Narrated `Abdullaah bin `Umaar رضي الله عنهما: Two men came from the East and addressed the people who wondered at their eloquent speeches. On that Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝Some eloquent speech is as effective as magic.❞ [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (5146, 5767)] Al-Haafidh Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbalee [d.795H] - rahimahullaah - said about this: "We have been put to trial by a group of ignoramuses amongst the people who believe that some modern-day individuals that are prolific in speech are more knowledgeable than those who came before them. Among them is he who thinks that a certain individual is more knowledgably than everyone that came in the past, including the Companions and those that succeeded them, due to the large amount of his clarifications and statements." He went on to say: "Many of the latter day people have been affected by this, and so they feel that whoever has a great amount of speech, debates and arguments on issues of the Religion, is more knowledgeable than someone who isn't like this!" I say: This was at the time of Ibn Rajab, rahimahullaah, so what if he were to observe the fake 'scholars' of our time who fill tapes and books with their speech. The people become deceived by them because of the great amount of books they publish every month.So they think that they are scholars! Ibn Rajab went on to say: "So it is an obligation to believe that not everyone who excels in his display of speech and words on knowledge is more knowledgeable than one who is not like this." [His book Bayaan Fadlu- 'Ilm-is-Salaf 'alaa 'Ilm-il-Khalaf pg 38-40]
