Reading Books of the Early Generations Rather than Modern Generations

Question :

Some people warn others against reading books of the callers of this time, saying that they should only read the books of our pious predecessors. Is their opinion correct? What is the correct view on this issue?

Answer:

Taking our Daw'ah from the Qur'an and the Sunnah is superior to everything else. And without a doubt, we all share this view. Then come the sayings of the rightly-guided caliphs, the Companions, and then the early Imams of Islam.

As for what modern and present-day scholars say that deals with things that have only recently occurred, then if the people take what is beneficial from their books, they have done all that they can do. We know that the modern scholars only take from the knowledge that the early generations had. So let us then take from what they have taken. But there are new issues that have arisen recently that they are more aware of than us, and such matters did not occur during the time of the Salaf, this is why I feel that people should take the good of both.

First, one should depend on the Qur'an and the Sunnah. Second, one should depend on what the rightly-guided caliphs, the Companions, and the early Muslim Imams left behind. Finally, one should read books by present-day scholars concerning issues that have only recently arisen, issues that did not exist in the time of the Salaf.

Source:
Ibn 'Uthaimin
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 8 Pages 63-64