What books are recommended for a beginner student of knowledge who has no scholars in his country?

Question:
May Allah reward you, Your Eminence, father. The questioner asks: What books do you advise me to start with in seeking knowledge, knowing that I live in a country where there are no scholars?

Answer:
There are many books, praise be to Allah, both concise and lengthy, but the matter lies with the teacher and the instructor. We do not suffer from a lack of books, but we suffer from a lack of scholars and instructors. Books alone are not sufficient, for they are tools; if you do not find someone to train you on them, you will not benefit from them.
If you have a weapon and do not know how to use it, and no one is there to train you on it, do you benefit from it? No. Books are merely tools that require training, and this is done by instructors. So first, you must choose the instructor, and then the instructor chooses the appropriate books for you. However, there is no harm if a person has no one available to him in listening to good programs and beneficial tapes, and reading in books to benefit. But he should not call this learning. He should not call this learning; rather, he should call it merely for the sake of enrichment. Learning does not happen through books, tapes, or fatwas; it happens through scholars. Yes.