Books for New Muslims?

[Travelleress]

Asalamu 'alaykum,

When I asked Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad (may Allah increase him), he recommended:

Islam: Religion of Life (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1929694083/103-3114771-6619044?v=glance&n=283155), by Abdul Wadod Shalabi

Muhammad (salallahu alayhi wa aalihi wasallam), by Martin Lings.

[Simon Iskander]

:salam:

al-Shifa by Qadi `Iyad (translated by Ustadha `A'isha Bewley) is also very good :mash: for developing love for the Prophet :saw:

:ws:

[Simon Iskander]

:salam:

Hanafi fiqh:

'Absolute Essentials of Islam' by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shafi`i fiqh:

al-Maqasid by Imam al-Nawawi, and translated by Shaykh Nuh Keller
`Umdat al-Salik by Ahmad ibn Naqib al-Misri, and translated by Shaykh Nuh Keller

(al-Maqasid is probably more accessible but only deals with the areas of tahara, salah, hajj, sawm and zakah - it does have sections on madhahib and tasawuff though).

:ws:

[ajnabi]

The introduction of the ihya ulum ud-deen of Imam Ghazali - breaking the two desires and deciplinig the soul by T.J.Winters is excellent.

Ive used it in my college years when introducing anything about islam, really helped and my teacher was really impressed when i showed him that book;)

was'salam

[Simon Iskander]

:salam:

:mash:

I also heard that Shaykh `Abdal Hakim's translation of Imam al-Ghazali's " dhikr al-mawt wa ma ba`duhu" (Rememberance of Death and What Comes After) is very good too (also form Ihya `Ulum al-Din).

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani recommended reading it after Lives of Man by Imam al-Haddad though.

:ws:

[Kharmi]

I recently ordered
"Reliance of the Traveller" and "Nawawi's Manual of Islam"
(both in english).

The reviews for these books for very positive,
and I've seen some talk about Reliance of the Traveller online.
Were these good choices?
And, what would you recomend further?

{I had been originally looking for books on Hanafi figh, but unsuccessfully}

S/a

[Simon Iskander]

:salam:

:mash: yes these are very good books. Though in general the `ulama recommend studying texts with a teacher if possible (I also need to do this).

A good start would be the Shafi`i fiqh courses on Sunni Path. I think the intermediate level course is on al-Maqasid (Imam al-Nawawi's Manual to Islam).

As regards recommendations for other books... what sorts of books are you interested in Sayyidi?

:ws:

[Kharmi]

Thank you for your response, brother.

For a while, I will not have access to a teacher~
I was wondering what I might study to best commit to
increasing my knowledge and iman in the absence of one.

[Simon Iskander]

:salam: Sayyidi

I think in the absence of a teacher, the Sunni Path (www.sunnipath.com) online courses are probably the best way to go (it is probably the next best thing).

I am doing courses Absolute Essentials of Islamic Belief and Absolute Essentials of Islam (Shafi`i) (a fiqh course) there and :alhamd: they have proved to be very beneficial so far.

They have courses on a range of subjects and at different levels. Also, if you are a new Muslim, the entry level courses (like the ones I described above) are FREE!

May Allah reward them for their hard work.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

:jazak:

:ws:

[smile]

Assalaamu alaikum - the best advice I was ever given alhamdolillah was to remember that I was a new baby muslim and that we don't give children in depth fiqh texts to study.

I was given a list of books that people had learnt from at madrassa and my local Imam enrolled me in the children's arabic classes to learn my arabic letters and basics of belief etc (i was 22 :) ) It was one of the most worthwhile things I have ever done and I cannot ever thank him enough for this.



The book I found most useful was http://www.ymouk.com/0501/bookReviews/islambeliefsteaching.htm


there is plenty of time for in depth study and inshallah we will all continue to learn our deen day by day and I cannot say it will work for everyone but most of us have studied islam before embracing it and once the decision has been made and the shahadah taken the priority is to learn the basics like how to pray. This book does it well.

[scents of paradise]

:salam: Sayyidi


They have courses on a range of subjects and at different levels. Also, if you are a new Muslim, the entry level courses (like the ones I described above) are FREE!

May Allah reward them for their hard work.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

:jazak:



:salam:

i have a question brother Simon ..the absolute essential course on sunnipath.com is free? i need an answer because ive recommended that site to new muslims so if its free i should tell them that

[Simon Iskander]

:salam:

:insh: I hope you are well.

Yes, I can confirm that the Sunni Path Absolute Essentials courses are FREE to new Muslims.

:jazak:

:ws:

[scents of paradise]

Wicked!!

[sufisticated]

as-salamu `alaykum

i believe any new muslim should be pointed towards a basic text of fiqh al-ibadat of any madhhab, and preferably directed towards an alim who can teach them integrals of the fara'id.

for me, perhaps the greatest challenge was finding the right book (how can you know? there are literally thousands out there!!), and lack of access to ulema who teach fiqh.

this should be the primary concern of any new muslim i.e. learning basic fiqh and aqida, and perhaps an introduction to tasawwuf/self-purification.

ibn ashir's matn of maliki fiqh is an excellent text because:

1. beginners can study it with a shaykh

2. advanced students can study it with commentary

3. it has a section of aqida in it at the beginning to get you started.

4. it also has a section of tasawwuf at the end.

[sufisticated]

:salam:

i would also recommend a book of seera for every new muslim. habib ali, May Allah preserve him, advised that we should be reading a book about the prophet :saw: at all times.

my recommendation would be:

1. The Life of Muhammad by Martin Lings.

with shaykh Hamza Yusuf's Audio Seera set.

2. The Sealed Nectar.

good starters :insh:

[scents of paradise]

jazak Allah brother Simon and brother sufistic inshaAllah ill recommend those books to the new muslims

[Abu 'Abdallah]

As-salamu 'Alaykum,

I would also like to recommend "Muhammad" by Martin Lings, and

"The Heart of Islam" by Seyyed Hossein Nasr
"The Vision of Islam" by Sachiko Murata & William Chittick
"Islam and World Peace" by Bawa Muhaiyaddeen
"Islam, Fundamentalism, and the Betrayal of Tradition" by Joseph Lumbard
"Letters of a Sufi Master" trans. by Titus Burckhardt

wa salam,
Abu 'Abdallah

[Simon Iskander]

:salam:

Also, Matharat al-Qulub (by Imam Mawlud and translated by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf - 'Purification of the Heart') and 'Wayfarers to God' by Habib Ali al-Jifri.

:ws:

[estate]

BOOKS

IN ENGLISH you can read online free or if you wish they can send these books to you free

http://www.hakikatkitabevi.com/english/english.htm
http://serenityfountain.org

1-Endless Bliss First Fascicle

2-Endless Bliss Second Fascicle

3-Endless Bliss Third Fascicle

4-Endless Bliss Fourt Fascicle

5-Endless Bliss Fifth Fascicle

6-Islam’s Reformers

7-The Sunni Path

8-Belief and Islam

9-The Proof of Prophethood

10-Answer to an Enemy of Islam

11-Advice for the Muslim

12-Islam and Christianity

13-Could Not Answer

14-Confessions of a British Spy

15-Documents of the Right Word

16-Why Did They Become Muslims

17-Ethics of Islam

18-Sahâba ‘The Blessed’

http://www.hizmetbooks.org
http://serenityfountain.org/

[sufisticated]

:salam:

i think this book may be good for a new muslim:

The Lives Of Man (http://www.fonsvitae.com/livesman.html) by Imam al-Haddad

:ws:

[Simon Iskander]

:salam:

Yes, definitely. Imam al-Haddad's books are excellent. :mash:

They are very deep and subtle, but also very concise.

:ws:

[Jumile]

Salām alaikum all,

As a new muslim myself (18 days now, subhana Allāh), I had recommended to me Islam: The Natural Way (http://www.melspublications.com/product.asp?productid=1) by Abdul Wahid Hamid.

Although I am just under half-way through it, I must say this an absolutely fantastic book and recommend it to all non-muslims and new muslims. It describes the background and history of the religion, the customs and requirements of muslims, how things are, why they are the way they are, and many others things.

I've also just begun reading Companions of the Prophet 1 (http://www.melspublications.com/product.asp?productid=2) by the same author, and I'm finding it a brilliant read, too. Though I was told this book is probably better for people who have been muslim for a long time (to increase their imān), I am finding it inspirational as it lets me glimpse into the lives and motivations of the companions of the Prophet(saw).

In this book, I read today about Fātimah(rla) and it had me weeping (something that never happens - I'm your stereotypical "big boys don't cry" kinda guy), so I suppose it's only right to say: Allāhu a'alam! :)

Wa salām,
Matt

[Ibn Umaysh]

As salaamu alaikum,

I think the best book for new Muslims and non-Muslims alike, for information, is the Complete Idiot's Guide to Islam by Yahya Emerick. It is amusing, interesting and he deals with tough topics in a very diplomatic and moderate way.

Otherwise Islam in Focus was my first book.