Start building an Islamic âlibraryâ in your home
by Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
Another thing that will help in teaching your family and letting them develop an understanding of their religion and help them adhere to its rules, is having oneâs own Islamic library at home. It does not have to be extensive; what matters is choosing good books, putting them in a place where they are readily accessible, and encouraging family members to read them.
You could put books in a clean and tidy corner of the living room, and in a suitable place in a bedroom or guest room; this will make it easy for any member of the family to read constantly.
In order to build a library properly â and Allaah loves things to be done properly â you should include references so that family members can research various matters and children can use them for their studies. You should also include books of varying levels, so that old and young, men and women can all use them. You should also have books for giving to guests, childrenâs friends and family visitors, but try to get books that are attractively presented, edited properly and with the sources and classification of the ahaadeeth properly given.
You can make the most of Islamic bookstores and exhibitions to build a home library, after consulting and seeking advice from those who have experience in the field of books. One way in which you can help family members to find a book when they want it is to organize the books according to subject, with books of Tafseer on one shelf, books of hadeeth on another, fiqh on a third, and so on. One of the family members could also compile alphabetical or subject indexes of the library, to make it easier to look for books.
Many of those who want to start a home library may ask for titles of Islamic books. Here are a few suggestions:
TAFSEER: Tafseer Ibn Katheer – Lamahaat fi âUloom al-Qurâaan by Muhammad al-Sabbaagh etc.
HADEETH: Saheeh al-Kalim al-Tayyib – âAml al-Muslim fiâl-Yawm waâl-Laylah (or: Al-Saheeh al-Musnad min Adhkaar al-Yawm waâl-Laylah) – Riyaadh al-Saaliheen and its commentary Nuzhat al-Muttaqeen – Mukhtasar Saheeh al-Bukhaari by al-Zubaydi etc.
AQEEDAH: âAqeedah Fath al-Majeed Sharh Kitaab al-Tawheed (edited by al-Arnaaâoot) – Aâlaam al-Sunnah al-Manshoorah by al-Hakami (ed.) – Sharh al-âAqeedah al-Tahhaawiyyah – The series on âAqeedah by Umar Sulaymaan al-Ashqar in 8 parts – Ashraat al-Saaâah by Dr. Yoosuf al-Waabil.
GOOD MANNERS AND PURIFICATION: Tahdheeb Madaarij al-Saalikeen – Ghadhaaâ al-Albaab etc.
SEERAH AND BIOGRAPHIES: Al-Bidaayah waâl-Nihaayah by Ibn Katheer – Mukhtasar al-Shamaaâil al-Muhammadiyyah by al-Tirmidhi – Al-Raheeq al-Makhtoom by al-Mubaarakpoori [available in English translation] – Siyar Aâlam al-Nubalaâ etc.
There are many other good books on various topics, such as those by:
Shaykh Muhammad ibn âAbd al-Wahhaab – Shaykh âAbd al-Rahmaan ibn Naasir al-Saâdi – Ihyaa of Gazali – Mathnawi of Rumi – Hijaab al-Muslimah by Ahmad al-Baaraazi – Abhaath al-Shaykh Mashoor Hasan Salmaan.
There are many other useful, good books â what we have mentioned is only by way of example, and is by no means a complete list. There are also many useful pamphlets and booklets, but it would take too long to list everything. The Muslim should consult others and think hard. Whomever Allaah wishes good for, He helps him to understand His religion.
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