Shaykh Ṣāliḥ ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl-Shaykh:

I once asked the famous literarian and editor of a great portion of tafsīr al-Ṭabarī – professor Maḥmūd Shākir – to send me a book on the Arabic language so that I may read it. “Read Lisān al-ʿArab‘ he replied. So I said, ‘Lisān al-ʿArab is 20 volumes! How can I read that?‘ To which he replied, ‘Therefore, go and find another career in [some sort of ] business or employment. Knowledge isn’t suitable for you. 20 volumes is nothing! We read it to our shaykh twice (I think he was referring to his shaykh, al-Marṣafī) and on a third occasion we didn’t complete it.”

*For those who wish to start their journey in reading Lisān al-ʿArab may click here – May Allāh ﷻ aid you.