If a person is guided, what books do you advise him to read?
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The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good. If a person is guided, what books do you advise him to read?
The Shaykh:
There are many books, praise be to Allah, and they are accessible. The greatest of them is the Book of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), to be recited, reflected upon, understood in its meanings, and acted upon according to what is in it. This is the greatest and most beneficial book on the face of the earth; indeed, no other book equals it. Then come the books of the authentic Sunnah, such as Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, the Four Sunans, Musnad Imam Ahmad, and the beneficial collections like al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib by al-Hafiz al-Mundhiri, Riyad al-Salihin, and the Nawawi Forty Hadiths with its commentary, Jam' al-'Ulum wa al-Hukm. Then there are the hadith books organized according to the rulings of fiqh, such as Bulugh al-Maram min Adillat al-Ahkam, al-Muntaqa with its commentary al-Awtar, and Sabil al-Salam, which is a commentary on Bulugh al-Maram. Also, 'Umdat al-Ahkam by al-Hafiz Muhammad ibn Sirr al-Maqdisi, and its commentary Ihkam al-Ihkam by Ibn Daqiq al-Eid, and other such books. This is in the sciences of the Qur'an and the Sunnah. Likewise, in the sciences of creed. Yes. Such as the books of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, the books of Shaykh al-Islam Imam Ibn al-Qayyim, the books of Shaykh al-Islam Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, al-Tahawiyyah and its commentary, al-Tahawiyyah by Imam al-Tahawi the Hanafi, and its commentary by Ibn Abi al-'Izz the Hanafi. All these are good and beneficial books in the science of creed. And in the books of fiqh, which are numerous, praise be to Allah, the books of the four schools of jurisprudence, all of them, whether concise, detailed, or intermediate, are all beneficial. Yes.
The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good. Do you remember, Honorable Shaykh, anything from them that might guide you?
The Shaykh:
For example, in the fiqh of the Hanbalis, the text al-Zad, al-Zad al-Mustaqni' and its commentary al-Rawd al-Murba'. And in the fiqh of the Shafi'is, for example, al-Muhadhdhab, al-Muhadhdhab by al-Shirazi, and its commentary al-Majmu' by al-Nawawi and the completion of al-Majmu', for it is a comprehensive and beneficial book. Likewise, in the Maliki fiqh, al-Kafi by Ibn 'Abd al-Barr. And in the Hanafi fiqh, such as al-Mabsut and Badai' al-Sana'i'.
The presenter:
All right.
The Shaykh:
al-Kasani, Tabyin al-Haqaiq, and Sharh Kanz al-Daqaiq by al-Zayla'i. All these books are beneficial, but the books alone are not sufficient.
The presenter:
Good, good.
The Shaykh:
It is necessary to sit with the scholars and read these books under the people of knowledge to receive their explanation, detail, and clarification from them. This way, the person will have rules and principles to follow in his learning and acquisition. Good, good. For the proverb says: "Whoever neglects the principles is deprived of the principles." Yes. So it is necessary to take knowledge step by step, little by little. Good. And it must be taken from the people of knowledge, whether this reception is in the circles of dhikr in the mosques, or in the houses of knowledge, from the scientific institutes and the College of Shari'ah, good, and the College of Principles of Religion. Learning knowledge is one of the noblest of the noblest sciences, and the most worthy of what one should devote one's effort and time to. Yes, yes, yes.
The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good and may Allah do you good. Shaykh Salih, would you please mention something from the books of usul?
The Shaykh:
The books of usul are numerous. Good. And for the student, if he chooses a teacher from among the qualified teachers. Yes. The teacher is the one who chooses for him what he sees as appropriate. Good. For example, in usul al-fiqh. Yes. For example, al-Waraqat and its commentary for the beginner. The paper of al-Nazir and the summary of al-Manazir by Imam Mufid al-Din ibn Qudamah. Good. And other such concise and detailed books of usul.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good and do you good.
May Allah reward you with good. If a person is guided, what books do you advise him to read?
The Shaykh:
There are many books, praise be to Allah, and they are accessible. The greatest of them is the Book of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), to be recited, reflected upon, understood in its meanings, and acted upon according to what is in it. This is the greatest and most beneficial book on the face of the earth; indeed, no other book equals it. Then come the books of the authentic Sunnah, such as Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, the Four Sunans, Musnad Imam Ahmad, and the beneficial collections like al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib by al-Hafiz al-Mundhiri, Riyad al-Salihin, and the Nawawi Forty Hadiths with its commentary, Jam' al-'Ulum wa al-Hukm. Then there are the hadith books organized according to the rulings of fiqh, such as Bulugh al-Maram min Adillat al-Ahkam, al-Muntaqa with its commentary al-Awtar, and Sabil al-Salam, which is a commentary on Bulugh al-Maram. Also, 'Umdat al-Ahkam by al-Hafiz Muhammad ibn Sirr al-Maqdisi, and its commentary Ihkam al-Ihkam by Ibn Daqiq al-Eid, and other such books. This is in the sciences of the Qur'an and the Sunnah. Likewise, in the sciences of creed. Yes. Such as the books of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, the books of Shaykh al-Islam Imam Ibn al-Qayyim, the books of Shaykh al-Islam Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, al-Tahawiyyah and its commentary, al-Tahawiyyah by Imam al-Tahawi the Hanafi, and its commentary by Ibn Abi al-'Izz the Hanafi. All these are good and beneficial books in the science of creed. And in the books of fiqh, which are numerous, praise be to Allah, the books of the four schools of jurisprudence, all of them, whether concise, detailed, or intermediate, are all beneficial. Yes.
The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good. Do you remember, Honorable Shaykh, anything from them that might guide you?
The Shaykh:
For example, in the fiqh of the Hanbalis, the text al-Zad, al-Zad al-Mustaqni' and its commentary al-Rawd al-Murba'. And in the fiqh of the Shafi'is, for example, al-Muhadhdhab, al-Muhadhdhab by al-Shirazi, and its commentary al-Majmu' by al-Nawawi and the completion of al-Majmu', for it is a comprehensive and beneficial book. Likewise, in the Maliki fiqh, al-Kafi by Ibn 'Abd al-Barr. And in the Hanafi fiqh, such as al-Mabsut and Badai' al-Sana'i'.
The presenter:
All right.
The Shaykh:
al-Kasani, Tabyin al-Haqaiq, and Sharh Kanz al-Daqaiq by al-Zayla'i. All these books are beneficial, but the books alone are not sufficient.
The presenter:
Good, good.
The Shaykh:
It is necessary to sit with the scholars and read these books under the people of knowledge to receive their explanation, detail, and clarification from them. This way, the person will have rules and principles to follow in his learning and acquisition. Good, good. For the proverb says: "Whoever neglects the principles is deprived of the principles." Yes. So it is necessary to take knowledge step by step, little by little. Good. And it must be taken from the people of knowledge, whether this reception is in the circles of dhikr in the mosques, or in the houses of knowledge, from the scientific institutes and the College of Shari'ah, good, and the College of Principles of Religion. Learning knowledge is one of the noblest of the noblest sciences, and the most worthy of what one should devote one's effort and time to. Yes, yes, yes.
The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good and may Allah do you good. Shaykh Salih, would you please mention something from the books of usul?
The Shaykh:
The books of usul are numerous. Good. And for the student, if he chooses a teacher from among the qualified teachers. Yes. The teacher is the one who chooses for him what he sees as appropriate. Good. For example, in usul al-fiqh. Yes. For example, al-Waraqat and its commentary for the beginner. The paper of al-Nazir and the summary of al-Manazir by Imam Mufid al-Din ibn Qudamah. Good. And other such concise and detailed books of usul.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good and do you good.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، إذا اهتدى الإنسان فما هي الكتب التي تنصحونه بقراءتها؟ الشيخ صالح بن فوزان الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.