One of the favours of Allaah the Bountiful Lord upon this Ummah is granting it the grace of good teachers of Sunnah across the globe. Hardly will you see a Muslim town without one or two teachers of Sunnah.
Every learner - especially the malefolk - should desire meeting these teachers - especially the Senior Scholars - to tap from their knowledge at any stage in life before their demise.
Teachers of Sunnah who are known for their adherence to the Sunnah and the path of the Salaf are pride of every Muslim community. It is a duty to love and rever them but not raising them above their status.
The death of scholars is one of the greatest calamities that can happen to a Muslim community. The Messenger of Allaah (sallaLaaahu alayhi wasallam) did say Allaah would not sieze knowledge forcefully from the hearts of the people but He will sieze it by the death of scholars. When scholars die, ignoramuses will take charge, and trials and tribulations will set in.
So if you have the wherewithal to go after the scholars of Sunnah wherever they might be, please try to do so. Not doing so when you have the means to do so will be a regret someday.
It is saddening when scholars live nearby certain supposed learners and they don't benefit from their knowledge. This is not proper.
Those who were alive in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabic while the trio of Ash-Shaykh Abdulazeez bn Baz, Ash-Shaykh Muhammad Saalih Uthaymeen and Ash-Shaykh Muhammad Naasirudeen Al-Albaanee were alive, may Allaah be merciful to all of them, but failed to meet and learn from them as learners came to regret it.
Al-Imaam Adh-Dhahabee - rahimahullaah - in Siyar (9/504) when talking about Ishaaq bn al-Furaat (rahimahullaah) mentioned some three scholars who died almost the same time at the time, he said:
'If the likes of these three pass away from a city in the same year then loss has appeared in such a city.'
Daawud al-Khuraybee - rahimahullaah - entered Basra to learn from Ibn Aun, he was close by to hear that he died the same day he entered the city.
So let's make use of our scholars - home and abroad - before their demise.
Learners of old would travel far and wide to seek knowledge from scholars of the Deen.
May Allaah grant us the understanding of His Deen.
