What books should a beginner student of knowledge start with?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
I am a young man who wants to seek knowledge. Which sciences should I start with? And which texts should I start memorizing? Please note that I am a new student in the College of Shari'ah. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
A student of knowledge should start with the Book of Allah, focusing on it through reading, reflection, recitation with proper tajwid, and memorizing whatever is easy for him. Along with this, he should study the texts that establish his creed and his understanding of the Qur'an, as we and others have learned. He should begin with books of creed so that they are firmly rooted in the heart from a young age—while memorizing the Book of Allah and whatever is easy of it, and reciting it frequently—such as the book "Tawhid," "Kashf al-Shubuhat," "Al-'Aqidah al-Wasitiyyah," "Thalathat al-Usul," and similar concise and brief books regarding the creed with which Allah sent His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
Then, he should study concise books on Arabic grammar rules, jurisprudence, and hadith, so that he has a memorized foundation, like the younger students. They start with "Al-Ajrumiyyah" or whatever serves as its equivalent, or "Al-Qatr" and whatever serves as its equivalent after that. Finally, he should reach books like "Alfyyah" by Ibn Malik and its related commentaries and marginal notes, regarding Arabic grammar rules.
However, fundamentally, he starts with books of creed along with the Noble Qur'an. The Qur'an is the origin of all good, the origin of creed, and the origin of happiness. He should also memorize what is easy of the Sunnah, such as "Al-Arba'in al-Nawawiyyah" and its completion by Ibn Rajab, "Fifty Hadiths." All of these are important. Also, "Umdat al-Hadith" later, if it is easy for him during his studies, and then "Bulugh al-Maram" as well.
These are the fundamentals in hadith. In creed: the book "Tawhid," "Al-'Aqidah al-Wasitiyyah," "Kashf al-Shubuhat," and "Thalathat al-Usul." These are for the young. In jurisprudence: such as "Umdat al-Fiqh" by al-Muwaffaq, and "Mukhtasar al-Muqni'," also known as "Zad al-Muqni'," and similar books composed in jurisprudence that are concise. These serve as a foundation in jurisprudence, from which one derives rulings and progresses to knowing the lengthy books and the issues in which one sees the need to research with evidence.
I am a young man who wants to seek knowledge. Which sciences should I start with? And which texts should I start memorizing? Please note that I am a new student in the College of Shari'ah. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
A student of knowledge should start with the Book of Allah, focusing on it through reading, reflection, recitation with proper tajwid, and memorizing whatever is easy for him. Along with this, he should study the texts that establish his creed and his understanding of the Qur'an, as we and others have learned. He should begin with books of creed so that they are firmly rooted in the heart from a young age—while memorizing the Book of Allah and whatever is easy of it, and reciting it frequently—such as the book "Tawhid," "Kashf al-Shubuhat," "Al-'Aqidah al-Wasitiyyah," "Thalathat al-Usul," and similar concise and brief books regarding the creed with which Allah sent His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
Then, he should study concise books on Arabic grammar rules, jurisprudence, and hadith, so that he has a memorized foundation, like the younger students. They start with "Al-Ajrumiyyah" or whatever serves as its equivalent, or "Al-Qatr" and whatever serves as its equivalent after that. Finally, he should reach books like "Alfyyah" by Ibn Malik and its related commentaries and marginal notes, regarding Arabic grammar rules.
However, fundamentally, he starts with books of creed along with the Noble Qur'an. The Qur'an is the origin of all good, the origin of creed, and the origin of happiness. He should also memorize what is easy of the Sunnah, such as "Al-Arba'in al-Nawawiyyah" and its completion by Ibn Rajab, "Fifty Hadiths." All of these are important. Also, "Umdat al-Hadith" later, if it is easy for him during his studies, and then "Bulugh al-Maram" as well.
These are the fundamentals in hadith. In creed: the book "Tawhid," "Al-'Aqidah al-Wasitiyyah," "Kashf al-Shubuhat," and "Thalathat al-Usul." These are for the young. In jurisprudence: such as "Umdat al-Fiqh" by al-Muwaffaq, and "Mukhtasar al-Muqni'," also known as "Zad al-Muqni'," and similar books composed in jurisprudence that are concise. These serve as a foundation in jurisprudence, from which one derives rulings and progresses to knowing the lengthy books and the issues in which one sees the need to research with evidence.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.