Collecting books
The seeker of knowledge should be keen to collect books, but he should prioritize. If a person does not have much money, then it is not good and is not wise to buy a lot of books and have to pay for them, because this is bad management. If you cannot buy books with your own money, then you can borrow them from any library.
Being keen to read important books
The seeker of knowledge must be keen to read the most important reference books, not modern works, because some of the modern writers do not have deep knowledge, so if you read what they have written you will find that it is superficial. They may quote things verbatim, or they may distort them to make them longer, but it is all waffle. So you have to read the most important reference works written by the salaf (pious predecessors), because they are better and more blessed than many of the books of the later generation.
Most of the books of the later writers are short on meanings but long-winded. You may read a whole page which could have been summarized in one or two lines. But you will find the books of the salaf to be easy, straight forward and well written, with not even one word that has no meaning.
Among the best books that the seeker of knowledge must be keen to read are the books of Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah – rahimahullaah – and his student Ibn al-Qayyim – rahimahullaah. It is known that the books of Ibn al-Qayyim are easier, because the style of Ibn Taymiyyah is strongly-worded because of his abundant knowledge and alert mind, and Ibn al-Qayyim saw the knowledge of Ibn Taymiyyah as a well-built house, and his own role as that of organizing and adorning.
But Ibn al-Qayyim was free minded; if he thought that his shaykh’s view differed from what he thought was correct, he would speak up. When he thought that the pilgrim should go out of ihraam for Hajj then re-enter ihraam for ‘Umrah, because Ibn ‘Abbaas (radiAllaahu ‘anhu) thought that if the person who has not brought an animal for sacrifice enters ihraam for Hajj or Qiraan, he must go out of ihraam for Hajj then enter ihraam for ‘Umrah, whereas Ibn Taymiyyah thought that this applied only to the Sahaabah, he [Ibn al-Qayyim] said,
“I am more inclined towards the opinion of Ibn ‘Abbaas than to the opinion of my shaykh.”
He clearly stated that he was of a different view, so he was independent in his thinking. But it comes as no surprise that he followed his shaykh – rahimahullaah – in matters which he thought were true and correct. Undoubtedly if you think about most of the opinions of Ibn Taymiyyah you will find that they are correct. This is something which anyone who ponders his books will know.
Evaluating books
Books may be divided into three types:
1. Good books
2. Bad books
3. Books which are neither good nor bad.
Try to make sure that your bookshelf is free of books which have bad content. There are books which are described as literature, but they simply kill time without producing any benefit. And there are harmful books which contain specific ideas or promote incorrect ideology. These also should not be allowed on your bookshelf, whether that is because the methodology they use is wrong, or because of their wrong understanding of ‘aqeedah, and revolutionary books which promote a harmful ideology.
In general, no harmful book should be allowed on your bookshelf, because books nourish the soul just as food and drink nourish the body. If you nourish it with books such as those it will cause you a great deal of harm and you will follow a methodology which goes against the methodology of the seeker of sound knowledge.
http://theclearpath.com/
http://haneefiyyah.blogspot.in/2010/01/advice-from-al-uthaymeen-to-students-of.html
The seeker of knowledge should be keen to collect books, but he should prioritize. If a person does not have much money, then it is not good and is not wise to buy a lot of books and have to pay for them, because this is bad management. If you cannot buy books with your own money, then you can borrow them from any library.
Being keen to read important books
The seeker of knowledge must be keen to read the most important reference books, not modern works, because some of the modern writers do not have deep knowledge, so if you read what they have written you will find that it is superficial. They may quote things verbatim, or they may distort them to make them longer, but it is all waffle. So you have to read the most important reference works written by the salaf (pious predecessors), because they are better and more blessed than many of the books of the later generation.
Most of the books of the later writers are short on meanings but long-winded. You may read a whole page which could have been summarized in one or two lines. But you will find the books of the salaf to be easy, straight forward and well written, with not even one word that has no meaning.
Among the best books that the seeker of knowledge must be keen to read are the books of Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah – rahimahullaah – and his student Ibn al-Qayyim – rahimahullaah. It is known that the books of Ibn al-Qayyim are easier, because the style of Ibn Taymiyyah is strongly-worded because of his abundant knowledge and alert mind, and Ibn al-Qayyim saw the knowledge of Ibn Taymiyyah as a well-built house, and his own role as that of organizing and adorning.
But Ibn al-Qayyim was free minded; if he thought that his shaykh’s view differed from what he thought was correct, he would speak up. When he thought that the pilgrim should go out of ihraam for Hajj then re-enter ihraam for ‘Umrah, because Ibn ‘Abbaas (radiAllaahu ‘anhu) thought that if the person who has not brought an animal for sacrifice enters ihraam for Hajj or Qiraan, he must go out of ihraam for Hajj then enter ihraam for ‘Umrah, whereas Ibn Taymiyyah thought that this applied only to the Sahaabah, he [Ibn al-Qayyim] said,
“I am more inclined towards the opinion of Ibn ‘Abbaas than to the opinion of my shaykh.”
He clearly stated that he was of a different view, so he was independent in his thinking. But it comes as no surprise that he followed his shaykh – rahimahullaah – in matters which he thought were true and correct. Undoubtedly if you think about most of the opinions of Ibn Taymiyyah you will find that they are correct. This is something which anyone who ponders his books will know.
Evaluating books
Books may be divided into three types:
1. Good books
2. Bad books
3. Books which are neither good nor bad.
Try to make sure that your bookshelf is free of books which have bad content. There are books which are described as literature, but they simply kill time without producing any benefit. And there are harmful books which contain specific ideas or promote incorrect ideology. These also should not be allowed on your bookshelf, whether that is because the methodology they use is wrong, or because of their wrong understanding of ‘aqeedah, and revolutionary books which promote a harmful ideology.
In general, no harmful book should be allowed on your bookshelf, because books nourish the soul just as food and drink nourish the body. If you nourish it with books such as those it will cause you a great deal of harm and you will follow a methodology which goes against the methodology of the seeker of sound knowledge.
http://theclearpath.com/
What are the best books that a Muslim should acquire
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-'Uthaymeen (rahimahullaah)
Question :
The Female Questioner is asking his eminence what are the best books that a Muslim should acquire?
Answer :
The best books that a Muslim should acquire are the Book of Allaah, the Mighty & Majestic. It is befitting to be concerned with it, to reflect on its meanings and to properly understand its intent and that is through reviewing the books of Tafseer (Qur’aanic exegesis) authored by the reliable Scholars known for their knowledge and their reliability like the Tafseer of Ibn Katheer (rahimahullah), the Tafseer of ash-Shaykh ‘Abdur-Rahmaan as-Sa’dee, the Tafseer of Aboo Bakr al-Jazaairee and other than them from the Scholars whom (the People of Knowledge) have attested to based on their knowledge and reliability. Likewise studying the meanings of the Quran from the mouths of the reliable Mashaayikh known for their knowledge and their reliability whether by way of direct learning or by way of listening to their recorded tapes. This is because the Noble Qur’aan was revealed to be recited and for blessings to be sought from it while reciting and to obtain the benefit and reward for doing so as well as reflecting upon it, and for lessons to be learned from it thirdly as the Mighty & Majestic says:
{A Book that We have revealed to you filled with blessings so that they may reflect on its verses and the People of Knowledge may remember} [Soorah Saad 38:29]
Based on this, I urge my Muslim brothers to reflect upon the Book of Allaah, the Mighty & Majestic, and to understand its meanings, then to act in accordance to that with affirmation of the message and adherence to the rulings. So one adheres to Allaah’s commands found in His Book and leaves off what Allaah has prohibited in His Book.
Then after this is what is authenticated from the Prophet (the peace & blessings of Allaah be upon him) in the prophetic narrations, and it is known that the Sunnah is vast, to encompass it in its entirety is difficult but there are authored books from the Sunnah that only summarize the authentic narrations such as ‘Umdat-ul-Ahkaam, and from these types of books are those that mention what is related in the two Saheehs and in other books (of Ahadeeth) but it mentions the grade of the narration based on its authenticity, its weakness and it being Hasan like Buloogh-ul-Maraam,
then after this, one acquires what is affiliated with Tawheed and the Correct ‘Aqeedah like Kitaab-ut-Tawheed by Shaykh-ul-Islaam Muhammad bin ‘Abdil-Wahhaab and the book al-‘Aqeedat-ul-Waasitiyyah by Shaykh-ul-Islaam Ahmad Ibn Taymiyyah
then whatever is facilitated from the books of Fiqh and in the Madhhab of Imam Ahmad, the best of what is acquired is “ar-Rawdh al-Murab’ee” which is the explanation of “Zaad-ul-Mustaqn’ee” and likewise the “Zaad” itself and what has originated from the various explanations and notes on this summarized and blessed book.
As for an-Nahw (Arabic Syntax)then a person should start with the easiest of what is easy to learn such as for example al-Aajuroomiyyah. Some of the Scholars said after al-Aajuroomiyyah is Qatar-un-Nadaa then Alfiyyah of Ibn Maalik but I do not deem it necessary to study Qatar-un-Nadaa and Alfiyyah, rather one should limit his study to one or the other and it will be sufficient.
Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih al-`Uthaymeen
Source : http://www.ibnothaimeen.com/all/noor/article_3201.shtml
Translation by : Aboo 'Imraan al-Mekseekee
Question :
The Female Questioner is asking his eminence what are the best books that a Muslim should acquire?
Answer :
The best books that a Muslim should acquire are the Book of Allaah, the Mighty & Majestic. It is befitting to be concerned with it, to reflect on its meanings and to properly understand its intent and that is through reviewing the books of Tafseer (Qur’aanic exegesis) authored by the reliable Scholars known for their knowledge and their reliability like the Tafseer of Ibn Katheer (rahimahullah), the Tafseer of ash-Shaykh ‘Abdur-Rahmaan as-Sa’dee, the Tafseer of Aboo Bakr al-Jazaairee and other than them from the Scholars whom (the People of Knowledge) have attested to based on their knowledge and reliability. Likewise studying the meanings of the Quran from the mouths of the reliable Mashaayikh known for their knowledge and their reliability whether by way of direct learning or by way of listening to their recorded tapes. This is because the Noble Qur’aan was revealed to be recited and for blessings to be sought from it while reciting and to obtain the benefit and reward for doing so as well as reflecting upon it, and for lessons to be learned from it thirdly as the Mighty & Majestic says:
{A Book that We have revealed to you filled with blessings so that they may reflect on its verses and the People of Knowledge may remember} [Soorah Saad 38:29]
Based on this, I urge my Muslim brothers to reflect upon the Book of Allaah, the Mighty & Majestic, and to understand its meanings, then to act in accordance to that with affirmation of the message and adherence to the rulings. So one adheres to Allaah’s commands found in His Book and leaves off what Allaah has prohibited in His Book.
Then after this is what is authenticated from the Prophet (the peace & blessings of Allaah be upon him) in the prophetic narrations, and it is known that the Sunnah is vast, to encompass it in its entirety is difficult but there are authored books from the Sunnah that only summarize the authentic narrations such as ‘Umdat-ul-Ahkaam, and from these types of books are those that mention what is related in the two Saheehs and in other books (of Ahadeeth) but it mentions the grade of the narration based on its authenticity, its weakness and it being Hasan like Buloogh-ul-Maraam,
then after this, one acquires what is affiliated with Tawheed and the Correct ‘Aqeedah like Kitaab-ut-Tawheed by Shaykh-ul-Islaam Muhammad bin ‘Abdil-Wahhaab and the book al-‘Aqeedat-ul-Waasitiyyah by Shaykh-ul-Islaam Ahmad Ibn Taymiyyah
then whatever is facilitated from the books of Fiqh and in the Madhhab of Imam Ahmad, the best of what is acquired is “ar-Rawdh al-Murab’ee” which is the explanation of “Zaad-ul-Mustaqn’ee” and likewise the “Zaad” itself and what has originated from the various explanations and notes on this summarized and blessed book.
As for an-Nahw (Arabic Syntax)then a person should start with the easiest of what is easy to learn such as for example al-Aajuroomiyyah. Some of the Scholars said after al-Aajuroomiyyah is Qatar-un-Nadaa then Alfiyyah of Ibn Maalik but I do not deem it necessary to study Qatar-un-Nadaa and Alfiyyah, rather one should limit his study to one or the other and it will be sufficient.
Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih al-`Uthaymeen
Source : http://www.ibnothaimeen.com/all/noor/article_3201.shtml
Translation by : Aboo 'Imraan al-Mekseekee
http://haneefiyyah.blogspot.in/2010/01/advice-from-al-uthaymeen-to-students-of.html
No comments:
Post a Comment