What are the books you recommend that a student of Islamic knowledge should start with in each of the fields of creed, jurisprudence, hadith, and biography, given that
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The questioner : The listener also says, O honorable Shaykh, what are the books you recommend that a student of Islamic knowledge should start with in each of the fields of creed, jurisprudence, hadith, and biography, given that I am inclined toward the Hanbali school of jurisprudence?
The Shaykh : We advise all our Muslim brothers to first focus on the Book of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), by understanding it and attending to its exegesis, and by receiving that knowledge from scholars who are trustworthy in their knowledge and their trustworthiness. Among the books are the reliable books of exegesis, such as the Tafsir of Ibn Kathir and the Tafsir of the Shaykh Abd al-Rahman ibn Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him), and other exegeses whose authors are trustworthy in their creed and knowledge. This is because the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did not move past ten verses of the Qur'an until they learned them and the knowledge and practice contained therein. And because a person's connection to the speech of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is a connection to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), for the Qur'an is the speech of Allah in its wording and its meaning. And because if a person does not understand the Qur'an but only reads it, he is illiterate, even if he reads the Qur'an. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Baqarah 2:78] meaning, except for reading. So He described them as illiterate. But this does not mean that we should not care about reading the Qur'an, for reading the Qur'an is an act of worship, and the reader of the Qur'an has ten good deeds for every letter. So this is the first thing a Muslim should start with, which is understanding the Book of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
Then the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), starting with concise books such as "Umdat al-Ahkam" by Abd al-Ghani al-Maqdisi, for it contains concise hadiths from the two Sahihs, and most of the rulings a person needs are found in it. And also "Al-Arba'un al-Nawawiyyah" by al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him), and its completion by Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy on him).
Then he advances to "Bulugh al-Maram", then to "Al-Muntaqa", and so on, starting little by little.
As for the books of creed, among the best that have been written, the most comprehensive and the most beneficial is "Al-'Aqidah al-Wasitiyyah" by the Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), for it is the essence of the creed of the people of the Sunnah and the community.
And as for jurisprudence, among the best books composed is "Zad al-Mustaqni' fi Ikhtisar al-Muqni'" according to the Hanbali school of jurisprudence. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : We advise all our Muslim brothers to first focus on the Book of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), by understanding it and attending to its exegesis, and by receiving that knowledge from scholars who are trustworthy in their knowledge and their trustworthiness. Among the books are the reliable books of exegesis, such as the Tafsir of Ibn Kathir and the Tafsir of the Shaykh Abd al-Rahman ibn Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him), and other exegeses whose authors are trustworthy in their creed and knowledge. This is because the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did not move past ten verses of the Qur'an until they learned them and the knowledge and practice contained therein. And because a person's connection to the speech of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is a connection to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), for the Qur'an is the speech of Allah in its wording and its meaning. And because if a person does not understand the Qur'an but only reads it, he is illiterate, even if he reads the Qur'an. Allah the Exalted said:
And among them are unlettered ones who do not know the Scripture except in wishful thinking
ومنهم أميون لا يعلمون الكتاب إلا أمانيThen the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), starting with concise books such as "Umdat al-Ahkam" by Abd al-Ghani al-Maqdisi, for it contains concise hadiths from the two Sahihs, and most of the rulings a person needs are found in it. And also "Al-Arba'un al-Nawawiyyah" by al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him), and its completion by Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy on him).
Then he advances to "Bulugh al-Maram", then to "Al-Muntaqa", and so on, starting little by little.
As for the books of creed, among the best that have been written, the most comprehensive and the most beneficial is "Al-'Aqidah al-Wasitiyyah" by the Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), for it is the essence of the creed of the people of the Sunnah and the community.
And as for jurisprudence, among the best books composed is "Zad al-Mustaqni' fi Ikhtisar al-Muqni'" according to the Hanbali school of jurisprudence. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh.