Gradualism in Reading Beneficial Books

Question:
May Allah reward you with good and may He do you good. One of the most beautiful coincidences is this question. Shaykh Salih says: "I am diligent in reading and collecting books. Do you advise me to read from a single author or to read from multiple books and authors? Please advise us, may you be rewarded."

Answer:
This depends on your level of knowledge. If you are a beginner, we advise you to restrict yourself to reading concise summaries. Good concise summaries exist in tawhid (the oneness of Allah), fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), hadith, and tafsir (Qur'anic exegesis). You should read the concise summaries. Do not limit yourself to reading on your own; rather, you must associate with one of the people of knowledge, ask him questions, or read under his supervision while he explains these concise summaries to you. However, if you are well-established in knowledge and have acquired a level that qualifies you to read encyclopedias and various books, then read whatever is available to you. But strive to read the authentic books on 'aqidah (creed), the books of the Salaf (the earliest generations), and the books of the people of the Sunnah and the community. Focus on them, repeat them, and reflect upon them. There is no harm in looking into opposing books in order to know the doubts and misguidances, so that you can refute them and warn against them. But this should be done after you have fortified yourself and armed yourself with the knowledge of the truth and the correctness in these serious matters. This varies according to the levels of the readers and students of knowledge. Yes.