With what does the student of knowledge begin in the sciences? And what are the books recommended in tafsir?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : May Allah preserve you, Shaykh: In the path of knowledge, does one begin, for example, with the science of tafsir, or the science of 'aqidah, or the science of tawhid, or the other sciences?
The Shaykh : There is no doubt that the noblest speech is the speech of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and the most deserving of care is the speech of Allah, and the most beneficial is the speech of Allah. For this reason, we say: begin with tafsir before anything else. But this does not mean that you should not read other things; rather, focus first on the science of tafsir. You know, and our brothers present here and others also know, that the Qur'an contains everything: in it is 'aqidah, in it is fiqh, in it is morals, and in it is everything.[An-Nahl 16:89] So you must engage with tafsir and strive to do so as much as you can. The method for this is that you first reflect on the meaning of the verse yourself before consulting the books. Once you have settled on something, then refer to the books. This is to train yourself to understand the meanings of the Book of Allah on your own. Then, Allah may open up for a person meanings that he does not find in the books of tafsir, especially if he has grown up in knowledge and reached a level in it; he may be opened to the treasures of this noble Qur'an that he did not find elsewhere. I give you an example with the tafsir of Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him); he sometimes derives from the noble verses meanings that you do not find in any previous tafsir. After that, you take what is authentic from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in hadith regarding tawhid, morals, and deeds. So, the first thing a person does is memorize the Book of Allah by heart, then he begins with its tafsir, then he memorizes what is easy of the Sunnah, such as 'Umdat al-Ahkam, or Bulugh al-Maram, or something similar, and then he reads the books that the scholars wrote on the Islamic Shari'ah.
The questioner : What are the methods for fixing knowledge, for example?
The Shaykh : Huh?
The questioner : What are the methods to fix, for example, knowledge?
The Shaykh : There are many methods for fixing knowledge, one of which is review (ta'ahud), that a person reviews it. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 791 Ta'ahud means repetition, whether one repeats the wording or repeats the meaning, by having discussions and debates with his brothers.
Second: acting upon the knowledge, for acting upon the knowledge fixes it and increases it. Allah the Exalted said:[Muhammad 47:17].
Third: calling to Allah the Exalted with what you have gained of knowledge, for this also fixes the knowledge and increases it. So the important thing is that there are many methods, including these three that you have heard.
The questioner : Okay, are there books, Shaykh, for tafsir? The best books of tafsir?
The Shaykh : In any case, the books of tafsir are before you, but the best for a beginner is, for example, the tafsir of Ibn Kathir, or al-Baghawi, or Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Sa'di. Yes, that is right. And the truth is, we progressed with the brother, taking more than one question, but, glory be to Allah, yes.
The Shaykh : There is no doubt that the noblest speech is the speech of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and the most deserving of care is the speech of Allah, and the most beneficial is the speech of Allah. For this reason, we say: begin with tafsir before anything else. But this does not mean that you should not read other things; rather, focus first on the science of tafsir. You know, and our brothers present here and others also know, that the Qur'an contains everything: in it is 'aqidah, in it is fiqh, in it is morals, and in it is everything.
And We have sent down to you the Book as clarification for all things and as guidance and mercy and good tidings for the Muslims.
ونزلنا عليك الكتاب تبيانًا لكل شيء وهدى ورحمة وبشرى للمسلمينThe questioner : What are the methods for fixing knowledge, for example?
The Shaykh : Huh?
The questioner : What are the methods to fix, for example, knowledge?
The Shaykh : There are many methods for fixing knowledge, one of which is review (ta'ahud), that a person reviews it. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Keep refreshing your knowledge of the Qur'an, for I swear by Him in Whose Hand is the life of Mahammad that it is more liable to escape than camels which are hobbled.
تعاهدوا القرآن فوالذي نفسي بيده لهو أشد تفلتًا من الإبل في عقلهاSecond: acting upon the knowledge, for acting upon the knowledge fixes it and increases it. Allah the Exalted said:
And those who are guided - He increases them in guidance and gives them their righteousness.
والذين اهتدوا زادهم هدى وآتاهم تقواهمThird: calling to Allah the Exalted with what you have gained of knowledge, for this also fixes the knowledge and increases it. So the important thing is that there are many methods, including these three that you have heard.
The questioner : Okay, are there books, Shaykh, for tafsir? The best books of tafsir?
The Shaykh : In any case, the books of tafsir are before you, but the best for a beginner is, for example, the tafsir of Ibn Kathir, or al-Baghawi, or Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Sa'di. Yes, that is right. And the truth is, we progressed with the brother, taking more than one question, but, glory be to Allah, yes.