By Imam Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr in his Jami’ Bayan al-‘Ilm wa Fadlihi

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

2414: Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad bin Isma’il al-Bukhari was asked:

“What is it that strengthens one’s memory?”

He replied: “Constantly looking through books.”

2415: Ahmad bin Abi ‘Imran said:

“I was with Abu Ayyub Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Shuja’, and he was staying in his house. So, he sent one of his sons to Abu ‘Abdillah bin al-A’rabi to invite him over.

The boy returned, saying: “I asked him this, and he said to me: “I am with a group, and when I am done being taught by them, I will be over,” and I did not see a single person at his house. Rather, he had in front of him books that he was looking through. He would look in this book for some time, and then look in another book for some time.”

Shortly thereafter, he arrived. So, Abu Ayyub said to him: “O Abu ‘Abdillah! Glory be to Allah, the Mighty! You stayed behind and prevented us from your presence, and my son said that he did not see anyone with you, and that you said you were with a group, and that you would come as soon as you were done being taught by them!”

So, Ibn al-A’rabi said:

Translator’s note: He did not lie, as he was referring to his books as his companions, and this is from the ma’arid (metaphoric speech) that do not count as lies, as was narrated authentically from ‘Imran bin Husayn, ‘Umar bin al-Khattab, and Ibn ‘Abbas.

2416: It was said to Abi al-‘Abbas Ahmad bin Yahya (Tha’lab):

“The people have greatly missed you. If only you could leave your house for just a bit and show yourself to the people so that they could benefit from you, and you could benefit from them.”

So, he stayed silent for an hour, and said:

2419: From what was memorized in the past:

2420: Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Ahmad recited to me:

2421: And he asked me to add to the above, and I immediately followed up with this in his presence:

2424: Abu ‘Amr bin al-‘Ala’ said:

“I never entered upon a man or passed by his door – seeing him with a book in his hand, and his companion doing nothing – except that I judged him to be the more intelligent one.”
2425: ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abd al-‘Aziz bin ‘Umar bin ‘Abd al-‘Aziz said:

“I never saw a better admonisher than the grave, or anything more satisfying than a book, or anything safer than lack of socialization.”

2426: al-Hasan al-Lu’lu’i said:

“Forty years of my life have passed in which I never awoke or went to sleep except that a book was resting on my chest.”

Translated by Abu Sabaayaa