers as major historical venues for intellectual exchange, lamenting that modern scholars often perform the pilgrimage or live side by side without convening or discussing scientific matters .
- Critique of Contemporary Scholarly Disconnect: He criticizes the lack of communication across regions—which leads to conflicting fatwas in Egypt, Syria, and India—and notes that modern scholars frequently resort to contentious polemics, declarations of heresy, or takfir in magazines and pamphlets instead of direct scholarly consultation and correction .
- Educational Reform and Institutional Coordination: Al-Mu'allimi emphasizes the urgent need for religious scholars to cooperate in addressing atheism, bridging gaps with students of modern sciences, and reforming traditional curricula in madrasas that still rely on centuries-old texts . He also urges coordination between printing presses and manuscript libraries to prevent incomplete publications of classical works .
- Tribute to the Azharite Delegation: The lecture concludes with expressions of gratitude to the visiting Egyptian delegation, welcoming closer ties between Indian and Egyptian institutions and calling for ongoing exchanges .
Publication History
The treatise was first printed during al-Mu'allimi's lifetime within a commemorative volume compiling speeches from that event, titled Risalah Ilmiyyah Tarikhiyyah Nushirat Tadhkaran li-Wurud al-Bi'thah al-Azhariyyah ila Asimat al-Dawlah al-Asifiyyah . It was later edited by Ali ibn Muhammad al-Umran and included as the fourteenth treatise in the collection of al-Mu'allimi's hadith treatises (Majmu' al-Rasa'il al-Hadithiyyah), forming volume 15 of the comprehensive edition Athar al-Mu'allimi .
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