Follow up [Forwarded]

A person is not able to purchase every book they wish to read in printed form. One may not be wealthy, for example, and thus the are unable to afford the book despite its availability; or the book may not be available in one’s country at all; or its publication may have ceased long ago; or there may be other such obstacles. One should not become discouraged by this, for it is a natural situation. The correct approach in such cases is to print the book and then bind it, staple it, or otherwise prepare it (like in the picture here) Through this, several benefits are gained: First, printing is usually far cheaper than purchasing the book (though there are exceptions—for instance, some outlets sell used books, in which case books may be cheaper than printing, and purchasing them would then be far preferable). Second, you will be building a library in your home, which is essential for a student of knowledge. Third, you will understand the texts better, because you are reading the book in printed form rather than electronically. Note: This approach is not suitable for everyone. For one whom Allāh has granted financial means, it is preferable to purchase books. Likewise, this does not apply to core study texts that remain in a person’s hands for a long time and are read repeatedly. Examples: among instructional books in grammar are Sharḥ Qaṭr al-Nadā, Sharḥ al-Shudhūr, Sharḥ Ibn ʿAqīl, and the like; and in ḥadīth, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, and others. The same principle applies to similar works. Naturally, this varies from one person to another and from one circumstance to another, so do not be overly restrictive with yourself. What truly matters is learning knowledge and mastering it; concern with specific editions and similar matters are merely means to that end.