What If You Only Wrote Out of Necessity?

Everything I personally wrote, especially treatises, was because I found it necessary.

Because I felt that no one had clarified the matter as needed.

If it had been clarified at all.

I could write about prayer, zakāh, and so on and so forth.

But why?

We already have too many books on each topic.

Why would I add to that pile?

What if, instead, we took care of what is already written?

Organized it.
Cleaned it.
Verified it.
Simplified it.

And so on.

Are we really in an era where more data is needed?

Or more order?

You do not need to look busy producing in order to be knowledgeable.

In fact, the method you follow in producing often shows the level of your knowledge.

Do we need yet another compilation of what scholars said about this topic and that topic?

Did you discover a new ʿillah in some narration?

Maybe a new angle regarding an issue that no scholar before you noticed?

Great.

That is something to write about.

Yes, that type of thing is still possible.

Knowledge is not rigid.

You can always discover new things.

If al-Albānī had thought:

"Well, we already have the nine books, and someone like Ibn Ḥajar, so what could I add?"

Then we would not have "صححه الألباني" next to the names of imāms.

"رواه الترمذي وصححه الألباني"
Allāhu Akbar!

Sit with that for a moment.
Let it settle.

If you still want to write, then keep it for yourself.

Do not publish it.

Unless you truly see that it is needed out there.

That is what I learned from al-Albānī.

But ultimately, people will still write, publish, and stack books on their "My Books" list.

That is reality.

This message is for those who resonate with this mindset.

Not only will this save the Islamic library some clutter, but it will also train you to critique yourself.

To prioritize.
To be silent.
To be quiet.
To look idle on the surface while cooking on the inside.

Spit out pearls only.