Basic classical texts for the beginning student of knowledge

Here are some basic classical texts for the beginning student of knowledge (like myself).

1.)  ‘Aqida: The Creed of the Imaam of Hadeeth al-Bukhari”; this book can be downloaded here: http://www.2shared.com/file/6011368/9723d525/Creed_Bukhari_Muhammad_bin_Ismaeel.html

A basic, concise and agreed upon text on ‘aqida from one of the Salaf and greatest imaams of hadeeth like the title says.

 

2.) Tajweed: Tuhfat ul-Atfaal / A Gift for Children; this book can be downloaded here (in Arabic and English): http://www.2shared.com/file/6011449/d75d91b4/tuhfetulatfal.html

A poem with the ahkam and qawa’id of tajweed.

 

3.) Arabic grammar: “al-Ajurumiyyah”; this book can be downloaded here: http://www.2shared.com/file/6011473/1ca52b69/Al-Ajurumiyyah20English.html 

and here:

 http://www.2shared.com/file/6011476/6ccfdfe6/Al-Ajuruumiyyah20Arabic.html

Your knowledge of Arabic and grammar starts with this book, all the ‘ulama know and use it.

 

4.) Fiqh: al-Wajeez (in short) or in English “The Concise Presentation of the Fiqh of the Sunnah and the Noble Book” by shaykh Badawi. I have mentioned this book before in my post on Fiqh us-Sunnah. It provides sound proofs from the Qur’an and Sunnah and gives many references to other books; for the hadith-checking shaykh al-Albani is the authority relied upon. Translated by Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo.  

 

5.) Nooraniyyah, this book can be downloaded from this site: http://www.quranicsciences.com/index.asp?visitormonid=356821

 

6.) The Madinah Books Series (3) a course for learning the Arabic language, to be downloaded here: http://www.kalamullah.com/learning-arabic.html

 

7.) al-Qawl al-Ma’loof fi Sifaat ul-Huroof by shaykh Baysusi, which booklet / poem can be downloaded here: http://www.2shared.com/file/6514122/770d4cd0/al-Qawl_al-Ma_luf_fi_Sifaat_ul-Huroof.html

 

These books will really help the beginning student of knowledge a lot; several versions and translations of some of these books can be found on the internet. I have realized after a lot of reading the past couple of years I need to start all over again and go back to the basics. These books support me. I compiled this short list after following some lessons by brother Abu Taubah on:  http://thefiks.org/elearning/ He teaches from these books and his lessons are in one word: MASHA’ALLAH. He also teaches tafseer and Arabic language in general and he is providing you with a good basis to build on if you continue to follow his lessons.

May these books benefit the one who reads and studies them.

Shaykh Haitham al-Haddad

Recently he was in my country (the Netherlands) and in my eyes he is a reliable (Salafi) scholar, based in London (UK) who can clarify an issue in clearcut terms and analyze it. I have heard / watched / listened to several of his lectures. I’m talking about shaykh Haitham al-Haddad, one of my (many) favourite scholars in the West (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaikh_haitham_al_haddad.)

Here is a very interesting fatwa by him on an issue that particularly appears in the West, more specifically in the northern countries, it is about the ‘isha and fajr prayers times during summer (roughly from the 15th of May till the 15th of July) when ‘isha is around midnight (0.00) and fajr around 03.00 o’ clock or even earlier according to the Hanafi’s; there are even Hanafi’s (a very small minority) in my country who claim there is no ‘isha – prayer at all during this time and as a consequence they only pray four times a day (this is another issue in itself which will not be discussed).   

Here the link to the fatwa: http://www.islam21c.com/british-affairs/isha-fajr-prayer-times-during-the-summer.html and an extra article: http://www.islam21c.com/general/islamic-fiqh-council-on-prayer-times-during-the-summer.html

The main websites of the shaykh are: http://www.islam21c.com/, http://www.mrdf.co.uk/ and http://www.iprogress.org.uk/

The shaykh has a very good lecture on the niqaab (in 3 parts), watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZe44SX0EBo

Here is a video (3 parts) with the shaykh and a British 84 year old convert to islam: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkQs_2SPbss&feature=related

Here a lecture (several parts) with the shaykh on misconceptions about the maqasid of the shari’ah: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1e0P4P3Rm0

The shaykh on the infamous marriage contract (several parts): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGRA252Y9BU

A lecture on moonsighting (also several parts): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txlk4iF_3T0 and here is the article: http://www.aqnsites.com/moonsighting/1ST_Al_Haddad.pdf

A series of 3 excellent articles on music:

- http://muslimmatters.org/2007/06/02/a-simple-matter-of-disagreement/

- http://muslimmatters.org/2007/06/02/a-simple-matter-of-disagreement/- http://www.islam21c.com/british-affairs/consensus-ijtihad.html

- http://www.islam21c.com/british-affairs/music-a-prohibited-and-fake-message-of-love-and-peace.html

And last but not least a lecture on making hijrah (11 parts): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unnaKiFiYVs&feature=PlayList&p=0473BC6279284E37&index=14

O student of knowledge

O student of knowledge, I exhort you to purify your intention in pursuing knowledge and to strive to make your soul act according to knowledge’s dictates. For the science is a tree of which deeds are the fruit, and he is not counted learned, who doesn’t put his learning into practice. And did those of the Salaf of the past reach whatever high levels they reached, other than by purified beliefs, righteous deeds, and renouncing most of the refinements of the world? And did the wise people of the past attain greater felicity except through hard work and diligence, contentment with little, and spending of their superfluity to meet the need of the needy and destitute? Surely, he who gathers books of knowledge is no different than he who gathers gold and silver. Surely, the devourer of books is no different from the greedy miser. Surely, the bibliophile enamoured with books is no different from the hoarder of gold and silver. Therefore, just as wealth doesn’t benefit except through its spending, likewise do the sciences not benefit except those who put them into practice and observes the requirements. – Imam Khatib al-Baghdadi in his Iqtida’ al-’Ilm al-’Amal

Etiquette and qualification for giving a fatwa by imam an-Nawawi

Imam an-Nawawi rahimahullah said in his book “Adab al-Fatwa wa’l-Mufti wa’l-Mustafti”:

“It is not permissible (laa yajoozu) for a person of one area or country, not aware of the customs and the circumstances of another area to issue fatwa in that place, until he is fully acquainted with the people of it, their style of speaking and what they mean by their words and expressions.”

Source: Imam an-Nawawi, The Etiquettes and Qualifications of Issuing Islamic Judgment, of a Mufti, and of the one seeking his opinion, Al Fardani Publishers and Distributors, Birmingham UK, 1997, 31 (40). The original Arabic version of this book can be downloaded here: http://www.archive.org/details/167_nawawi_adab.alfatwa.w.almufti.w.almustafti