What are the books you recommend for a beginner student of knowledge in hadith, jurisprudence, creed, and tafsir?

The Shaykh : ... This is not possible. This comes with time, and time far in the future, very far indeed. Likewise, they cannot know the truth and the correct opinion from what people have differed on in every issue, whether large or small. They cannot do this immediately. What is this? It is with time. But what can they do? And what is obligatory upon them? They should choose the books closest to the correct opinion. So, "Bulugh al-Maram" is one of the closest books written on the hadiths of rulings. The fact that it contains some weak hadiths does not harm, especially since al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar clarifies their weakness. And this is a knowledge that a person acquires = -- A need, my brother, let us go, may Allah bless you -- = I advise, regarding concise hadith books and for students of knowledge regarding the hadiths of rulings, first "Bulugh al-Maram." Second: And I believe it is purer than the first, but perhaps the book is not very famous, but it was printed for us in Damascus, its name is: "Al-Ilmam bi-Ahadith al-Ahkam"; this is purer than the first, but this is not explained. Then there is another book that is still in the world of manuscripts, perhaps some of the youth will strive to bring it into the realm of print, and it is "Al-Ahkam al-Sughra" by 'Abd al-Haqq al-Isbili.

The questioner : I said - Shaykh - "Al-Kubra."

The Shaykh : Yes?

The questioner : To be "Al-Kubra," Shaykh?

The Shaykh : May Allah guide you. These three books regarding the hadiths of rulings.
Then we advise, regarding the hadiths of morals and conduct, "Riyad al-Salihin" by Imam al-Nawawi, and the book "Al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib" by al-Mundhiri. Then I advise, from the jurisprudence of the Sunnah, two books: one is the famous "Fiqh al-Sunnah" by al-Sayyid Sabiq, with the assistance of "Tammam al-Mannah" for it. The other, what is it? By al-Siddiq Hasan Khan?

The questioner: "Al-Rawdat al-Nadiyyah."

The Shaykh : "Al-Rawdah al-Nadiyyah Sharh al-Durar al-Bahiyyah." This is a concise work. "Al-Durar al-Bahiyyah" is the matn (text), and "Al-Rawdah al-Nadiyyah" is the commentary. And this commentary brings the evidence for every issue the author of the matn addressed, and the author of the matn is al-Shawkani. So, if the student of knowledge progresses through these books, his jurisprudence and knowledge will be as purified as possible. As for it being one hundred percent, that is an impossible matter.

The questioner : Creed, Shaykh?

The Shaykh : Creed: "Al-'Aqidah al-Tahawiyyah." And he begins with the creed itself, and there are some annotations by me on it. Then afterwards, if a strong student of knowledge or a virtuous scholar is provided for him, he moves them to the commentary by Ibn Abi al-'Izz al-Hanafi; for it is a Salafi commentary. And the books of Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, generally, in creed, are, so to speak, the purified honey.

The questioner : Shaykh, regarding tafsir? Shaykh, they need tafsir?

The Shaykh : As for books of tafsir, we have only "Tafsir al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir" and the book of al-Shawkani "Fath al-Qadir." And there was "Fath al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran" by al-Siddiq Hasan Khan. It was printed on the margin of the tafsir "Ruh al-Ma'ani" by al-Alusi. And now it is being printed in Riyadh, I think, separately. "Fath al-Bayan" by al-Siddiq Hasan Khan. So, it is also of a Salafi approach. So these are the books we advise regarding the science of tafsir.