The Status of Bookish Knowledge According to the Predecessors (Salaf):

Maulana Faisal Ahmad Sahib Nadvi Bhatkali writes:

Our righteous predecessors (Salaf) did not give any importance to mere bookish knowledge. That is, if a person did not have teachers (Asatiza) and spiritual mentors (Mashaikh) and had acquired some knowledge solely from books, he was not given any importance. There have been some people in Islamic history whose mention in books comes with condemnation instead of greatness. The scholars of the Salaf were not even willing to engage in scholarly debates with such a person of mere bookish knowledge. What an exemplary incident Qadi Ayyad (Rahmatullahi Alaih) has narrated: During the time of Imam Ahmad (Rahmatullahi Alaih), there was a person named Ibn Abi Dawood who possessed only bookish knowledge. He used to stir up controversial debates from here and there. The Caliph of the time, Mu'tasim, said to Imam Ahmad, "Please talk to Ibn Abi Dawood and silence him." Imam Ahmad replied, "How can I speak to a person whom I have never seen at the doorstep of any scholar?" Reflect and take heed from this as to how people are causing various tribulations (Fitnah) today through such mere bookish knowledge.

(The Reality of Jurisprudential Differences / Pages: 19-20)