The Devils Deception by Imam Ibn AL-Jawzi

Chapter Seven: Devil's Deception of the Scholars (al- 'uidma')
We have seen during our times those who acquired books and
traditions but never understood what they had acquired.
Some of them do not memorise the Qur'an or the pillars of prayer.
They preoccupied themselves with that which was less important
and neglected that which was more important. This was from Iblis's
deception.
The second type is comprised of those who had no interest in
determining authentic traditions from those unauthentic. Instead,
they sought after extraordinary (and unique) narrations and narrations
with shorter chains of narrators. They traveled only so that
they could say: I met so and so, and I possess chains that others do
not have.
Some students came to Baghdad and they used to take their teacher
to a farm called Raqqah on the bank of the Tigris river. After listening
to the teacher, they would go and tell others that they had received
this J:iadith in Raqqah without specifying that it was from the
farm near the Tigris. So the listener would think that they have travelled
to the Raqqah that is in Sham.
Others used to sit with the teacher beyond the Euphrates river
and later narrate: So and so narrated to me from beyond the river, so
that listeners think that he traveled to Khurasan.
Others used to say: I heard so and so narrate to me during my
second or third journey (seeking J:iadith). This is so people would
think that he went through many journeys to acquire J:iadith. Allah
did not bless his efforts, and he died (young) while seeking knowledge.
All of this is far from sincerity. Their objective was leadership and
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