Salam
Many a time when browsing in a bookshop I find works by contemporary scholars which make me think: Why!
I found the following quote in the interesting autobiography of Sh. Abdullah al-Ghumari which pretty much sums up what should be kept in mind by all authors. I would perhaps add an extra point, namely that of editors meticulously editing material which have not received critical editions, but perhaps this could be incorporated into one of the seven reasons, as editing as in the modern form did not exist at the time of Imam al-Maqqari.
Reasons for writing:
“Al-Maqqari said in Azhar al-Riyad:
I saw in the handwriting of some of the senior (scholars) regarding that which is desired from writing are seven:
– something which has not been written before and is authored
– something written incompletely and is completed
– or is incorrect and is corrected
– or is difficult and is explained
– or is lengthy and is condensed/abridged
– or is not in one place and is gathered
– or is prose and is versified.”