Biographies of the noble 'ulamaa (scholars) who followed in the footsteps of the salaf, inheriting their knowledge and calling the ummah to the clear guidance of pure Islaam.

Said Ibnul-Jawzee (d.597H), "I feel that occupying oneself with jurisprudence and acquiring narrations in hardly enough to correct the heart, unless he adds to that the study of raqaa`iq (heart-melting narrations) and the study of the lives of the Salafus-Saaliheen (the pious predecessors). Since they attained what is desirous from the narrations and took from the outer actions what is ordered and what is wanted from them. And I do not relate this to you except after personal trial and experience. Since I have found that the majority of narrators and students of Hadeeth are concerned chiefly with attaining the briefest isnaad (chain of narrators) and increase in the number of narrations. And the majority of the Jurisprudents are concerned with dialects and how to win arguments. So how can the heart be softened with these things? Previously, a group of the Salaf would visit a pious servant to see his conduct and manners, not to take from his knowledge. This was because the fruit of his knowledge was his manners and conduct, so understand this. Thus, along with the study of fiqh and Hadeeth, study the lives of the Salaf and those who were zaahid (abstainers) with regards to the world, so that this may be a cause for softness in your hearts." Saydul-Khaatir (p. 216)