SHAYKH DR. SAMER AL-NASS: “QURANIC EXPERTISE USED TO BE MIXED WITH THEIR FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT NOW IT IS A TITLE”

“Ibn al-Jazari in Ghayat al-Nihaya cites a Qur’an master who had three teachers, with the third of whom he read 90 khatmas of Qur’an (complete readings under examination) in the different canonical readings. Let me be frank with you: I only read a total of three khatmas with two different shaykhs. The one that read 90 khatmas, for sure knows more than the one who read 60, and the latter for sure knows more than the one who read 30. Their taste, their sense, their understanding of the discipline has become their flesh and blood. Now, I am sorry to say, we have covetous title-seekers. ‘Reading with ijaza‘? What is that? I never heard of that. Since when does every student who finishes a book automatically become qualified to teach it?? We will not ‘give you ijaza‘ just because you did a reading and just ‘to make you pleased’ but we will pound you like kebbeh in the old-style stone mortar until you are truly ready!