Essential Books For A Muslim Home

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The Prophet peace be upon him said:

” Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.”

[Ibn Majah:224]

It is well known that increasing our Islamic knowledge is a sure way to preserve and protect our faith. Many reverts jump into Islam with this overwhelming thirst for knowledge but don’t always know where to start or where to go to get it. Therefore, I thought it would be beneficial to write about the bare essential books that every Muslim household should have.

 

Where to Start?

 

The first and most important book every Muslim should have in their home, is the Quran. It is the direct word of God, guidance given to our beloved Prophet  and something that should always be within reach. If Arabic is not your first language, then I would advise that you have a translation of the Quran as well as one in its original text.

 

However, one thing I feel that’s rarely communicated properly to reverts is that the Quran should always be paired with Tafsir. Tafsir provides us with the interpretation and explanation of the words of Allah. It takes the language, historical context, the sunnah and provides us with a commentary that allows us to understand what The Almighty is communicating to us.

 

If you are a beginner, Tafsir As-Sadi is recommend by those knowledgeable. If you are more advanced and you are looking for a tafsir with more depth, Tafsir Ibn Kathir is advised. It’s one of the most appreciated and respected tafsirs written because of the undeniable efforts that went into it. There are many more tafsir that are suited to those who know the Arabic language or who are serious students of knowledge like Tafsir Al Tabari. In sha’ Allah something every Muslim can work towards.

 

Building Foundations

 

Important areas of study after Quran and Tafsir are books that are going to help you build a strong foundation in faith. Developing and maintaining strong aqeedah is everything and will help us manage what life throws. We do this through understanding Allah  to the level and standards set by him. There are many books on the topic that quenches the thirst of the seeker of knowledge at any level.

 

A lovely book on Tawheed that I always recommend to beginners is the Explanation of the Three Fundamental Principles of Islam by the respected Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Saalih Al Uthaymeen. However, one of the most recommended books on aqeedah are Foundations of the Sunnah (Usool us Sunnah) by renowned Scholar Imam Ahmed. Another is Kitab At-Tawheed by Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab.

 

The Man With The Message

 

All of the suggestions mentioned above wouldn’t be complete without a book recommendation on the man that Allah  entrusted his message with. The Seera of our beloved Prophet  is a must for every Muslim home. 

 

For many reverts, broaching the study of The Prophet  can often be intimidating. The main reasons being due to the stereotypes and slander made against him and his character. However, it only takes a little study into his life to realise that he is far from all the lies made about him.

 

Two books I tend to recommend are ‘The Sealed Nectar’ and ‘When the Moon Split’ both written by Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri. They are Biographies of the Prophet  that gives an insight into who he was, his struggles and his success. Together, they provide you with a true reflection of who our Nabi was as well as giving us the confidence to dispel those misconceptions previously mentioned. 

 

Another recommended Seera book would be A Biography of The Prophet of Islam, by Dr Mahdi Rizqullah Ahmad. It comes in two volumes and is brilliantly referenced.

 

Last But Not Least

 

In our journey on the path to obtaining knowledge, other important books that every Muslim household should own are books of hadith. This preserved science is our way to knowing the sunnah of The Prophet , how he implemented Islam into his life and how the companions understood it.

 

One of the most recommend and appreciated books of hadith for beginners is Nawawi’s Forty (Forty Hadith) by the Imam Al-Nawawi. Another appreciated book from the same respected scholar is Riyad as-Salihin or The Meadows of the Righteous. It is a compilation of verses from the Quran complemented by hadith narratives, but I also recommend pairing this with the explanation of Riyadus-Saliheen by Shaykh Muhammed Bin Salih Al Uthaymeen.

Final thoughts

Abu Ad-Darda’  reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever follows a path in pursuit of knowledge, Allah will facilitate for him a path to Paradise. Indeed, the angels lower their wings for the seeker of knowledge, out of pleasure at what he does. Verily, the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, even the fish in the water, ask forgiveness from Allah for the knowledgeable. The superiority of a scholar over a devout worshiper is like the superiority of the moon over the rest of the stars. Indeed, the scholars are the inheritors of the prophets, who bequeath neither dinar nor dirham, only knowledge. So whoever acquires it has actually taken abundant wealth.”

 

[Hasan/Sound] – [Ibn Maajah – At-Tirmidhi – Abu Dawood – Ahmad – Ad-Daarimi]

Whether we take a physical path to pursuing knowledge, or whether it is one we take in the comfort of our homes, it is understood that Allah  will reward us accordingly In sha’ Allah. 

 

Although the incentives are motivation alone, it’s also important that we understand that knowledge empowers us as individuals and better prepares us in how we handle life. Knowledge is for our benefit and acquiring it gives us the best chance at becoming our best selves.

 

May The Almighty increase us in knowledge and our understanding of his Deen, Ameen.

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