What

Books should a Student of

Knowledge Begin with?
Taken from http://www.ajurry.com/vb/showthread.php?t=35406 by Shaykh
Muhammad Amn ibn Al al-Jm
Translated by Salah al-Iranee

5
Masjid Daar us Sunnah | www.DuSunnah.com | London

Questioner:
Which books do you advise to read in regards to Aqdah, Tafsr, Hadth along with
its sciences and Fiqh?

Answer:
The first treatises that I advise with the memorization of; for the one who wishes
to begin seeking knowledge, is The Three Principles, (after that) The Pillars of
Salh and its Obligations and Conditions followed by, The Four Principles
whilst using a copy that compiles all three into one].
Likewise, it is desirable to memorize The Conditions of La illha il Allh and
The Nullifiers of la illha il Allh. It is essential that he memorizes these
treatises well, and after doing so, reads them to a student of knowledge so as to
take from the mouths of men and not from the belly of books [i.e. sits with
scholars to ensure correct understanding as opposed to relying on one's own
readings].
If after that it is easy for him to memorise Removal of The Doubts then that is
good. However, the book that is essential for a student of knowledge to memorise
and study in the subject of Aqdah specifically with regards to Tawhd of Worship
and Ruler ship - in an original manner, is The Book of Tawhd, which is the
right of Allh upon His servants. This is a great book. It is [a collection] of
selected segments from verses in the Book of Allah, Prophetic Hadth, and
narrations of the People of Knowledge. It is a book, which by way of it Allah has
facilitated a great deal of good.

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We advise our youth to give importance to this book, [by] memorising, and
understanding [it well] and by reading its explanations in order to be firm in this
subject, the subject of Aqdah.
Afterwards, in the subject of Tawhd of the Names and Attributes - for the student
who has great desires for knowledge, he should memorise the text of al-
Wsatyh or study it so that he understands it. Then [he should move onto] the
books that have been gathered under the title, Majm Fatw of Ibn Taymiyh.
Within this collection are very important treatises that are essential for a student
of knowledge to study. If the student wishes to expand in [reading other]
authorship on the subject of Names and Attributes in detail, he should study the
Explanation of at-Tahwyh since the author of the explanation of at-
Tahwyh transmits the majority or bulk of his books from the books of Shaykh
al-Islm ibn Taymiyh and his student Ibn al-Qayyim, and the books of Ibn Kathr.
It is a comprehensive and beneficial book.
As for Tafsr, then is it essential that a small student of knowledge begins with
Tafsr bd ur-Rahmn as-Sid because it is concise and his manhj was well
known, his manhj was Salaf. If the student is well acquainted and grounded in
the branches of the Arabic Language, and finds a teachers or a Salaf exegete, then
he should study Fth al-Qadr by ash-Shawkn.
I have made these cautions and set these conditions because Imam ash-Shawkn
even with his great knowledge and good authorships, especially in Fath al-Qadr
and Nayl al-wtr he was not innocent from interpreting some texts in terms of
the Attributes [of Allh]. In case you are deceived by this, it is essential that he
chooses a Salaf exegete to study this book.
Thereafter the tasfr that is well known to us, which is Tafsr Ibn Kathr there is
no problem in studying the summarisation that has been summarised from this
tafsr or even diving in other parts. However, saying all that, as Ive said, it is not
befitting that a student of knowledge suffices with reading, but rather he must
turn to the people of knowledge.
Similarly, before we finish [speaking about] tafsr, it is also necessary to study the
sciences of tafsr. From the sciences of tafsr is the technique of recitation, and the
subjects of the Arabic Language. All of this is from the sciences of tafsr.
Then he should study hadth. He should memorise texts as we mentioned last
night, he should begin with Forty Hadth an-Naww and Umdatul Ahkm
and Bulgh al-Maram. Thereafter he should study the conditions and become
aware of these books. He should study them with the people who are specialised
[in this subject].
[As for] fiqh, then if the student of knowledge wishes to expand and become
acquainted with the difference amongst the scholars of fiqh, then he should
memorise texts from all four schools of thought. He should not accustom himself
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in sticking to just one specific school, since the correct fiqh is that which is studied
in Umdatul Ahkm and Bulgh al-Maram that is the fiqh of the Sunnah and
some of the books of Imam ash-Shawkn with the provided - as Ive said, there is
no bigotry to any single individual or school of thought, [rather] his goal should be
to seek knowledge.

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