Ash-Shaykh Zayd al-Madkhalee, may have mercy upon him , was asked the following question:

Question:

There is a statement that refutations between the people of knowledge distracts one from seeking knowledge, so is this statement correct?

Answer:

This is from the doubts of [the people] of falsehood, I doubt that the like of this statement would be spread by one who has a small amount of knowledge because the books of refutations are available distributed, published and being read [by the people] from the early eras to this era… so the books of refutations is Jihaad in the path of Allah. Rather Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, considered refutations upon the people of innovations and the people of desires to be greater than Jihaad of the battlefield… so if this statement comes from one who is ignorant, then it is a must that he be taught and if it comes from an individual that claims knowledge, then he is either an ignoramus that thinks he knows or either a person of deception who [the people] must be aware of and should be warned from”.

[al-A’qd al-Munadhad (page: 155-156)]

Translated by

AbdulFattaah bin Uthman
Abu Fajr