Part Two

The Zeal of Scholars in Reading: 1. Shaykh Ibn Bāz, may Allāh have mercy on him, used to have Al-Bidāyah wa An-Nihāyah, Tafsīr Al-Baghawī, and Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr read to him at dawn. 2. Some scholars study and excerpt works such as Majmū‘ Fatāwā Shaykh Al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah and Siyar A‘lām An-Nubalā’. --- Types of Books to Read: 1. Essential books. 2. Books to be read once or twice. 3. Fundamental books. --- Notes: 1. Essential books should be read repeatedly every month or two: the Qur'ān, and the standard commentaries in each field of study. 2. Among the standard commentaries: Fat-ḥ Al-Majīd, Sharḥ Al-‘Aqīdah At-Ṭaḥāwīyah, Manhaj As-Sālikīn, Tahdhīb As-Sīrah An-Nabawīyah, Jāmi‘ Al-‘Ulūm wa Al-Ḥikam, Tafsīr Ibn Sa‘dī, or abridged Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr, or their equivalents. These must have a designated daily time, like meals. 3. Some books should be read at least once a year, such as works on Tafsīr (Qur’anic exegesis) or Islamic history. 4. There are seasonal or situational texts, such as rulings on fasting, Hajj, etc., which one must study as necessary. 5. Fundamental books should be incorporated into one’s reading plan, such as the works of Shaykh Al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Al-Qayyim, and Ibn Rajab. 6. If you experience boredom, switch from a difficult book to an easier one for relief. 7. Some easier books include: * Adab Ad-Dīn wa Ad-Dunyā by Al-Māwardī * Ad-Da‘wah ilā Allāh fī Aqṭār Mukhtalifah by Taqī al-Dīn Al-Hilālī * Al-Bidāyah wa Al-Nihāyah by Ibn Kathīr * Siyar A‘lām An-Nubalā’ by Adh-Dhahabī --- Common Mistakes While Reading: 1. Jumping from one book to another without completion. 2. Long interruptions from a book. 3. Failing to distinguish between heavy, light, or easy books. 4. Lack of progression in reading. 5. Harmful reading practices: avoid long breaks; read at least 10–15 minutes consistently. Types of Reading Progression: * Quantitative progression: in the number of volumes and parts. * Qualitative progression: from simpler knowledge to more advanced topics. Warning: Harmful reading includes works of innovators and misguidance, which are unnecessary because beneficial texts are abundant in every field, even in literature. 7. Avoid self-help books and novels indiscriminately. While novel writing is a significant art with various schools and techniques, most popular novels often contain doctrinal errors, heresies, or unusual ideas. Students of knowledge must exercise caution. --- Misconceptions About Reading: * “I do not like reading.” * “I gain nothing from reading.” * “I feel bored while reading.” Clarifications: 1. It is self-deceptive to claim disinterest in reading while consuming abundant content on social media. 2. If you accounted for all your reading and writing, it could equal 500 volumes. 3. Your problem is not with reading itself but with benefiting from it; it is not about entertainment. 4. Even gaining a single benefit from a book contributes to your intellectual, linguistic, and cognitive growth. 5. If bored, read literature. 6. Engage with the book actively: write comments and reflections; this reinforces retention. 7. Persist in reading without giving up. --- Common Mistakes: 1. Rigid rituals: e.g., only reading under dim light, on a specific chair, etc. 2. Reading posture: one may read anywhere. Imam al-Shāfi‘ī reportedly composed his major works in a garden. 3. General schedules may not suit all; reading plans should sometimes be individualised. 4. Reading hastily. --- Note-Taking While Reading vs. Lectures: 1. There is no fixed method; creativity is encouraged—use highlighting, margin notes, or separate notebooks. Useful Approaches: * Record personally valuable points. * Note points found in unusual contexts. * Track digressions, classifications, subtopics, definitions, parallels, poetry, and general benefits relevant to one’s specialty or region. Example: Some contemporary scholars reading Ibn Ḥajar’s Al-Iṣābah extracted fifty detailed notes on: