The Ruling on Reading Christian Books
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
It was mentioned that His Eminence the Shaykh reads some Christian books?
Answer:
As for reading some Christian books, we advise you to leave that, and we advise you to leave other harmful books, whether they are from the Christians or the Jews or from other disbelievers, or from the people of false theology like the Jahmiyyah and the Mu'tazilah and others who delve into theology and principles without following the path of the Book and the Sunnah. We advise you to turn to the Qur'an and to recite it frequently, and to recite authentic hadiths like those of al-Bukhari and Muslim, and the well-known books of hadith, like those of Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, and the Muwatta of Malik.
These are all books of good and benefit. Even if some of the hadiths in the Sunan are weak, as identified by the scholars, and likewise in books like Riyad al-Salihin, Bulugh al-Maram, and al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib, which contain great, authentic, and beneficial hadiths, read them and discuss them with your brothers who are known students of knowledge for their goodness and insight, so that they may guide you to what may be hidden from you and help you understand some of the texts. We ask Allah for success and guidance for us and for you. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah accept it. May Allah reward you with good. His Eminence the Shaykh, do you not think that this waswas (whispering) stems from these books that our brother reads?
The Shaykh: It may be some of that. It may be that some of what affects his heart comes from these harmful books, the books of the Christians and their like, for they are a great harm. It is narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that when he saw something of the Torah in the hand of 'Umar, his face changed, and he said:Mishkat al-Masabih 177Isnād Da'īf (Zubair `Aliza'i) (peace and blessings be upon him).
So the point is: that in what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) brought of guidance, there is sufficiency, and in reflecting upon the Qur'an there is good and blessing. He (Exalted and Majestic is He) says: [Surah Sad: 29].
As for the Torah and the Gospel, they have been distorted and altered, and things have been added to them and taken from them, so they are books that are not to be trusted. Moreover, the truth in them has been abrogated by what Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) brought, so in what he brought there is sufficiency and guidance. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. So that the chest of the Muslim remains pure, His Eminence the Shaykh, what do you advise him?
The Shaykh: He should stay away from what disturbs him. For reading the Torah and the Gospel and the other books written by the people of falsehood, the people of theology, the people of doubt, and the enemies of Islam, all of it is harm. All of it causes doubts, illusions, and constriction of the chest. It also causes leaving the truth and inclining toward falsehood and following its people. There is no power and no strength except with Allah. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
It was mentioned that His Eminence the Shaykh reads some Christian books?
Answer:
As for reading some Christian books, we advise you to leave that, and we advise you to leave other harmful books, whether they are from the Christians or the Jews or from other disbelievers, or from the people of false theology like the Jahmiyyah and the Mu'tazilah and others who delve into theology and principles without following the path of the Book and the Sunnah. We advise you to turn to the Qur'an and to recite it frequently, and to recite authentic hadiths like those of al-Bukhari and Muslim, and the well-known books of hadith, like those of Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, and the Muwatta of Malik.
These are all books of good and benefit. Even if some of the hadiths in the Sunan are weak, as identified by the scholars, and likewise in books like Riyad al-Salihin, Bulugh al-Maram, and al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib, which contain great, authentic, and beneficial hadiths, read them and discuss them with your brothers who are known students of knowledge for their goodness and insight, so that they may guide you to what may be hidden from you and help you understand some of the texts. We ask Allah for success and guidance for us and for you. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah accept it. May Allah reward you with good. His Eminence the Shaykh, do you not think that this waswas (whispering) stems from these books that our brother reads?
The Shaykh: It may be some of that. It may be that some of what affects his heart comes from these harmful books, the books of the Christians and their like, for they are a great harm. It is narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that when he saw something of the Torah in the hand of 'Umar, his face changed, and he said:
I have brought them to you white and pure, and if Moses were alive he would feel it absolutely necessary to follow me.
لقد جئتكم بها بيضاء نقية، لو كان موسى حيًا ما وسعه إلا اتباعيSo the point is: that in what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) brought of guidance, there is sufficiency, and in reflecting upon the Qur'an there is good and blessing. He (Exalted and Majestic is He) says:
[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded.
كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُوْلُوا الأَلْبَابِAs for the Torah and the Gospel, they have been distorted and altered, and things have been added to them and taken from them, so they are books that are not to be trusted. Moreover, the truth in them has been abrogated by what Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) brought, so in what he brought there is sufficiency and guidance. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. So that the chest of the Muslim remains pure, His Eminence the Shaykh, what do you advise him?
The Shaykh: He should stay away from what disturbs him. For reading the Torah and the Gospel and the other books written by the people of falsehood, the people of theology, the people of doubt, and the enemies of Islam, all of it is harm. All of it causes doubts, illusions, and constriction of the chest. It also causes leaving the truth and inclining toward falsehood and following its people. There is no power and no strength except with Allah. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.