We ask you to advise us on useful and authentic legal books about the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) after the Noble Qur'an?
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The questioner : He says, "We ask you to advise us, O honorable Shaykh, on useful and authentic legal books about the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), of course after the eternal constitution, the Noble Qur'an, so that we may benefit from them?"
The Shaykh : Yes. The books from which a student of knowledge benefits vary according to the student's situation. If the student of knowledge wants to master the knowledge and become one of the people of knowledge, he is advised to read specific books. If the student of knowledge is studying for review, reading, and benefit only, he is advised to read other specific books. The student of knowledge who wants to be among the people of knowledge should read in the various disciplines of knowledge what he can master, so that he has a general grasp of all the sciences. So... he reads in grammar, he reads in rhetoric, he reads in hadith, meaning the terminology of hadith, he reads in the principles of jurisprudence, he reads in jurisprudence, he reads in the texts of hadith, and this is done under the guidance of the Shaykh from whom he studies.
And I advise the student of knowledge to seek knowledge under a Shaykh who is firmly established in knowledge, because seeking knowledge from a firmly established Shaykh allows the student to benefit in several ways. One is that it is more concise for him in reaching knowledge, because his Shaykh gives him knowledge that is ripe and facilitated, making it easier for him to reach knowledge. But if he reads from books, he will toil greatly in reviewing the books, and perhaps these books he reads will confuse him, since the opinions of the scholars are not in agreement on everything.
Another benefit is that if he studies with a Shaykh, the Shaykh explains to him how to prefer some opinions over others and how to derive the rulings of the Shari'ah from their evidence. This facilitates for him delving into the battles of knowledge, and the student, based on this guidance from his Shaykh, is able to debate issues of knowledge and argue for the truth on behalf of the truth.
Thirdly, if he seeks knowledge from a Shaykh, this is more balanced for him than if he seeks it from books, because if he seeks it from books, he may have a strong impulse toward some opinions, and this may lead to errors, and perhaps he will reach the level of self-admiration and contempt for others.
Fourthly, if he studies knowledge with a Shaykh, or if he takes knowledge from a Shaykh, he benefits from the morals of this Shaykh, because the Shaykh, if Allah blesses him, will be characterized by what his knowledge, which Allah has granted him, requires. He benefits from this Shaykh and acquires noble morals and good dealings with his fellow students and with the general public. So what I advise my brothers, the beginner students of knowledge, is that they receive their knowledge from the hands of Shaykhs who have attained of knowledge and experience what they have not attained, and at that time they take what their Shaykh directs them to from the books they want to learn from.
As for if he does not want to devote himself entirely to seeking knowledge, but rather wants to benefit from reading, one of the best books is "Zad al-Ma'ad" by Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him), because it is a book that combines jurisprudence based on evidence with the history by which the life of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is known. A person acquires from this book the jurisprudential rulings and knowledge of the state of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his biography, indeed knowledge of the state of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his biography. And perhaps he will also encounter other issues related to tawhid (the oneness of Allah), tafsir (Qur'anic exegesis), and others. The book is a beneficial, comprehensive, and suitable book for one who wants to read for general benefit. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh. This is Abu Musa from Riyadh saying, "O honorable Shaykh Muhammad al-Uthaymeen."
The Shaykh : Yes. The books from which a student of knowledge benefits vary according to the student's situation. If the student of knowledge wants to master the knowledge and become one of the people of knowledge, he is advised to read specific books. If the student of knowledge is studying for review, reading, and benefit only, he is advised to read other specific books. The student of knowledge who wants to be among the people of knowledge should read in the various disciplines of knowledge what he can master, so that he has a general grasp of all the sciences. So... he reads in grammar, he reads in rhetoric, he reads in hadith, meaning the terminology of hadith, he reads in the principles of jurisprudence, he reads in jurisprudence, he reads in the texts of hadith, and this is done under the guidance of the Shaykh from whom he studies.
And I advise the student of knowledge to seek knowledge under a Shaykh who is firmly established in knowledge, because seeking knowledge from a firmly established Shaykh allows the student to benefit in several ways. One is that it is more concise for him in reaching knowledge, because his Shaykh gives him knowledge that is ripe and facilitated, making it easier for him to reach knowledge. But if he reads from books, he will toil greatly in reviewing the books, and perhaps these books he reads will confuse him, since the opinions of the scholars are not in agreement on everything.
Another benefit is that if he studies with a Shaykh, the Shaykh explains to him how to prefer some opinions over others and how to derive the rulings of the Shari'ah from their evidence. This facilitates for him delving into the battles of knowledge, and the student, based on this guidance from his Shaykh, is able to debate issues of knowledge and argue for the truth on behalf of the truth.
Thirdly, if he seeks knowledge from a Shaykh, this is more balanced for him than if he seeks it from books, because if he seeks it from books, he may have a strong impulse toward some opinions, and this may lead to errors, and perhaps he will reach the level of self-admiration and contempt for others.
Fourthly, if he studies knowledge with a Shaykh, or if he takes knowledge from a Shaykh, he benefits from the morals of this Shaykh, because the Shaykh, if Allah blesses him, will be characterized by what his knowledge, which Allah has granted him, requires. He benefits from this Shaykh and acquires noble morals and good dealings with his fellow students and with the general public. So what I advise my brothers, the beginner students of knowledge, is that they receive their knowledge from the hands of Shaykhs who have attained of knowledge and experience what they have not attained, and at that time they take what their Shaykh directs them to from the books they want to learn from.
As for if he does not want to devote himself entirely to seeking knowledge, but rather wants to benefit from reading, one of the best books is "Zad al-Ma'ad" by Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him), because it is a book that combines jurisprudence based on evidence with the history by which the life of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is known. A person acquires from this book the jurisprudential rulings and knowledge of the state of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his biography, indeed knowledge of the state of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his biography. And perhaps he will also encounter other issues related to tawhid (the oneness of Allah), tafsir (Qur'anic exegesis), and others. The book is a beneficial, comprehensive, and suitable book for one who wants to read for general benefit. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh. This is Abu Musa from Riyadh saying, "O honorable Shaykh Muhammad al-Uthaymeen."