Recommended Islamic Books 

Islamic knowledge is compulsory on every male and female Muslim. The knowledge acquired must be authentic knowledge. knowledge is acquired  in many ways. For example studying under and Islamic Scholar, reading the Quran and hadith books and books on Islamic, listening to audio and video lectures on Islam, There are many scholars and many books and material on Islam. Not every scholar of Islam teaches Islam according to the Quran and Authentic Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah. The Scholars and books you choose to read should be according to the Quran and Sunnah as understood by the companions of the Prophet peace be upon him. They were with the Prophet peace be upon him and they understood him the best.

A Muslim should also have a purpose behind reading and studying Islam. Sometimes we read five books on Islam which talk about Islam in general rather than have specialized topics. Doing this can be sometimes more entertainment rather than actual serious study.

 I remember in my early years picking up books from our Islamic library. Most of them were very general rather than  being specific . So what new information was gathered was very little. The difference the books was a difference in writing style. One must prioritize what they learn. Some things a Muslim is required to know about straight after they have become Muslim or started to come back to Islam.

Bearing all this in mind I have devised a list of books which you should try to buy and read. I have listed them in order of priority and explained briefly  their benefits..

 

STAGE 1	List of Recommended Islamic Books
PRIORITY STAGE 1a	Noble Quran (English only) Code: Q03 Price: $8.50-$10 (depending on size) Noble Quran (Large HB) Code: Q01A Price: $18.00 Format: 7x10" HB Green Paper Noble Quran Transliteration in Roman Script Code: Q04 Price: $18.00 Format: 7x10" HB     English Translation (of the meaning) of the Quran by Dr Muhammag Taqi-ud-deen al hilali and Dr Muhsin Khan. This I found to be the best translation (of the meaning) of the Quran as it is in modern English and it tries to explain what the verses mean by having explanations in the brackets and references to hadith and it relies on the most accurate Tafsirs. You can obtain English with Arabic or just English and also with the Arabic in the roman script.
PRIORITY STAGE 1a	Pillars of Islam and Iman By: Muhammad bin Jamil Zino Price: $7.00 This book explains the essentials of Islam. The five pillars of Islam (shahadah, prayer, fasting in ramdan, zakat, and hajj) and how to perform these pillars of Islam. It also deals with the and the articles of Iman (faith) which a Muslim must believe in. SO this is an essential book for a Muslim .
PRIORITY STAGE 1a	Kitab At-Tauhid By: Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab Price: $7.00 It is essential to know all the aspects of Tawheed. This is book is the best book on the subject. It will show you what tawheed (monotheism is) and the things that are against monotheism with proof from the Quran and Authentic hadith. It will enable you to distinguish the correct and false beliefs some Muslims have So again an essential book for a Muslim
No picture Yet PRIORITY STAGE 1a	Forbidden  by sheik Saleh Al Munajjid This is also a very good book. It highlights most of the things that are forbidden in Islam. So again an essential book for a Muslim
	What a Muslim Woman should know about Menstruation and Postpartum Code: 080 Price: $3.50 Shipping Weight: 0.30 lbs By: Dar-us-Salam Format: 6x9" PB Pages: 64 Essential for Sisters only.
Priority stage 1B I have taken into consideration the fact that some brothers and sisters may not be able to afford many books. Therefore I have divided PRIORITY STAGE 1 into A and B. The books in PRIORITY STAGE 1 A ,  B and C  are very essential for learning and developing as a Muslim. If a person is lacking in finances then he/she should try and buy all the books in Priority stage 1 A and as many as possible in Priority stage 1 B
PRIORITY STAGE 1B	The Prophet's  Prayer described  By: Shaikh Muhammad Naasir-ud-Deen Al-Albaani   Translation by: Usama ibn Suhaib Hasan This is the best and most authentic book on prayer. It shows how to pray with evidences from the Quran and  Hadith. Some Muslims blindly follow certain Imams and scholars. This book explains why we should not blindly follow any Scholar and shows with evidences of how the Prophet peace be upon him prayed and taught his companions to pray   So again an essential book for a Muslim
PRIORITY STAGE 1B	AR-RaheeQ Al-Makhtum (THE SEALED NECTAR) Memoirs of the Noble Prophet  Author: Saifur Rahman al-Mubarakpuri Allah Himself says Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad ) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.(33:21) This book is a detailed biography of the Prophet peace be upon him from his birth to the day he passed away.   It is not just a biography but a book showing how we as Muslims are to live this life, how to build our society and be part of our society and what to do under certain circumstances such as hostility form family, friends and non-Muslims. Allah Himself says Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad ) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.(33:21)   Allah says to His Messenger  Say (O Muhammad to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Quran and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (3:31) Allah says:  But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad ) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.(4:65) So again an essential book for a Muslim
	Islamic Library, The (7 books) Code: 009 Price: $69-75 Format: 6x9x7" HB Noble Quran (Large HB) Pillars of Islam and Iman AR-RaheeQ Al-Makhtum (THE SEALED NECTAR) Kitab At-Tauhid  BULUGH AL-MARAM SUMMARIZED SAHIH AL-BUKHARI (   TAQWIYAT-UL-IMAN (Strengthening of The Faith) By: Shah Isma'il Shaheed   This set of 7 books consists of  Most of them can actually be included in stage 1A and 1B. Thus it may work out cheaper buying this package and supplementing it with th3 remaining 3 books for stage 1a and B
Stage two This is also a priority stage after Priority stage 1.  However  at stage  2  i recommend you buy books for stage 2 along with  some books ( 1-3) from stage 3 ( stage 3 will have a longer list of books than at present) that are individually relevant to your needs.
STAGE 2A	Help yourself in Reading Quran Code: Q17 Price: $4.50 Format: 7x10" PB - Full Color By: Qari Abdul-Salam This is a very good book on how to read the Quran. Unfortunately it does not have any Audio. but still is a very useful and good book on reading the Quranic in Arabic Dr  Bilal Philips also has produced a good selection of books on reading and writing Arabic which may be accompanied by Audio tapes
STAGE 2A	Tafsir Ibn Kathir  This is the most authentic  commentary on  the Quran by Ibn kathir who lived many centuries ago. this is an English abridged translation of Tafsir Ibn Kathir. It is in many volumes. I suggest buying one volume at a time. Starting with volume 1 and working yourself up. If you can afford to buy the whole set then do so. As we always need to know what was the history behind the revelation of a particular verse  and the hadith linked to that verse and  what the Sahabah and the scholars of Islam have said about that verse or that Surah.
STAGE 2A	Commentary on the Forty Hadith of Al-Nawawi (3 Vol. Set) Code: R40 Price: $79.00 Format: 3 Vol. Set 9.75x7" HB By: Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo Al Nawawi's collection of Forty hadith deal with the most important aspects of Islam and being a Muslim. Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo has explained these hadith in great detail and his style of writing is very easy to understand and read. Every Muslim needs to   purchase this set of books.
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STAGE 2B	Fortress of the Muslim (Hisnul-Muslim)  Code: 056 Price: $4.50 Shipping Weight: 0.42 lbs By: Sa'id bin Ali bin Wahaf Al-Qahtani Format: PB Pages: 111
STAGE 2B	A Glimpse at the Way of the Companions Tasfiyah-wat-Tarbiyyah Shaykh 'Abdul-Qâdir al-Arna'ût hafidhahullâh Translated by Abû Taher
STAGE 2B	Commanders of the Muslim Army Code: 124 Price: $15.00 Format: 6x9" HB By: Mahmood Ahmad Ghadanfar This book gives an account of the life of some of the best Sahabah.   This book transforms you back to 1400 years and whilst reading this wonderful book, you begin to feel as if you were actually living at that time. Watching our role models living as true Muslims. As Muslims we need to know what life was really like during the Prophet's    time. How did go about their daily life.
STAGE 2B	Bulugh Al-Maram Code: H05 Price: $15.00 Format: 6x9" HB Collection of hadith on many topics of Islam
Stage 3 Buy books that are relevant to your individual needs
	The Ideal Muslimah Code: R12 Price: $19.95 Format: 6x9" HB By: Muhammad Ali Al-Hashimi Code: R11 Price: $17.95 Format: 6x9" HB By: Muhammad Ali Al-Hashimi
	Ideal Muslim  Code: R11 Price: $17.95 Format: 6x9" HB By: Muhammad Ali Al-Hashimi
	Islamic Fatawa Regarding Women Code: 030 Price: $12.95 Format: 6x9" HB By: Muhammad bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Musnad
	Heroes of Islam Code: 120 Price: $12.95 Format: 6x9" HB By: Prof. Muhammad Esma'il Sieny
	Great Women of Islam Code: 125 Price: $11.95 Format: 6x9"  HB By: Mahmood Ahmad Ghadanfar