Encouraging the Reading of Beneficial Books to Correct the Creed
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Question:
The issue is important, Your Eminence, as you can appreciate—may Allah reward you with good. Do you advise our brother listeners to read specific books so that they may be upon the sound, correct creed?
Answer:
Yes, we advise everyone to read the Qur'an; it is the most truthful book, the greatest book, and the most beneficial book, and it is the speech of Allah . We advise all Muslims, men and women, everywhere, to take care of the Qur'an and to increase its recitation with reflection and understanding. If it is facilitated to memorize it, that is a great blessing. Allah says:[Sad 38:29] And He, the Exalted, says: [Al-Isra 17:9] meaning: for the path that is the most severe, the most upright, and the most correct of paths. And He, the Exalted, says: [Fussilat 41:44] And He, the Exalted, says: [An-Nahl 16:89]
The great Qur'an is the origin of all good. It is the straight path. It is that by which Allah guides those who follow His pleasure to the paths of peace. It is obligatory for the people of Islam to take care of it, reflect upon it, understand it, and clarify its meanings to the people. It is upon the scholars to clarify its meanings to the people so that they may understand it in that and so that they may be upright upon it.
We also advise the scholars and students of knowledge to read the safe, good tafsirs, such as the tafsir of Ibn Jarir, the tafsir of Ibn Kathir, Al-Baghawi, and similar works, so that they may teach the people good and guide them to what may be hidden from them in the Book of Allah. If a student of knowledge finds something in the Qur'an difficult, he should refer to the approved books of tafsir so that he may benefit. If he is a layperson, he should ask the scholars who are near him, or in other countries by correspondence, or by telephone, asking them about what is difficult for him.
The Qur'an is the guide to the straight path. It is the most truthful, most beneficial, and greatest of books. It is the Book of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). It is obligatory to reflect upon it, understand it, and act upon what is in it.
Then, the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) contains guidance and light. It contains clarification of what is in the Book of Allah. It contains the call to all good. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is the explainer on behalf of Allah and the guide to all good (peace and blessings be upon him). It is upon the Muslims to hold fast to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), to call to them, to give glad tidings with them, and to clarify their meanings. It is upon the scholars to explain that and to clarify for the common people what is obligatory upon them and what is hidden from them, so that everyone may be upon clear knowledge.
Among these are the books of the people of the Sunnah and the community, which are beneficial and helpful, such as the books of the righteous Salaf: Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Sunan Abu Dawud, Al-Tirmidhi, Al-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, Sunan Al-Darimi, and Musnad Ahmad. These are beneficial books that scholars know and benefit from. Likewise, the books of the people of the Sunnah after them, such as Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Al-Qayyim, and Ibn Kathir, because their books are great, good, and beneficial.
And like the books of the Imams of the Da'wah in Najd in the twelfth century, Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, and his followers among the scholars who called to Allah, spread tawhid (the oneness of Allah), and spread the Sunnah, in the time of isolation, in the twelfth century and after. Their books are great and beneficial. Among them is the book of Tawhid and Fath Al-Majid, and among them is Al-Durar Al-Saniyyah, in which they collected their fatwas. All of them are beneficial and great. Among them is the explanation of the book of Tawhid by Shaykh Sulayman ibn 'Abd Allah as well. Among them is Majmu'at Al-Tawhid, which contains great benefits. Among them are responses by the shaykhs, such as the response of Shaykh 'Abd Al-Latif ibn 'Abd Al-Rahman, Shaykh 'Abd Al-Rahman ibn Hasan, and Shaykh Sulayman ibn Samhan, and other books, all of which are good and beneficial. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good and do you good. So, do you advise the Muslim, given the situation mentioned, to allocate a portion of his monthly income so that he may buy the beneficial books that benefit him in his creed and religious culture?
The Shaykh: Yes, we advise every student of knowledge and every believer to take care of the Qur'an, to increase its recitation in the night and day with reflection and understanding, to ask the scholars about what is difficult for him, and to memorize what is facilitated from the Book of Allah. We also advise him to buy the good books, some of which we mentioned, so that the student of knowledge may benefit from them, so that they may be in his library if he is a student of knowledge. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
The issue is important, Your Eminence, as you can appreciate—may Allah reward you with good. Do you advise our brother listeners to read specific books so that they may be upon the sound, correct creed?
Answer:
Yes, we advise everyone to read the Qur'an; it is the most truthful book, the greatest book, and the most beneficial book, and it is the speech of Allah . We advise all Muslims, men and women, everywhere, to take care of the Qur'an and to increase its recitation with reflection and understanding. If it is facilitated to memorize it, that is a great blessing. Allah 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 الأَلْبَابِIndeed, this Qur'an guides to that which is most suitable
إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ يَهْدِي لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقْوَمُSay, "It is, for those who believe, a guidance and cure."
قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هُدًى وَشِفَاءٌAnd We have sent down to you the Book as clarification for all things and as guidance and mercy and good tidings for the Muslims.
وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُسْلِمِينَThe great Qur'an is the origin of all good. It is the straight path. It is that by which Allah guides those who follow His pleasure to the paths of peace. It is obligatory for the people of Islam to take care of it, reflect upon it, understand it, and clarify its meanings to the people. It is upon the scholars to clarify its meanings to the people so that they may understand it in that and so that they may be upright upon it.
We also advise the scholars and students of knowledge to read the safe, good tafsirs, such as the tafsir of Ibn Jarir, the tafsir of Ibn Kathir, Al-Baghawi, and similar works, so that they may teach the people good and guide them to what may be hidden from them in the Book of Allah. If a student of knowledge finds something in the Qur'an difficult, he should refer to the approved books of tafsir so that he may benefit. If he is a layperson, he should ask the scholars who are near him, or in other countries by correspondence, or by telephone, asking them about what is difficult for him.
The Qur'an is the guide to the straight path. It is the most truthful, most beneficial, and greatest of books. It is the Book of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). It is obligatory to reflect upon it, understand it, and act upon what is in it.
Then, the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) contains guidance and light. It contains clarification of what is in the Book of Allah. It contains the call to all good. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is the explainer on behalf of Allah and the guide to all good (peace and blessings be upon him). It is upon the Muslims to hold fast to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), to call to them, to give glad tidings with them, and to clarify their meanings. It is upon the scholars to explain that and to clarify for the common people what is obligatory upon them and what is hidden from them, so that everyone may be upon clear knowledge.
Among these are the books of the people of the Sunnah and the community, which are beneficial and helpful, such as the books of the righteous Salaf: Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Sunan Abu Dawud, Al-Tirmidhi, Al-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, Sunan Al-Darimi, and Musnad Ahmad. These are beneficial books that scholars know and benefit from. Likewise, the books of the people of the Sunnah after them, such as Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Al-Qayyim, and Ibn Kathir, because their books are great, good, and beneficial.
And like the books of the Imams of the Da'wah in Najd in the twelfth century, Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, and his followers among the scholars who called to Allah, spread tawhid (the oneness of Allah), and spread the Sunnah, in the time of isolation, in the twelfth century and after. Their books are great and beneficial. Among them is the book of Tawhid and Fath Al-Majid, and among them is Al-Durar Al-Saniyyah, in which they collected their fatwas. All of them are beneficial and great. Among them is the explanation of the book of Tawhid by Shaykh Sulayman ibn 'Abd Allah as well. Among them is Majmu'at Al-Tawhid, which contains great benefits. Among them are responses by the shaykhs, such as the response of Shaykh 'Abd Al-Latif ibn 'Abd Al-Rahman, Shaykh 'Abd Al-Rahman ibn Hasan, and Shaykh Sulayman ibn Samhan, and other books, all of which are good and beneficial. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good and do you good. So, do you advise the Muslim, given the situation mentioned, to allocate a portion of his monthly income so that he may buy the beneficial books that benefit him in his creed and religious culture?
The Shaykh: Yes, we advise every student of knowledge and every believer to take care of the Qur'an, to increase its recitation in the night and day with reflection and understanding, to ask the scholars about what is difficult for him, and to memorize what is facilitated from the Book of Allah. We also advise him to buy the good books, some of which we mentioned, so that the student of knowledge may benefit from them, so that they may be in his library if he is a student of knowledge. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.