Masters and Millennials: Essential Books for Islamic Knowledge
Which books should I read for Islamic knowledge?
Following the example of the scholars in their love for reading
This is the eighth part of a series of articles that are based on al-Fawa’id al-Mukhtarah, one of the seminal works of the great scholar al-Habib Zayn bin Sumayt. The book focuses on a range of topics relevant to daily life and modern challenges for Muslims living in the West. This article is a summary of the eighth episode of the podcast The Masters and Millennials by Shaykh Abdurragmaan Khan.
We have lost our love of reading in the West, and our youth almost completely neglect it, but we see in the lives of the scholars of Hadramaut their attachment to books and reading. They recognized the importance of books and reading, and from their example we can take guidance. This article discusses how we can follow their example by outlining the important books they studied, and we receive a reminder in it about studying texts in sequence.
Introduction
We want to follow the example of the scholars in their love for books. So we ask what books did the scholars advise students of knowledge to study?
Books on tasawwuf and fiqh
Imam al-‘Aydarus bin ‘Umar al-Habshi said that the six primary works of taṣawwuf that should be studied are the following:
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Iḥyā′ ‘Ulūm al-Dīn by Abu Hamid Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Ghazali
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Minhaj al-‘Ābidīn by Abu Hamid Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Ghazali
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Arba‘īn fī Uṣūl al-Dīn by Abu Hamid Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Ghazali
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Al-Risālah al-Qushayriyyah fī ‘Ilm Al-Taṣawwuf by Imam al-Qushayri
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‘Awārif al-Ma‘ārif by Imam al-Suhrawardi
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Qut al-Qulūb fī Mu’amalāt al-Maḥbūb by Abu Talib al-Makki
How to avoid much misunderstanding: following a sequence
These above six works are foundational. A word of caution regarding reading books of religious knowledge, however: students of knowledge in western academic circles often believe they are able to study any text. This belief is mistaken and students who try to study any text often misunderstand the scholars. It is vital that they follow a specific sequence. For instance, the Hadrami scholars of fiqh follow this sequence:
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Al-Risālah al-Jāmi‘ah wa al-Tadhkirah al-Nāfi‘ah by Imam Ahmed bin Zayn al-Habashi
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Safīnah al-Najāh fī Fiqh al-Shāfi’ī by Salim ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Sa‘d ibn Samir al-Hadrami al-Shafi‘i
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Mukhtaṣar al-Laṭīf fī Fiqh al-Shāfi’ī by ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abd al-Rahman Balhaj Ba-Fadl al-Hadrami
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Al-Muqaddimah al-Ḥaḍramiyyah by ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abd al-Rahman Ba-Fadl al-Hadrami
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Al-Ghāyah wa al-Taqrīb fī al-Fiqh al-Shāfi’i by Abu Shuja‘ Hussayn bin Ahmad al-Asfahani
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Ṣafwah al-Zubad by Ahmad bin Husayn bin Hasan bin ‘Ali ibn Arslan al-Ramli
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‘Umdah al-Sālik wa ‘Uddah al-Nāsik by Shihab al-Din Abu al-‘Abbas Ahmad bin al-Naqib
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Minhāj al-Ṭālibīn by Abu Zakariyya Yahya Ibn Sharaf al-Nawawi
This order of study involves moving from a smaller to a larger text, each discussing the fiqh in greater detail. Students must not try to jump the queue. Those who do so have become raisins before being grapes! They remain unenlightened, devoid of understanding.
Sayyidi Habib ‘Umar wrote a book, Maqāṣid Ḥalaqat al-Ta‘līm, on the importance of understanding the sequence of the books in the various disciplines. It has been translated by Shaykh Amjad Tarsin and published by Dār al-Turāth al-Islāmi.
The Importance of the Ihya of Imam Ghazali
The importance of reading the Iḥyā by Imam Ghazali can be emphasized: Imam al-Haddad said it is important to read books such as the Minhāj al-Ṭālibīn in fiqh and the Iḥya in tasawwuf because through them one receives great openings, as well as elevation of the soul.
Studying the Ihya builds modesty.
Habib ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Saqqaf was the qutb of his time. A qutb is a pole or axis around which everything revolves. It is one of the highest stations of sainthood. However, even if one reaches this station, he is not necessarily the qutb of his time because there can only be one qutb at a time. Habib ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Saqqaf read the Qur’an eight times every 24 hours. He said: “Whoever does not study the Iḥya does not truly have modesty.”
Imam Haddad loved the Iḥya and collated whatever was mentioned in it in one of his books, Al-Naṣa’iḥ al-Dīniyyah, which has been translated into English under the title of “Counsels of Religion.” In addition, some of the pious say that the one who reads and acts on the Iḥya will be of the people of Paradise.
The Books of Imam Nawawi
Imam Haddad had three books that would constantly be recited to him, one reading after the other. One of these books was Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn by Imam Nawawi which has been translated into English. It has many benefits and Allah grants many openings to the one who reads it.
An enlightened person once visited a scholar. He saw the scholar’s library and asked why some of the books emit light while others do not. The scholar asked him to remove the books which were emitting light and he did so. They were all Imam Nawawi’s books.
Imam Nawawi was regarded as the qutb of his time. Habib Ahmad bin Hasan al-‘Attas said that Ibn Hajar al-Haytami memorised the Minhāj of Imam Nawawi, and through that Allah blessed his writings so that their benefits spread throughout the world.
From this we can be encouraged to study Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn and the Minhāj of Imam Nawawi.
Other Beneficial Books
Our pious predecessors emphasized the reading of the following four introductions:
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Muqaddimah of al-Tafsīr al-Kabīr of Fakhr al-Din al-Razi up to Surah Baqarah
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Muqaddimah Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim by Imam Nawawi
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Muqaddimah al-Majmū’ Sharḥ al-Muhadhdhab by Imam Nawawi
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Muqaddimah of Ibn Khaldun
In addition, Al-Shifā by Qadi Iyad, which has been translated into English by Aisha Bewley under the title “Muhammad: Messenger of Allah,” is said to have been tried and tested for the removal of difficulties.
Conclusion
We now have some books recommended to us by the scholars. Let us attach ourselves to the books of the salaf for they contain blessings, knowledge and openings. Reading their books is like sitting at their feet, taking from them, connecting to them, and receiving their secrets. It is an invaluable opportunity to insulate ourselves from the trials and tribulations of western society by seeking their light and guidance.
Author’s Biography
Al-Habib Zayn bin Sumayt is a member of the Prophet’s family. His lineage goes through many pious forebears, such as al-Faqih al-Muqqadam and al-Imam Ahmad bin ʻIsa al-Muhajir, through Sayyidina Husayn to the Prophet Muhammad. He is an authority on Shafi’i fiqh and tasawwuf. From a young age he sat in the company of the pious and studied with various scholars and institutes. His most senior teacher was Habib ‘Alawi bin ‘Abd Allah bin ‘Aydarus bin Shihab. He was also taught by Habib Ja‘far bin Ahmad al-‘Aydarus and Habib Muhammad bin Salim bin Hafiz. Habib Zayn taught the islamic sciences in Bayda’ for thirty years. Thereafter he moved to Madinah and opened a ribat that attracted many students before it was forced to close. He was very attached to his wife, as our beloved Prophet was to Sayyidah Khadijah (Allah be pleased with her), and was saddened when she passed away a few years ago.
