how to read book

8/9/2019 How to Read Book

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How to read a bookSheikh : Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

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How to read a book ?

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How to read a book ? All praise is for Allaah, we praise Him, seek His forgiveness, andseek His refuge from the evils of ourselves and the evils of ouractions. Whoever Allaah guides, then none can misguide them, andwhoever He misguides, then none can guide them. I bear witnessthat there is no deity worthy of worship besides Allaah the Exalted, Alone, without any partners, and that Muhammad is His slaveand Messenger.

As to what follows:

All praise belongs to Allaah the Exalted who created, first of all,the pen, and Said: ‘Write,’ causing it to write everything that willoccur until the Day of Resurrection. Likewise, thanks belong toHim the Exalted who has favored His slaves with the blessing ofthe pen and writing, and mentioned it when He Said (what means): {Nun. By the pen and what they inscribe} [Qur’aan 68:1] So, Histaking an oath shows the greatness of the pen and writing, because Allaah the Exalted only swears by something great.

Of His favors that He has bestowed on His slaves is the blessingof eloquence that He mentioned in His Statement (what means): {Created man , [And] taught him eloquence. } [Qur’aan 55:3-4]

Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy on him, said:“Then, reflect on the favor of humankind, in terms of both types ofeloquence, verbal and written. So, in the first Soorah that He theExalted revealed to His Messenger, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam,He Said (what means): {Recite in the name of your Lord whocreated - Created man from a clinging substance. Recite, and yourLord is the most Generous - W ho taught by the pen - Taught manthat which he knew not. } [Qur’aan 96:1-5].”

He then said:


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“Teaching throu gh the pen, which is the greatest gift andfavor He the Exalted has given His slaves, since through it,sciences become eternal, realities are established, words ofadvice are known, testimonies are preserved, the accounts ofdealings between people are precisely kept, and the news ofthe past is recorded for those who remain and who will comelater. Had it not been for writing, news from certain periodof time would be cut off from other times, traditions wouldbe obliterated, rulings would be confused, and the latter generations would not know the ways and methods of thepredecessors. The most confusion that occurs within people

in matters of their religion happens due to forgetfulness thatwipes some aspects of knowledge from their hearts. So, Allaah the Exalted gave them the book as a container thatpreserves, like other containers that preserve goods fromperishing and breaking; so, the favor of Allaah the Exaltedby teaching through pen after the Qur’aan is of the greatestof favors.”

He the Exalted is the One that taught humankind how to write, asHe Said (what means): {Taught man that which he knew not. }[Qur’aan 96:5] He the Exalted taught them to speak, and gave themthe heart that they can understand with, the tongue to translatewith, and the fingertips to write with. “How many signs are weheedless of regarding the topic of teaching by pen? Pause to thinkregarding the act of writing, and reflect on your state while you holdthe pen, an inanimate object, place it on the paper, anotherinanimate object, but various forms of wisdom, sciences, artistic

notes, lectures, poems, texts, and answers to issues are born ofthat.”

Allaah the Exalted revealed the greatest Book, which is theQur’aan, and recommended us to read it. Likewise, His


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Messenger , sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, urged us to read fromthe copy of the Qur’aan. The Companions, may Allaah be pleasedwith them, achieved a great and lofty accomplishment, which iscompiling the Qur’aan and making copies of it. They read fromthese copies of the Quráan to the point that some of them were torndue to the abundant reading. The knowledge of the Companionsand their followers was in the chest; their chests were stores ofknowledge for them. They did not write the Hadeeth in thebeginning, rather, they would be told these Ahaadeeth verbatim andwould memorize them. They feared that if they were to write theHadeeth , it would be mixed up with the Qur’aan, and that it would

affect the strength of memory. However, when the Qur’aanbecame well established in their hearts and the people knew itprecisely, and when the chains of narration became long and hard to memorize, their determination and intents turned to writing. Atthis stage, the Sunnah was written, and knowledge was gathered inrecords and books. Thus, books became something that chainsdown knowledge, as has come in the narration that states: “Chainknowledge down with writing.”

Another aspect that shows the legislated nature of this action iswhen Allaah the Exalted Said (what means): {And do not be [too]weary to write it, whether it is small or large, for its [specified]term. That is more just in the sight of Allaah and stronger asevidence and more likely to prevent doubt between you } [Qur’aan2:282] “So, when Allaah the Exalted orde red that the religion bewritten in order to preserve it, out of caution for it, and out of carethat any doubt enters it, then that means that knowledge – the

preservation of which is harder than the preservation of the religion– is more worthy of being allowed to be written, out of fear ofdoubts entering it.”


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The status of books with Muslim scholarsBooks of knowledge have a very great status in the hearts ofscholars. It is their associate that they never get bored of, theircompanion in travel, the table that they partake from in gatheringsand their solace in seclusion. It was said to Ibn Al-Mubaarak, may Allaah have mercy on him: “O Abu ÀbdAr -Rahmaan, you should go and sit with your companions.” He said: “When I am at home, Iam sitting with the Companions of Muhammad, sallallaahuàlayhi wa sallam.” Meaning, he was referring to reading books.Shafeeq ibn Ibraaheem Al-Balkhi, may Allaah have mercy on him,said: “We said to Ibn Al - Mubaarak: ‘When you pray with us, whydo you not sit with us?’ He said: ‘I sit with the Taabiòon and theCompanions.’ We said: ‘Where are the Taabiòon and theSahaabah?’ He said: ‘I refer to my knowledge and come toawareness of their statements and actions. What should I do withyou folks? You sit there and backbite ot hers.’”

Az-Zuhri, may Allaah have mercy on him, had a huge collection ofbooks and used to take them everywhere to such an extent that hiswife said: “By Allaah, these books are more severe on me than threeco- wives!” It was said to one of the scholars: “ What brings yousolace?” At this, he struck his books with his hand, and said:“These do.” It was then said: “What about people?” He said:“Those in these books.”

The scholars used to read all the time. Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allaahhave mercy on him, said: “I know of those who would be ailing froma headache or a fever, and their books were by their heads.Whenever they would wake up, they would read from them, and ifthey faced difficulty or tiredness, they would place them [and wouldrest]. A doctor visited him once in such a state and said: ‘This isimpermissible for you.”


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It was reported from Al-Hasan Al- Lu’lu’i, may Allaah have mercyon him, said: “Forty years of my life elapsed, and I never got up orslept except that a book is on my chest.” Others used to sleep withtheir notebooks surrounding their bed; they would read from themwhen they awoke from sleep, and before sleeping. Al-Haafith Al-Khateeb Al-Baghdaadi, may Allaah have mercy on him, used towalk with a volume in his hand, while reading it. Some otherscholars used to give a condition to those who invited them thatthey should have a place in the assembly to place a book so thatthey could read it. Actually, some of them would even burn theirturbans with the lantern that they had placed before them for

reading, without knowing it until strands of their hair were burnt. Abu Al-Àbbaas Al-Mubarrid, may Allaah have mercy on him,said: “I have never seen any people more keen on knowledge thanthree individuals: Al-Jaahith – and he was a Mu`tazili person ofinnovation, Al-Fat-h ibn Khaaqaan, and Ismaaèel ibn Is-haaq Al- Qaadhi. As for Al-Jaahith, when he would place a book before him,he would read it from beginning to end, regardless of the book. Asfor Al-Fat-h, he used to carry a book in his slipper. When he would go before Al-Mutawakkil to urinate or pray, he would remove thebook and read while walking, until he reached the place he needed to go, then would do the same on the way back, until he reached hisarea of sitting. As for Ismaaèel ibn Is-haaq, then I never entered onhim at all, except that he had a book that he was reading, or wasflipping through books to find a book to read.”

The keenness of the pious predecessors and Muslim scholars incollecting and reading books was truly great. Ibn Al-Jawzi, may Allaah have mercy on him, said: “While informing of myself, I cannever have my fill of reading books. If I find a book that I have notread yet, then it is as if I have come across a treasure. If I were to


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say that I have read twenty-thousand volumes, it would have beeneven more than that, and I am still seeking knowledge.”

Others said: “If I find a book to be good and hoped that it would bebeneficial, and found that it was actually beneficial, I wouldconstantly look at how much there was left, out of fear of finishingthe book.”

They used to spend abundant wealth in acquiring books; in fact,perhaps one would spend all that they owned in that. Al-Fayrooz Abaadi, may Allaah have mercy on him, purchased books worthyfifty-thousand gold coins, and he would never travel without books

that he would read every time he would stop in his travels.Some scholars would take their books into account when mendingand stitching clothes. For example, Abu Daawood, may Allaahhave mercy on him, used to have a wide sleeve and a tight sleeve. Itwas brought up to him, and he said: “The wide one is for books, andthe tight one is not needed.” Some scholars would have book cases,and they even had three copies of every book they owned.

The extent of their keenness on books is seen in that they wrotespecial books and chapters regarding the etiquettesof the student ofknowledge with their book, how to transcribe, urging that thestudent gets good paper, the description of the pen they write with,its ink, and its colour, the ways of preservation of books, and so on,including other etiquettes.


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The special qualities of books A book is a good neighbor, a humble and submissive teacher, and avoluntary companion that never disobeys you; have you ever seen ateacher that is submissive to their student? That is how a book issubmissive to a reader. It is a qualified companion, and a vibranttree that always bears fruit. It gathers good points of wisdom,developed intellects, and news of the previous generations anddistant lands. It purifies the intellect, sharpens the mind, broadensthe horizons, strengthens the will, provides solace in solitude,benefits and does not take benefit, gives and does not take.

A book is:

“The best companion and equipment, and the best thingthat provides solace during times of solitude. It is the bestway to come to know of strange countries, and is the bestfellow and foreigner. It is the best delegate and guest. If youwish, you could laugh at its rare anecdotes, be amazed by itsamazing benefits, be distracted by its exquisites, and be

saddened by its admonishments that gather the first, last,hidden, and apparent. It speaks on behalf of the dead, andinforms of the living. It keeps a secret better than the onewho has the secret. It preserves trust better than the mosttrustworthy people. It does not treat you with plotting,trickery, or hypocrisy. It does not trick you through lies.

A book is something that if you look in it, it prolongs your joy, enriches your nature, makes your tongue eloquent (in

speaking), improves your foundation and makes your wordsloftier. Through books, you can learn more in a month thanyou could in a lifetime from the mouths of men. A book givesyou at night just as it yields to you during the day. It givesyou in travel, just as it yields to you when at home. It does


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not become sick in sleep, and is not affected by fatigue oftravel.”

Books do not know of time or place lapses or frames; likewise, theydo not know of geographical boundaries. Thus, the reader can live[through them] in all times, during all kingdoms and areas, and canaccompany the greats and their actions, even if it takes years.

Reflect on the situation of the Muslim when they read the stories ofthe prophets in the Noble Qur’aan. They lived in distant areas,ages ago. With that said, they read their stories, as if they live withthem. So, they refer to the stories of Ibraaheem (Abraham), may

Allaah exalt his mention, Is-haaq (Isaac), may Allaah exalt his mention, Ya`qoob (Jacob), may Allaah exalt his mention, Nooh(Noah), may Allaah exalt his mention, Daawood (David), may Allaah exalt his mention, Sulaymaan (Solomon), may Allaah exalthis mention, Ayyoob (Job), may Allaah exalt his mention, Yoosuf(Joseph), may Allaah exalt his mention, Moosa (Moses), may Allaah exalt his mention, Haaroon (Aaron), may Allaah exalt his mention, Zakariyya (Zachariah), may Allaah exalt his mention, Yahya (John), may Allaah exalt his mention, `Eesa (Jesus), may Allaah exalt his mention, Ilyaas (Elias), may Allaah exalt his mention, Ismaa`eel (Ishamel), may Allaah exalt his mention, Al- Yasa`(Elisha), may Allaah exalt his mention, Yoonus (Jonas), may Allaah exalt his mention, Loote (Lot), may Allaah exalt his mention, and others, including other prophets and righteous folkwhose stories are mentioned in the Qur’aan and Sunnah . We readtheir news and it is as if we live with them. Reflect on this blessingthat only occurred to us through books, what a great blessing andfavor they are!


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Why should we read ? The Muslim reads for the following reasons:

• To earn reward for reading, such as when reading the NobleQur’aan.

• To learn religious sciences and gain understanding of theirreligion.

• By repetition in reading, one can memorize.

• To learn of the plots of the disbelievers, and to beware of the

doubts of the hypocrites and deviants.• To develop their linguistic abilities and to earn beneficialknowledge of this world.

• To keep themselves busy away from false practices, becauseif you do not keep your soul busy with obedience, it will keep you busy with disobedience.

• To relax and be at ease in doing a lawful action.

There are also other reasons that revolve around intents of thelegislation and benefits in this life.

Going by the methodology of the ignorant, a people are consideredcultured if they include large numbers of people who read, regardlessof what they read. People who adhere to this ignorant method readfor the sake of reading, and engage in arts for the sake of the arts.

Thus, they make reading an end in itself, and do not consider it a means, which is why they read everything, without examination orpurification, and without any distinction. As for the Muslim,reading, to them, is a means to realizing a goal, which is earning thepleasure of Allaah the Exalted.


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Thus, the Muslim does not read to keep pace with the scholars, toargue with the foolish, or to gain the people’s attention, Allaah theExalted will enter whoever does that into Hellfire. Moreover, theydo not read to find missteps and search for mistakes, because thatcontends with sincerity. They also do not read what does notbenefit them in their religion or life, because their time is moreprecious than that.

In our times we have been afflicted by the problem of acquiringwithout purification or examination. Reading books of authors whohave different methodologies without critique or differentiation hasresulted, in Muslim societies, in many individuals fitting the bill ofthe ‘yes- man reader,’ who would be a trumpet that magnifies theattacks of the enemies of Islaam, because they do not discernbetween the good and bad. As a result, they learn what harmsthem and does not benefit them, and read what the enemies ofIslaam have written, and present and spread that among peoplewithout any understanding or awareness.


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propaganda of someone who is spiteful, or listening tountrustworthy people who are trying to get people toavoid that person.

• Lack of awareness of the deviations of deviantwriters who spread their innovations, misguidance, andpoison through their books and articles.

Such individuals have a few well-known methods such as:

• Disfiguring and mutilating texts to imply afalse meaning.

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Distorting, changing, interpolating, andincreasing texts.

• Mentioning texts in areas that it does notserve as evidence.

• Explaining the text in something other thanits intended legislated meaning.

• Using false and fabricated Ahaadeeth andnarrations as evidence, and ascribing statements tothose who are free of those statements.

• Appealing to principles that conflict withlegislation, such as rejecting an authentic text underthe pretext that it conflicts with reason, and claimingthat the text has an apparent and hidden meaning.

• Using the statements of people of falsehoodas evidence, as well gathering them, increasing them,

and mentioning them to strengthen what one issaying.

• Mentioning weak opinions and irregularviews.


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knowledge orally from the people of knowledge and books ofknowledge that are authentic, so that the awareness that is neededis built before indulging in various books. The Muslim readershould beware of these methods, as well as other methods, so thatthey do not acquire false information, and so that no germ, in theform of a pernicious doubt, sneaks into their soul.

• Inability to decipher the exaggerations of the writer,and being heedless in noticing contradictions that hefalls in his book or books. The author might mention anidea, then contradict it after a while, or claim in theintroduction that they will hold fast to sound methodology and fairness, then contradict that.

After this discussion regarding the issue of awareness, we shall move forward to speak about an important topic, which is:


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Alienation between people and booksOne of the biggest problems that occurs with many people isalienation from books, and might actually be enmity at times.Many people complain of being bored or tired when they open abook, especially books that are serious. That is why we find today,a terrible phenomenon, as in, turning away from religious books thatbenefit, and turning towards foolish books, empty stories, magazines that have pictures and colors, and news about sports andart. Our enemies brag that the Arabs do not read, if they do read,they do not understand, and if they understand, they do not teach orknow. Another of the negative phenomena is that many graduates, aftergraduating, stopreading. Many teachers have to deal with theirknowledge decreasing year after year, and the fact that many ofthem stop reading about their area of specialization, whileknowledge is building up and increasing every day.

It is painful to see this rejection of acquiring books, rather, of even

borrowing them from public or charity based libraries. It is quitelikely that such an endowment remains useless and is not utilizeddue to this rejection! Another painful thing is to see many peoplebuying books, but they are just standing in their bookshelves,gathering dust. They do not release the knowledge in them byopening and reading them. It is a familiar sight to find a book thathas pages that are stuck together in some areas, as evidence thatthe book has not been opened.

There question remains: why do not people turn to books, andespecially books that are beneficial? Why do they run from reading?Why is there a complex that some people have and why is thereenmity between people and books? To answer these questions, we must come to be aware of:


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blessing, but the writings of the latter scholars are manybut have very little blessing.

• Lack of knowledge regarding the terms that arerepeated in the book, which becomes an impediment tounderstanding and reading.

• Lack of contemporaries that encourage and urge theirfellows to read, or being tested with companions andfriends that are abstinent from knowledge; a person isthe same as their close friend.

• Exchanging beneficial works with non-beneficialworks, and busying oneself with reading material that isactually harmful, such as useless magazines, sportspapers, and other types of literature, in favor of beneficialbooks.

• Absence of encouragement for reading in society andstudents devoting themselves to their coursework,exclusively. In fact, universities only use abridgedrenditions of works, rather than vast scientific research!It is unfortunate to find that some fathers, if they findsome book that is not coursework in the hands of theirson, they would reprimand them and would not allowthem to continue reading, but would order them todevote themselves to reading coursework, exclusively.

• Not seeking counsel in choosing and beginningbooks, or seeking it from those who are not deserving ofbeing asked.

• Weak knowledge of the Arabic language, lacking inunderstanding its words, and lack of understanding ofliterary styles and formations.


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• Distraction and lack of concentration. This is aproblem that many readers complain of. They say thatthey complete a page and book without understandinganything, and read words but the mind is absent. Therewill be a comprehensive chapter on how to cure thisproblem.

• Lack of motivation and drive as well as beingcontent with inferiority. It is as if they were just createdto eat, drink, and sleep, so, they only know books by theirshape and only know reading as a memory or somethingthat they frequently speak of. Such people cannot bearputting themselves through the trouble of reading andcannot bear enduring and holding themselves before abook. Rather, they incline towards laziness and sleep. As Imaam Yahya ibn Abu Katheer, may Allaah have mercy on him, said: “Knowledge cannot be acquiredwhile relaxing the body.”

• Busying oneself with leisure activities such as films,soap operas, and other satellite shows throughout theday, watching sports games, playing cards, and uselessgatherings. Many spend long hours in such leisureactivities but are stingy in terms of sparing an hour forreading, then say, ‘We do not have time!’

• Certain individuals become busied with many thingsat the expense of reading. This is evidence to not givingthing their due right, and losing out on balance.Likewise, some general folk become busied with needs oflivelihood and doing extra work to increase in theirwealth.

• Constantly listening to tapes. There is no doubtthat the spread of tapes has decreased turning to books.


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Of course, the point here is not to call to destroyingtapes; rather, there must be a balance between listeningto tapes and reading books, as books have certain uniquequalities in comparison to tapes, such as ease insearching in them, for example. One can listen to tapesduring times when it is hard to read or one is excused,such as before sleep, when relaxing, when driving, whenworking within the home, and when arranging things. Abu Al-Barakaat, may Allaah have mercy on him, thegrandfather of Shaykh Al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyah, may Allaah have mercy on him, when he wanted to shower,

he would order a reader to read to him and raise his voice,so that he could listen and benefit. This is how one iskeen on preserving their time.

• The prevalence of indexes in book. This is beneficialin a time when people have weak memory, the bar is lowin terms of knowledge, and most people are busy inworldly pursuits. However, these indexes, apart fromtheir many advantages, have caused weakening of thespirit of research with many people. Many students ofknowledge were deprived of benefits they would havecome across had it not been for the presence of indexes.This is not a call to abandon indexes, but is a reminder ofthe importance of reading books, and not only relying onparticular matters through indexes.

• The rising prices of books.

• Substandard quality of publication, such as text thatis unclear or small. Also, many printing errors, badpaper, and a drop in publication quality.


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• The rarity of public libraries, the difficulty ofreaching them, and the complicated nature of the processof benefitting from them.

• The feeling that many students have, in that thegoal of studying is achieving certificates and earningjobs.

After this survey and review of some reasons that people arealienated from reading and turn away from it, it is time now tospeak about:


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The cureThe cure of every deficiency and fault must, no doubt, consist ofreliance on Allaah the Exalted, seeking His Help, turning to Himthe Exalted through supplication, and afterwards, one must turn toutilizing other cures, such as:

• Knowing the virtue of knowledge, the nobility of itspeople, and clarifying the importance of reading. This isone of the main means of attaining it and getting toknow of the status and blessing of the books of religious

sciences. This is through various means and pulpits,such as the Jumu`ah sermons, lectures, books, andarticles.

Some of the benefits of reading that are mentioned toencourage one to read are:

• Learning religious sciences, on which, thevalidity of actions revolve. Also, putting outignorance that is a cause for censuring, falling

into prohibitions, and incurring the anger of Allaah the Exalted. So, knowledge is life andlight, while ignorance is death and darkness.

• Finding solace in the Speech of Allaah theExalted, the Speech of His prophets, and thestatements of the scholars.

• Getting to know various aspects of wisdomand causes of rulings in this legislation,something that helps a person remain steadfaston their religion.

• Saving time and filling it with beneficialthings.


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• Preventing a person from having badcompanions that waste time.

• Urging and encouraging people to read, and this isthrough:

• Establishing book fairs. Westerners havediscovered the importance of these ideas, causingthem to host events like book weeks, writers’clubs, and writers unions. No doubt, we are moreworthy of every lawful idea that encouragesreading. Audio-visual means should be utilized

and one should benefit from the various mediaand means of communication in urging people toread.

• Organizing lectures about reading, andadding sections that are methodical in schools,universities, as well as specific courses forreading, as much as possible.

• Raising kids from a young age to love readingand books by encouraging them monetarilythrough prizes or giving them moral supportthrough encouragement and picking books thatthe child is interested in, that consist of subjectsthat are suitable, use fictional style, have easyphrases, attractive colors, large letters, and whilereading sentence by sentence. Also, some of theirallowance should be saved to buy books. Besides,

one should guide the child to care for and preservetheir books. One must beware of superstitiousstories that frighten the child and corrupt theirimagination. One must be keen on acquiringstories that speak of the biographies of the greats


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and the heroes of this Ummah , such as theSahaabah , scholars, and generals, in order tobuild a model that the child emulates.

• Opening a section of the home as a library inan organized and elegant manner.

• Holding competitions with the goal ofencouraging people to read, conduct research, andso forth.

• Giving books as gifts on various occasions,such as marriages, ` Aqeeqah, `Eed , and so forth.

• Publishing books and distributing them ataffordable prices, as well as breaking the greedand monopoly in the trade. Also, one shouldstrive, through good doers, to release publicationsthat are specifically meant to be given as giftsand distributed for charity purposes to people, orselling at the cost price, or at a price close to that,while exchanging gifts among people. Also,providing mailing facilities that deliver the bookby mail to readers in distant or remote areas, aswell as benefitting from the idea of mobilelibraries.

• Reading books in stages. This is very important, tothe point that success or lack thereof in reading almostrevolves completely around this.

Before speaking about any details regarding the correct way tobegin reading, we present the following important issue, which is:


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The stages of reading that a person goes through o

the yearsThe original state humankind is ignorance. Allaah the ExaltedSaid (what means): {And Allaah has extracted you from thewombs of your mothers not knowing a thing } [Qur’aan 16:78] Knowledge cannot be acquired overnight, and one cannot become anavid reader who follows a correct methodology overnight.Developing the reading habit requires patience and taking it insteps.

The stages that a person goes through in developing a readinghabit, in general, are the following five stages:

• Making reading beloved to the soul and drawingclose to books:

Realizing that inculcating this habit requires a combination of methods and content that attracts and encourages people, which ispresent in particular subjects, such as the biography of the Prophet ,

sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, and stories.• Serious reading:

This needs a great deal of patience and forcing oneself to bepatience. In the beginning, the reader often feels that they havevery little benefit, and that is because they are reading new topicsthat they have passed over for the first time. This requires somepatience in understanding and digesting the information. However,the reader must not get bored, for one must be constant in order tobe steadfast on the path.

• Achievement reading:

This is where the reader reaches a high level of understanding ofwhat is being read, as a result of their consistency and endurance.


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Maàarij Al-Qabool , and extensive explanations of Kitaab At- Tawheed , such as Tayseer Al-Àzeez Al-Hameed , for example.

Further, reading a summarized explanation of An- Nawawi’s FortyHadeeth is something that must precede reading explanations ofother Hadeeth texts, such as the explanations of Buloogh Al- Maraam , Saheeh Al-Bukhaari , or Mishkaat Al-Masaabeeh , forexample.

One must bear in mind a methodology in seeking knowledge, whichis that one must begin learning obligations before Sunan andrecommended actions. One must learn the obligatory actions that

are obligatory on all, and the obligatory actions that are obligatoryon some individuals before voluntary and supererogatory actions.

Here, it is worth mentioning the importance of reading the books ofearlier scholars as well as knowing their worth. A statement thathas been said about that is: “The works of the earlier scholars werefew, but had much blessing, and the works of latter scholars weremany, but had little blessing.” This is not a principle that holdstrue for all ages and authors; however, in general, it is not far from

the truth. The earlier generations, those that lived in the virtuoustimes, were more firmly grounded in knowledge and had betterunderstanding, due to their closeness to the time of the Prophet ,sallallaahu àlayhi wa sallam, contrary to the latter scholars. Thatis why you find their speech to be little but with much benefit, aswell as their phrases summarized but containing gems and preciousinsights.

Someone might say that the style of these books is difficult;

however, we must examine this claim. As for the books of the piouspredecessors and those who follow their guidance, then their booksimitate the Qur’aan and Sunnah , and there is nothing clearer. Ifthere is any difficulty, then it stems from our weakness in languageand the limited nature of our understanding. One must have


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Taqwa (fear of Allaah) to reach the necessary level ofunderstanding. As for books that have been written withexaggerated phrases and guttural styles, then most of them havebeen written in times of weakness or luxury, so they should bedelayed or abandoned. That is why whenever a book is more in tunewith the Qur’aan and Sunnah , and is frequent in mentioning thetexts of revelation as evidence, the easier it is. The closer the bookis to the Qur’aan and Sunnah, the easier, simpler, and moreunderstandable it is, because Allaah the Exalted Said (what means): {And W e have certainly made the Q ur an easy forremembrance, so is there any who w ill remember? } [Qur’aan 54:17]

We should not forget that reading the books of the earlier scholarsof virtue is very important, because these books were written duringthe times of the strength, power, supremacy, and dominion of theMuslims. So, the writer would write with the spirit of Islaamicsupremacy and with feelings of victory. Their style would beaffected by that, and would affect others. This is very differentfrom the styles that many writers write with during times ofhumiliation and defeat. So, reading the books of the previousscholars builds confidence in this religion in one ’s soul, because theyused to write from a station of strength and supremacy. That iswhy it is appropriate that one shows caution when reading manybooks of the latter scholars who have been affected by defeat andhumiliation, and it would be clear to you that the author turns awayfrom some Islaamic principles and legislated rulings under thepressure of Western Civilization, for example, as well as defeat inthe face of the enemy. Further, they might apologize for some

legislated rulings in a despicable way that necessitatesabandonment of the religion and submission to the legislation of theLord of all that exists. They might try to justify the issues ofslavery, Jihaad, and so forth, with what would be in accordancewith the nature of today’s world, as they claim. Or, they might say


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Keenness on reading religious books: That is because they containwhat a person needs in their heart, intellect, and body, as well asthat religious knowledge which has an aspect of being based onactions that the Muslim must know, such as the characteristics ofworship, dealings, and etiquettes. When a Muslim implementswhat they read, finds benefit and feels the return and effect, itcauses them to increase in reading and perusing. This is contrary tobooks that contain philosophy and intellectual garbage, and do notcontain knowledge or blessed implementation, so, they result indullness and boredom, and drive people away from reading.

Following reading with action: Getting an immediate advantage iswhat makes a reader feel that they are benefitting from theirreading. That is why reading action-based topics such asjurisprudence and following that with action and implementation isone of the important means that one becomes attracted to reading.For example, if you read about Hajj then go to Hajj, you will feelthat you benefitted from your reading. Likewise, if you read a bookregarding the description of ablution or prayer and you implementthat daily, you will feel the love of reading, because its output isreal, visible, and quick. Also, if you were to come across an issue orscenario that you have read about previously, in terms of its ruling, you would feel a certain pleasure.

Writing important benefits and beautiful gems: This is somethingthat makes the reader feel as though they are benefitting, and thisoccurs if they begin gathering whatever grabs their attention andwhich evokes beautiful reflections in their soul, such as acomprehensive maxim, an emotional story that has an effect, aruling they were looking for, or an educational aspect or view. Aftera while, they would have a very valuable collection and a veryprecious treasure, in terms of these benefits. If they gather andindex them, they would be in a notebook, and every time they refer


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to it, they would consult them, remember, and taste those deliciousfruits. There are many books written by scholars that are merepresentation of benefits that they gained while seeking, researching,and reading, and that they collected and wrote. Also, there are many admonishments that they wrote and authored. The people mention the best things they memorize, and memorize the bestthings they write. It is possible to write the benefit by writing thetitle and beginning of the benefit, along with the page number, then making a general index thereafter. Yahya ibn Maèen, may Allaahhave mercy on him, said: “The ruling for the one who seeksknowledge of Hadeeth is that they should never part from their

scholar of Hadeeth or their pen. Also, they should not belittleanything they hear; they should write it. So, tie knowledge downwith writing.”

The student of knowledge should be shrewd, because memory istruly treacherous. Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him,said: “None of the Companions of the Prophet, sallallaahu àlayhiwa sallam, knew more Hadeeth from him than me, except whatÀbdullaah ibn Àmr ibn Al-Àas knew, because he used to write,while I did not.” The tablet that Àbdullaah ibn Àmr, may Allaah be pleased with him, used to write on was called As- Saheefah As-Saadiqah (the Truthful Tablet).

It is also important for the student of knowledge to memorize someof the important phrases, maxims, and summaries and to informthem to others, seeking the Countenance of Allaah the Exaltedthrough benefitting others and making what they have memorizedfirmer.

Variety in reading and perusing: That occurs by changing the bookthat they are reading, or changing the topic; it is mentioned that IbnÀbbaas, may Allaah be pleased with him, whenever there wouldbe any boredom in his class would say: “Bring me the divans of the


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poets.” Also, Muhammad ibn Al-Hasan, may Allaah have mercyon him, used to rarely sleep at night, and would have notebooksbesides him. If he would become bored from one topic, he wouldlook and read into another one. He used to place water besides himthat he, may Allaah have mercy on him, would use to removesleepiness.

Further, reading books that have many details and issues, such asbooks of difference of opinion, would, perhaps, result in hardness ofthe heart. At that, it would be appropriate to mix that with someheart softening topics.

Repeating what one reads to make the information stick: Al-Bukhaari, may Allaah have mercy on him, was asked about thereason behind his memorization, and he said: “I do not know ofanything more beneficial for memory than desire of a man andconstant referral and reading.”

Of the benefits of repeating what one reads is that they benefit new meanings that they did not know before, especially when ponderingand reflecting on the Noble Qur’aan, because it has amazing

benefits that never cease, and the scholars never become satisfiedwhen reading it. So, whenever the reader reads with reflection andknowledge, they become aware of new meanings.

Repetition of reading books of knowledge makes firm what haspreviously been memorized, increases new memorization, and opensnew fields of understanding. Some have said that if they read anew book or the first time, they feel as though they have acquired anew friend, and when they read it a second time, it is as if they meet

an old friend.Turning to Allaah the Exalted when one’s understanding is closedoff: Of the things that alienates a reader from books is thatwhenever they pass over something they do not understand, what


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should they do? In the biographies of the people of knowledge, it is mentioned that if their understanding was closed off and they couldnot understand an issue, or they passed over a hard issue that theyfound problematic, they would turn to Allaah the Exalted, humblethemselves to Him, and ask Him the Exalted to make the matterclear and open what had been closed off. Whenever this wouldoccur to Shaykh Al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah have mercyon him, he would call on his Lord and say: “O Teacher ofIbraaheem, teach me, and O You who allowed Sulaymaan tounderstand, help me to understand.” This is because Allaah theExalted Said (what means): {And We gave understanding of thecase to Solomon } [Qur’aan 21:79] This calling on Allaah theExalted is one of the reasons that what had been closed off wasopened in a hard issue, word, or phrase in the book.

Going back to the people of knowledge to ask about problematicmatters: Because Allaah the Exalted Said (what means): {So askthe people of the message if you do not know. } [Qur’aan 16:43] Also,the Prophet , sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, said: “Would they notask if they do not know? The cure of ignorance is asking.”

It might be wise sometimes for the reader to pass over what theycannot understand and go back to it later: This is so that they donot waste time or feel boredom due to contemplating aboutsomething that they did not understand for a long time. They couldgo back to it or read it in another instance with another type ofstyle, or they could ask and get the meaning clarified. It is notcorrect to acquit the author always and to insult or accuse theunderstanding of the reader, because the writer might not havepresented the idea in a good manner, or was not given the aid to beclear as necessary, due to their lack of eloquence and ability toexpress.


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Ahaadeeth in Talkhees Al-Habeer , and when Ibn Abu Haatim, may Allaah have mercy on him, remains silent regarding somenarrators in Al-Jarhwa At-Ta`deel.

Some scholars might clarify their terms in the introduction to theirbooks, some during the book, and some at the end of the book.Some terms used by scholars are only known through constantreading and investigation. There are some books that clarify theterms used by authors in their books.

One should be keen on noticing mistyping distortion and printingerrors: All of this confuses the understanding and changes the

meaning. It is the result of the copier distorting some things, of theprinting press making an error, or of the heedlessness of the reader.There have been many meanings that are mistaken, as well as muchconfusion and blindness, and what follows will be some examples of mistyping and distortion regarding which, some scholars havewrote specific books in order to unveil them.

A man came to Al-Layth ibn Sa`d, may Allaah have mercy on him,and said: “What did Naafi` report to you regarding the Prophet,

sallallaahu àlayhi wa sallam, and the one whose father had a storyspread about him?” Al-Layth, may Allaah have mercy on him, said:“Woe to you, it is regarding the one who drinks out of utensils madeof silver is swallowing H ellfire into their stomach.” So, because ofthe spelling in Arabic, all the words were distorted into meaningsomething else!

Abu Al-Àynaa', may Allaah have mercy on him, said: “I attendedthe lesson of some heedless scholars of Hadeeth, and they gave the

narration from Allaah the Exalted. He said: ‘Allaah’s Messenger,sallallaahu àlayhi wa sallam, reported from Jibreel, who reportedfrom Allaah, who reported from a man.’ I said: ‘Who is this personthat is fit to be the teacher of Allaah the Exalted? They thensearched and found that in his paper, it was written, ‘the Exalted.’”


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So, because of the distortion, the words were changed to give thewrong meaning.

One of the reasons behind mistakes in the past was the absence ofdots on the Arabic letters, and lack of precision of words withconjugation. When they put the dots on the letters and placedconjugation, these errors decreased. Examples of what is present insome chains of narration and texts in terms of mistyping is whenthey change Shu`bah to Sabàh (because they are spelled thesame), news (Khabar ) to bread (Khubz ), Kharzah to Jazrah, Jareer toKhurbuz, and Ànazah to Ànzah. In a narration, it is mentionedthat the Prophet , sallallaahu àlayhi wa sallam, placed Ànazah before him in prayer. Muhammad ibn Al-Muthanna Al-Ànazisaid: “We are an honorable people, we are from Ànazah, and theProphet, sallallaahu àlayhi wa sallam, prayed in our direction!” The true meaning of Ànazah is a spear or a short staff that theProphet , sallallaahu àlayhi wa sallam, used to place before himwhile praying in travel. There are also mistakes in recitation of theQur’aan that change the meaning, and that render the meaning tobe distasteful and reprehensible. There are also many otherexamples of mistyping and distortion. The intent is that one mustbe precise and cautious especially in books that have no accuracychecks, verification, or revision done to them.

One should correct the strange and irregular meanings that come toone’s mind as a result of ign orance and lack of knowledge of theintent of the phrase: This is a matter that requires caution andattention. One must quickly research and ask when such matterhappens. Let us give some examples, to show what the intent is:

What can some people understand from when the Prophet ,sallallaahu àlayhi wa sallam, said: “Whoever believes in Allaahthe Exalted and the Last Day should not give their water toanother person’s vegetation.” It is true naivete to understand from


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Overcoming absence of mind and lack of concentration: This is aproblem that results in alienating people from reading, and givesthem the feeling that they do not benefit anything. You mightnotice yourself that you complete a page without understandinganything, and that is because the eye works in a systematic andprogrammed manner, while the heart is inattentive and heedless.Due to the importance of this problem, we must speak about it withsome details.


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Types of distractednessThere are two types of distractedness and absentmindedness: thatof the vision and that of the thought. Distractedness of the heart orthought happens when the eyes continue reading, but the heart isbusy with thinking of something else; so, the body is in one valley,and the heart and mind are in another. As for distractedness of theeyes, it happens when the eyes become busied with watchingsomething, someone, or some image. Most of the time, the heartfollows the eyes, and when the eyes are busied, that prevents onefrom concentrating. Likewise, when the heart is becomes busied, itprevents one from understanding and comprehending. No doubt,the reader must rid themselves of these two types of distractednessin order to benefit from their reading. The eye sees the writing ofthe words and letters, but the heart is what comprehends the meaning.

Distractedness is a general problem that happens to all people.However, they vary in how they are able to overcome it. Some havelong periods of distractedness and others have short ones. Othersgo through one thought or two, and others go through manythoughts and they plunge into their mind. There is no means moreuseful and effective in facing and preventing these incidentalthoughts than struggling and putting effort.

Other cures for distractedness:

First: Interaction with the reading material:

This is one of the main means that lead to concentration. TheProphet , sallallaahu àlayhi wa sallam, used to recite at night, andwhen he , sallallaahu àlayhi wa sallam, would pass over a verse ofglorification, he would glorify Allaah the Exalted, if he passed overa verse that mentions punishment, he , sallallaahu àlayhi wasallam, would seek refuge, and if he passed over a verse mentioning


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bliss, he , sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, would ask for it. Once, heread the verse wherein Allaah the Exalted Said (what means): {Isnot that [Creator] Able to give life to the dead? } [Qur’aan 75:40] andsaid: “Transcendent are You; of course ” Likewise, if he ,sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, passed over a verse mentioningprostration, he would prostrate. This is all interaction with what isbeing read. It should be known that interaction can only occurthrough reflection on what one is reading.

Some signs of interaction with the text being read might becomeapparent in the features of some people while reading. So, you findthat sometimes, they frown, become happy, smile, or might appearsurprised or amazed. You might be sitting in a room with someonewho is reading in serenity, and suddenly, you hear them chuckle, asif they read something funny, and due to their concentration, theybecame affected and laughed.

Concentration does not occur easily in the beginning, and no doubt,one must attain it through constant practice, patience, and resistingexterior influences. If the reader can struggle to turn their mindback to what they are reading time and time again, then theseincidental thoughts will not continue to come back from whereverthey came from. Through repetition of that, concentration of the mind becomes something ordinarily and possible. This is simply a matter of patience and struggle.

Second: Raising the voice:

There are three types of readers:

• Audible readers that can only read with raising theirvoice.

• A mechanical reader that moves their lips whenreading, without any sound.


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• A visual reader that does not speak or move theirlips, but rather, looks at and thinks about what they arereading.

Some experienced individuals say that the third type of reader is thebest of them, because they have intense concentration and do notneed anything to make them concentrate again. However, inreality, the people vary in this, and everyone has their own methodthat they are comfortable with, just as the nature of the thing beingread vary.

It is possible for the one who is easily distracted while reading to

try raising the voice when reading, and this has some uniquequalities, such as:

• It is more stable: Some people of knowledgesaid that it is appropriate for the reader to raise theirvoice when reading their lesson, so that they can hearthemselves, because if the ears hear it, it becomeslodged in the heart. That is why a person gains moreunderstanding when they hear it along with read it.

• It is more eloquent: If the thing being read issomething that opens the path of eloquence thatincreases in the eloquence of the reader. Examplesare reading good poetry, literary pieces, and rhetoricalstyles. This improves the quality of pronunciationand beauty in expression. Some people of knowledgesaid: “It has been told me regarding some Shaykhthat he said: ‘I saw in one of the towns of Nabatene

a young boy who speaks eloquently and expresseshimself well. I asked him regarding his eloquence,despite the dialect of his own people, and he said: ‘Iused to undertake reading fifty pages from the bookof Al-Jaahith and would raise my voice when reading,


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and it was only a short time that passed until I wasas you see no w.’”

• It is more likely to keep a person away fromsleep: Abu Haamid, may Allaah have mercy on him,used to say to his companions: “If you study, thenraise your voices, because it helps make what youmemorize firmer and keeps you away from sleepbetter.”

Third: Using the pen when reading:

This is an important and beneficial advice. The notes a person haswritten on a book shows their concentration and interaction withreading, as using the pen when reading attracts one’s attention.Expressing one’s though ts about what is being read shows theirunderstanding. If you read and find that you fill your page withbeneficial writing, then know that you are successful inunderstanding and tying sentences and ideas.

Writing can be done in the margins, whether in the upper, side, orbottom margins. However, this should be in the book that belongsto the person, not in the books of others, and not in public books.The notes should be as if they are a conversation between the readerand the author and they should be beneficial, not as we see,unfortunately, in some books, especially books belonging to publiclibraries, that you find that they are filled with drawings andvarious doodles; this is heedless play that shows absurdity and is atype of trespassing on the part of the one who did it.

Some of the beneficial ways of utilizing the pen when reading are:

• Underlining to signify main points andimportant ideas.


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• Placing vertical lines in the margin to showthe importance of the idea or that it has already been mentioned.

Ideas of some students in dealing with voluminous study books are:

• Using various colors, such as yellow forimportant things, such as laws that must be memorized, and another color for something that isless important, and so forth. They can also use anumbering system, such as 1 for very important, 2 forimportant, and 3 for ordinary. This helps in

knowledge priorities in studying if the time is short orif they wish to begin or focus on a particular aspect.This is not a new idea, for scholars have useddifferent colors in their books previously. It istransmitted that Al-Haafith Ibn Hajar, may Allaahhave mercy on him, said regarding the stages ofwriting his great book, Al-Isaabah fi Tamyeez As- Sahaabah : “I wrote with red first, then yellow, the nin something else that does not mix with it. All ofthis was before writing the chapter of ambiguous menand women.”

• Numbering the various points, so that theycan be accurately remembered and memorized, byplacing numbers for the most important points thatthe author mentions. This enables the reader toconcentrate better.

• Referring to page numbers that mention matters pertaining to the matter at hand, such assaying, for example: ‘Refer to such -and-such page,’or: ‘This issue has been spoken about on such-and-


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• Try to derive what the author is trying to getat or try to think of the possibilities that they will mention. For example, the student of knowledge,while reading the title of a jurisprudential matter in abook of differing, can try to reach the statements ofthe scholars before reading them. These attemptswill develop the ability of deriving and reflectingregarding the possible views. This helps in buildingjurisprudential mastery. Likewise, this thinking willhelp the reader concentrate within the text, anddistance him from distractedness.

• Enriching the book through beneficialcomments and additions, such as transmitting theauthenticity of some Ahaadeeth present in the bookthrough the books of authentication of Ahaadeeth , oradding other pieces of information from anothersource, such as when the author mentions some waysof reconciliation between two Hadeeth s thatapparently are contradictory, at that, the readerwould mention other ways of reconciliation that theyhave read before, or they quote from another source.Likewise, if one reads a phrase that says: ‘In thisissue, there are other views,’ they would undertakequoting some of these views from their resources orfrom their memory in the margin of the book they arereading. Likewise, they can track the author in theirblunders, or critique an author in some of their ideas,

by saying: ‘The author blundered here, and the truthis such-and- such,’ and mention what the scholarshave mentioned, and so forth.


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increases the worth of the book to its owner, and makes it theirprecious copy, causing them to be attached to it more.

Evaluating the book on its cover after reading it by writing somenotes would be a general evaluation while mentioning some pointsagainst it, regarding what it contains or its style. The educator andcaller to Islaam that teaches people is keen on knowing, throughthis evaluation, who this book can be given to and who is itappropriate for to read.

Summarizing the contents of the book is something beneficial in thepreviously mentioned evaluation process. It reminds the reader of

the contents of the book if they need to go back to it in the future.They can just read the summary and remember many details.Summaries are an art that not everyone is good at, for one musthave extensive comprehension skills and understanding of thecontents of the book first, then one would judge how big thesummary should be, and freeing oneself of the terms of the author toshape your own terms, unless the terms of the author are importantand give the needed summary.

Many times, some students are mistaken in what they think of thecorrect method of summarizing. So, they bring results that arelaughable; you find them taking two lines from the introduction, afew lines from here and there, and they do not care of how the termstie with one another, and how the speech is tied together, then justcopy the ending of the author, and that is it.

Reaching adequate speed when reading:

Adequate speed in reading depends on the type of material beingread as well as the goal behind reading that material. Readingnewspapers about news stories can be done in a fast manner, fasterthan when reading deep scientific matters, such as Usool Al-Fiqh ,for example. Further, the goal behind reading also affects the speed.


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If one intends to understand the text, they must go relatively slow,and if they intend to review memorization or to read fast, then theyincrease the speed, to the point that it reaches 600 words per minute. If the intent is skimming in order to gain a generalunderstanding about the book that one is unable to read at thattime, then the reader can read the first sentence of every paragraph,or some parts from the middle of each page. This is the case ofsomeone looking for the place of a piece of information that theyread before. Or, they can resort to reading swiftly through the book,in order to decide if they wish to buy it or not. They might have toincrease speed if they wished to know the general idea of the book.

In that situation, they would read the title names and the index,and would choose random pages to read and pass over othersthrough quick perusing.

An example of surveying when reading is what happened to Imaam Ash-Shaafi`i, may Allaah have mercy on him, when he was askedregarding evidence for an issue of consensus and he surveyed theQur’aan three times every night until he was guided to where theevidence was.

If you wish to know if your speed is appropriate or not, then readquietly for five minutes, then count the words and divide them byfive, and if the result is 150 or less, then you read slow, and you must strive to increase your reading speed. What follows are someadvices from some people with experience in this:

• Read five minutes a day, for example, for a month, as fast as you are able, and leave off beingpreoccupied with the meaning, for now.

• Expanding the scope of vision when reading,by lessening the time that one stops on a single word.


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• Reading should be done silently, without moving of the lips or raising of the voice, withoutgoing back to an ambiguous word, or repeating it,because its meaning will usually become clearthrough context.

If you follow the previous steps, you will notice an improvement inthe speed of your reading. As for speed in reading in thebiographies of the scholars, then it is something amazing. Whatfollows are some encouraging examples:

Al-Khateeb Al-Baghdaadi, may Allaah have mercy on him, heard

Saheeh Al-Bukhaari from Ismaa`eel ibn Ahmad Al-Hayri, may Allaah have mercy on him, in Makkah in three sittings, two ofwhich were in two nights. He used to begin reading at the time of Maghrib and conclude at Fajr prayer. The third day consisted fromafter sunrise until Fajr the next day. Ath-Thahabi, may Allaahhave mercy on him, said: “I do not know of anyone in our times ableto do this .” Perhaps one of the reasons he was able was that timewas blessed during those times. It is also narrated that Al-Khateeb Al-Baghdaadi, may Allaah have mercy on him, read Saheeh Al- Bukhaari to Kareemah Al-Marwaziyyah, may Allaah have mercyon her, during the days of Mina.

Ibn Hajar, may Allaah have mercy on him, read As-Sunan by IbnMaajah, may Allaah have mercy on him, in four sittings, and readSaheeh Muslim in four sittings, apart from the concluding sitting,and that occurred in about two days, for he used to sit from early morning until Thuhr. He read Al-Kabeer by An-Nasaa’i in tensittings, and each sitting was about four hours. The fastest timingthat he read a book in is that he read Mu`jam At-Tabaraani As- Sagheer in one sitting, between Thuhr and ` Asr. This is a onevolume work that comprises of approximately 1,500 Hadeeth . Hereported Al-Bukhaari in ten sittings, each of which was four hours


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long. Ibn Hajar, may Allaah have mercy on him, in his stay inDamascus, which was for about two months and two thirds of a month, read close to a hundred volumes.

We know for sure that we are unable to do such a thing, for ourtimes are not like theirs in blessings, and our resolve is not liketheirs in how high it is. However, the point behind mentioningthese stories is to kindle a fire of encouragement in the souls so thatthey show more keenness in reading, patience, and steadfastness.We should also note that the point is that one understands andcomprehends, not that they complete many pages and read entirevolumes. There are many that face problems of lack ofunderstanding because of how fast they read.

Being comfortable when reading:

This is what helps in continuity and concentration, and whatfollows are some advices in this matter:

• Make sure that the light is sufficient, becausedim lights tire the eye out.

•

The light should be placed in a manner thatdoes not give off any shade on the book or reflect offthe book, thereby harming the eyes.

• It would be good for the light to be placed sothat the light falls on it equally.

• The best position for reading, as mentioned bypeople of experience, is that the back should bestraight and upright, the book should be in the middleof the body, and at a 45 degree angle. The headshould lean forward a little bit, so that the eyes lookdirectly at the book, and there should beapproximately 30 cm between the eye and the book.


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What has preceded does not mean that a person should only read inthis manner, because it might not always be an option. Ourscholars used to read in the light of the moon, a candle, or a lamp.They used to read while sitting, standing, walking, and reclining.Some scholars of Hadeeth in our times used to read while standingon a ladder. The point here is to show the ideal state that a personto be in to continue reading for the longest possible time, since ifsome people sit in a bad manner, their let, neck, or eyes hurt them,and they abandon reading. So, knowing a comfortable way ofsitting is one of the ways to avoid that.

• It is also beneficial for the person to take restwhenever they feel tired, even if for a few minutes, sothat they can go back to reading once again.

• When feeling weakness in eyesight or painswhen reading, one must see a doctor, if that ispossible. The issue might need one to use eyeglasses.

Choosing ideal times for reading:

Reading after exhaustion of one’s mind or body has little benefitsand effect. Reading after relaxation is more beneficial and has adeeper effect. That is why the time directly after waking from sleepis the best of times, and there is no doubt that reading after sleepingand relaxation is better than when one is sleepy. That is how thesystem of studies has been formulated. Reading in the early hoursis better and has blessing, because the Prophet , sallallaahu `alayhiwa sallam, said: “O Allaah, bless the early times for my Nation.”

However, this preference does not prevent one from reading duringother times, if they are able, especially for the student of knowledgewho is zealous. Likewise, most people today cannot read other thanat the end of the day before sleeping, after completing their workand dealing with the needs of the household. So, one of them does


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One must not mix reading with listening to other sounds, becausethe heart is one, and it is hard for the person to combine two matters in their concentration. Discard what the disbelievingWesterners say, as in that calm music helps one read! Those poorstudents who are tried and tested by those Westerners sit and tryto revise while listening to music, so, they join two evil things, asin, they earn sins, and lose concentration.

After these cures and words of advice encouraging reading, andclarifying how to benefit from it, there is no harm in moving ontosome general advice dealing with how to preserve books in one’spossession:


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• Placing large books on top of small books; this leadsto it falling and their covers coming off.

• Placing the book in a leaning way in the bookshelf; itshould be placed in an upright position.

• Turning the pages over roughly, quickly, or angrily.One should not resort to violence or haphazardness inopening pages that are stuck together as a result of a mistake in cutting in printing. Rather, one should use aknife or an opener specifically designed for this purpose.The stuck pages should be opened at once, so that the

reader does not need to repeatedly stop reading.• Letting the books rub against a solid or hard surfacewhen moving them, such as wood or edges of metal.

• Using the book as a pillow, fan, compressor, support,something to recline on, bug killer, or table for food ordrinks. One of the wise men saw a man sitting on abook, and he said: “Glorified is Allaah! He protects hisclothes, but not his book; protecting the book is preferredover protecting the clothes.” One should protect thebook from anything that falls on it, in terms of food ordrinks, especially during travel, trips, and reading at thedinner table.

• Folding the edge or margin of the book so that it isknown that this is the place they stopped, for example.Instead of this, one should place a marking that can beremoved. The scholars used to write: “Reached here,” toshow the place they reached. One can place somethingsoft that can show where they stopped, such as a paperor thread, and should avoid using wood or anythingcoarse.


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• Writing with rough pens, writing strongly on thepaper, or writing with a pen that has a sharp point,especially when correcting within the book, leads totearing the pages of the book. It is unfortunate to seewhat some people do to disfigure the look of the bookfrom inside and outside, by adding large scribbles andvarious drawings while reading.

• Negligence in using pens that have wet ink whenwriting on the book. One should avoid using materialsthat leave dirt or marks on the hand, such as ink, becauseit transfers from the hand of the one using those pens tothe book when the book is held and rested on.

• Negligence of pages that have been torn in ahaphazard fashion, and delaying mending it and fixing itwith tape. If it is not fixable, one can copy it and stickthe copy where the original was.

• Twisting the book like a trumpet when holding it, orturning the book into a box wherein one places pens,

erasers, and so forth.• Throwing the book or tossing it from a height; rather,one must place it by hand, so that it does not get torn.This is a mistake that many students and teachers fallinto, especially when passing books and notebooks ofstudents around.

• Placing the book or stacking them on the floor,directly, because that leaves it vulnerable to damage bytermites, moisture, mold, or other damaging elements. Itis better to place it on a wooden stand, or an insulatedsurface (that has no moisture). Or, one should placethem on bookshelves or closets that are clear. If you


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discover termites damaging them, immediately takethem out, and use insecticides to treat the problem.

Advice regarding acquiring and purchasing bookNumerous factors lead a person to buy a book, including the statusof the book, the author’s fame, attractiveness of the title, advice ofothers, desire to research, need of the book, desire to form a libraryof a student of knowledge, the look of the book, the quality of itspaper, and the beauty of its print, the inexpensiveness of the book,and so forth.

The Muslim reader, and especially, the student of knowledge, mustbe keen on acquiring the books that they need if they are able, eitherthrough purchase, rent, or borrowing. Here is some adviceregarding acquiring books:

• Knowing good books, and that occurs throughacquiring lists of good books from people of knowledge,and asking experienced people and those with insightand ability to differentiate, and seeking their counsel

before purchasing.• Prior preparation before buying and acquiring a book,such as:

• Making a list of books you wish to purchasenow, and books you wish to purchase in thefuture.

• Keeping in mind the monetary capabilities

that help one realize the urge and desire, anddetermining priorities during times of decreasedfinances.

• Specifying the bookstores you wish to go to.


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• Taking the opportunities of book fairs andsales that some bookstores have.

• Be keen on purchasing and acquiring books that dealwith Qur’aan and Hadeeth , in specific, such as exegesisand explanations of each, and books pertaining tosciences of the religion, in general.

• Be keen on buying books of fundamentals and thebooks of the pious predecessors that one cannot sufficewithout. Do not fill your library or confuse your thoughtswith useless books, especially those of the people of

innovation, because they are deadly poisons. You mustpurchase books that rely on authentic evidence, that areweaved with the understanding of the piouspredecessors, and that clarify the reasoning behindrulings. Of the most important books to build the libraryof the student of knowledge are the famous books ofHadeeth and the compendiums of Sunnah , such asBukhaari, Muslim, Ibn Maajah, At-Tirmithi, An-Nasaa’i, and Abu Daawood, as well a s Musnad Ahmad , and the books of the two Shaykhs: Shaykh Al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah have mercy on him,and his student, Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercyon him, as well as other books, such as:

• The books of Al-Haafith Ibn `Abd Al-Barr, may Allaah have mercy on him, the greatest ofwhich is At-Tamheed .

• The books of Ibn Qudaamah, may Allaahhave mercy on him, the greatest of which is Al- Mughni .


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• The books of Ath-Thahabi, may Allaah have mercy on him, such as As-Siyar and Taareekh Al- Islaam .

• The books of IbnKatheer, may Allaah have mercy on him, such as his exegesis and Al- Bidaayahwa An-Nihaayah .

• The books of Ibn Rajab, mayAllaah have mercy on him, such as Jaami` Al-Ùloomwa Al- Hikam and Lataa’if Al -Maàarif.

• The books of other scholars, such as IbnHajar, may Allaah have mercy on him, Ash-Shawkaani, may Allaah have mercy on him,Muhammad ibn Àbd Al-Wahhaab, may Allaahhave mercy on him, As-Sanàani, may Allaahhave mercy on him, Muhammad Al-Ameen Ash-Shinqeeti, may Allaah have mercy on him, andother sincere, hardworking past and presentscholars of this Ummah.

• Be keen on purchasing books that have been verifiedthat the text has been precisely determined and that arekeen on clarifying the authenticity of the Ahaadeeth , interms of authentic or weak, such as the books of AhmadShaakir, may Allaah have mercy on him, Al-Albaani, may Allaah have mercy on him, as well as collegiatetheses that served many books of knowledge.

• Acquire books of jurisprudence and verdicts thatteach the Muslim the rulings of worship.

• Be keen on acquiring books of those that are knownto be virtuous and regarding whom facts testify in termsof their progress in the religion of Allaah the Exalted.


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• If you buy a book that has an index showing printingerrors, hasten to place the corrections, if one is able, intheir due places. If you do not do so, you might read thebook with its mistakes and forget to go to the index ofcorrections.

• If you purchase a book, then hasten to add it to yourindex of books in your library.


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book that is more used by the righteous and scholars. Ifthey are equal, then the most authentic of the two, andso forth.

• If you acquire a book, do not place it in your libraryuntil you have skimmed it quickly, or read theintroduction or index, or read an instance in it. Then, you should place it with similar books of knowledge. If you do not do so, perhaps ages will pass without readingit. Thus, it is advisable to save a section in your librarythat is purely for new books that have not been read.

• Write subject titles on your bookshelves, so that it iseasier to place the book in its appropriate place.

• Make an indexing system for the library based onsubject, title, or author, along with a numbering system,in order to make it easier to search in it and find what isneeded. This is in addition to maintaining correct orderand constant revision of the places of the books that areplaced in the library, even if quickly.

• Keep multiple copies of good books so that you cangive them out as gifts.

• Make a notebook for borrowing, in order to write thenames of the books that have been borrowed and thenames of those whom the books were borrowed from.


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The etiquette of borrowing booksIt is recommended to borrow books. Wakee`, may Allaah have mercy on him, said: “The first blessing of Hadeeth is borrowingbooks.” However, there is an etiquette even for borrowing, such as:

• Thanking the one who you borrowed from, andasking Allaah the Exalted to grant him goodness. Oneshould also not keep the book more than they need, andshould not hold it back if the owner asks for it, or if theydo not need it. There is no doubt that one of the reasons

of weakness of borrowing books among people is thatthey do not return the books to their owners, or are latewithout any excuse or reason.

• The one borrowing must hasten to return the book toits owner. There are some quotes regarding this, such as:

• Yoonus ibn Zayd, may Allaah have mercy onhim, said: “Az - Zuhri said to me: ‘Yoonus, bewareof taking books illegally.’ I said: ‘What does that

mean?’ He said: ‘Holding them back from theirowners.”

• Al-Khateeb, may Allaah have mercy on him,said: “Due to people withholding books, morethan one person has refused to give books toborrow.”

• Sufyaan, may Allaah have mercy on him,said: “Do not allow anyone to borrow your book.”

• Ar-Rabi` ibn Sulaymaan, may Allaah have mercy on him, said: “Al -Buwayti wrote to me,saying: ‘Preserve your book, because if you lose abook, you will not find blessing.”


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• The middle opinion in the issue of lendingbooks is that you lend to a person that willpreserve the book and return it on time.

• Some said: “Do not lend your book unless youknow that the one you lend to is of knowledge andreligion.”

• Some, when asked to borrow a book, wouldsay: “Show me your books,” and if they find thenpreserved and cherished, they would lend it tothem, but if they found them dusty or changed in

figure, they would refrain.• One may not fix a book without thepermission of its owner, and may not writeanything in the empty spaces of the beginningand ending unless they knew the owner would not mind or they took permission for that. Theyshould not let anyone else borrow it without theowner’s permission, and they should protect it

from water, dirt, and misuse.• The one borrowing must inspect the bookbefore taking it and after giving it back to makesure that it is in good condition.


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ConclusionThe summary of all that has preceded is that reading comprises two matters:

• Patience and struggle so that the Muslim becomesan excellent and persistent reader.

• Sincerity, so that they can benefit from what theyread, and knowledge become stationed in their heart, andso that they earn reward for their action.

We ask Allaah the Exalted to grant us beneficial knowledge,keenness in acquiring it, benefit us in what we read, and an increasein knowledge. He the Exalted is the Best to ask from and the Most

Generous to place one’s hopes.

how to read book

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