Book Review: Laa Tushaarikoo an-Nasaaraa fee A'yaadihim

Laa Tushaarikoo an-Nasaaraa fee A'yaadihim
(Do Not Participate with the Christians in their Celebrations)
Ash-Shaykh Naasir bin ‘Alee al-Ghaamidee
Daar Ibn-ul-Qayyum

It has been several months since my last post but that was only due to not having a scanner. Al-Hamdullilah I have a new scanner and some new books that I want to post reviews on with the permission of Allah. To get the reviews back in to full swing I decided to touch on a book that is relevant to Muslims especially in the West.

This is a small treatise about 39 pages long printed as a small paperback pocket book. The author begins with an introduction stating that the book was based off of a sermon he gave then he decided to add beneficial points and additional references. What you have before you is a very decent work that affects many Muslims today. After this introduction he reminds you about the oneness of Allah and about Tawheed. He goes into the holidays of the Christians and how they are connected to their religious beliefs. Then he goes into the Islamic holidays and defines them. He brings rulings on participating with the Christians in their holidays, greeting them using their holiday slogans, congratulating them, and giving them gifts. There is a lot of other information such as a ruling from the Permanent Committee of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia concerning this topic as well.

I believe this booklet probably came out in the late 80’s early 90’s but a lot of what I read still holds true today. Muslims in the West especially find themselves participating in the Christian holidays and most are not aware of its prohibition. Add to the fact that we have some Islamic personalities who encourage no even allow Muslims to partake in what Allah and His messenger have clearly made Haraam. We ask Allah Most High to grant us knowledge and wisdom and we ask Him to give us the opportunity to invite our Christian neighbors to the truth and light of Islaam. Indeed He is more than able to do that and He is the Wise.

Book Review: Talkhees Sifati Salaat-in-Nabee (Sallaa Allahu alayhi wa Sallam)

This is Shaykh Naasir-ud-Deen al-Albaane’s summarized version of Sifatu Salaat-in-Nabee. Many years ago I had this small treatise in English before I could read Arabic but I lost it unfortunately. I have looked everywhere for the translation but I have not found it. I decided that I will translate it and make it available as a free e-book with the assistance of Allah Most High.

This booklet is 32 pages with an introduction by Shaykh Naasir (rahimahullah) explaining his reason for the summarized version. He covers in brief each section of the prayer from the Takbeer to the Tasleem and even touches on the legislated manner of the Witr and the Qunoot.

This is a perfect reference work for teaching the prayers to children and new Muslims in a classroom setting. If you want to reference his sources then you must refer back to the original Sifatu Salaah.

Book Review: al-‘Aqeedah at-Tahaawiyyah Pocket Size

In my last book review covering the ‘Aqeedah Tahaawiyyah I forgot to mention the pocket size version I had. As you can see this is a small version of the text but it only has the Ta’leeq of Shaykh bin Baaz on it. The text is fully voweled although some words are not.

If you need the fully voweled text for memorization along with the audio, download it here from the good brothers of Ahlus Sunnah Publications, may Allah reward them.

http://www.freewebs.com/ahlussunnah/memorizationtools.htm

This is just for when you are on the go and can’t be boggled down with carrying a lot of books. I wanted to share this with you before I did another review and forgot about it.

Book Review: al-‘Aqeedah at-Tahaawiyyah with Notes by al-‘Allaamah, ash-Shaykh Muhammad bin Maani’

This book contains a Haashiyah of al-‘Allamaah, ash-Shaykh Muhammad bin ‘Abdil-‘Azeez bin Maani’ (rahimahullah) with Ta’leeq by ash-Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez bin Baaz (rahimahullah) on the classical text al-‘Aqeedah at-Tahaawiyyah authored by al-Imaam, al-‘Allaamah, Aboo Ja’far Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sallaamah at-Tahaawee, al-Azdee, al-Misree (rahimahullah).

This edition was printed by Adhwaa-us-Salaf in Riyaadh and supervised by Aboo Muhammad Ashraf bin ‘Abdil-Maqsood. It begins with an introduction by Aboo Muhammad and then gives a brief biography of ash-Shaykh Muhammad bin Maani’ and Shaykh Bin Baaz. The book then gives a very beneficial introduction by ash-Shaykh Muhammad where he explains the significance of this classical work and a brief bio about the author.

After this the text is presented along with ash-Shaykh Muhammad’s Haashiyah and ash-Shaykh Bin Baaz’s Ta’leeq. This book is not a Sharh which would be an explanation of the entire text. To clarify a Haashiyah is a note of benefit that is placed below a particular text that is commented upon. So Shaykh Muhammad added notes regarding certain sections that needed clarification or to provide a point of benefit. He always brings evidences from the Book, the Sunnah, and the statements of the scholars to these notes.

Shaykh Bin Baaz’s Ta’leeq is to further clarify any issues contained in the text so for example regarding al-Imaam at-Tahaawee’s statement about Imaan, then Shaykh Bin Baaz adds a note to clarify the issue.

The book also contains Haamish which is a side note writen to the left or the right of a text. It appears that the Hawaamish belong to Aboo Muhammad and are written in small bold type next to the Matn.

The book ends with a fairly decent index to look up the points. It is not a big book at around 84 pages you can complete it within a week or so. Although you may want to review the notes to ensure you grasped the points presented.

This is also a great book to accompany the Sharh written by al-‘Allaamah Ibn al-‘Izz (rahimahullah). I have included the link to the English translation for further reference. Salafi Publications also has a good translation of the text and some notes translated by Shaykh Fawzaan (hafithahullah) for those who want to further their side-by-side studies.

Click Here to Download the English Translation of Ibn al-Izz's Explanation of al-Aqeedah at-Tahaawiyyah

Ramadan Book Reviews

With tomorrow being the first day of Ramadan I wanted to link my previous reviews of several Islamic books perfect for the occasion. All of these titles are in Arabic and not translated to the best of my knowledge. I ask all of you that when you stand in Taraweeh prayer tonight that you remember me in your Duaas and ask Allah to guide me, forgive me, have mercy upon me and my family, and that He grant me knowledge, guidance, sustenance, righteous offspring, and a good ending. I will make Duaa for all of the Ummah and I pray that all of you have a blessed Ramadan filled with prayer, Duaa, reading of the Quran, reflecting upon it, and repenting to Him. Indeed Allah is the Oft-Forgiving, the Accepter of repentance.

Ramadan Book Review 1

Ramadan Book Review 2

Ramadan Book Review 3

Ramadan Book Review 4

Ramadan Book Review 5

Book Review: Prophet Muhammad the Last Messenger in the Bible

Prophet Muhammad the Last Messenger in the Bible

Written by: Kais al-Kalby

Third Edition 1994

Pages: 688

Back home while I was living in El Paso, Texas in 1994 I used to pray Salaat-ul-Juma'aah at Ft. Bliss, an Army base that housed Masjid Salaah-uh-Deen. This masjid had been set up by the Emraatee and Kuwaitee government for thier soliders who were stationed in the states. I used to enjoy going there because it was like being overseas. You see many of the brothers were just learning English and Arabic was the main language. All I heard was Arabic from the Khutbah to the regular Duroos to the books in the Library, everything was in Arabic. This was a great advantage for me because it gave me the chance to listen and to practise. It was here that I began to learn some of the local Emraatee and Kuwaitee dialects. They had an Imaam and Khateeb named Shaykh Khaalid who lead the prayers and recited like al-'Efaasy. He was real strong in his Khutab and I used to learn a lot of vocabulary when he would speak, may Allah reward him.

At any rate occasionally Shaykh Khaalid would allow others to give the Khutbah but this one particular day after the prayer he introduced a brother that to this day left a lasting impression on me in terms of my conversion.

The first thing that I had noticed about this brother was that he was tall, he had extremely dark hair, and a very long beard. He spoke in Arabic about the importance of giving Da'wah to the Kuffaar here in America and how it was the responsibility of the brothers there to use thier time in the States to explain and invite to Islaam. He had a beautiful way of speaking and spoke with such conviction not like he was talking down on you but like he was giving Naseehah. He said that he had just printed a book in both English and Arabic called "Prophet Muhammad the Last Messenger in the Bible". After he finished speaking he went outside and began selling the books in English and in Arabic to the brothers. He must have sold out the Arabic cause when I got to him he only had English. When I gave him Salaams I asked him in my busted Arabic if he spoke English and he said he did. We began to speak briefly and I bought the English version of the book. He was a very kind brother and his manners made me feel comfortable around him.

I took the book home and read as much of it as I could. It was then that I learned the brother's name was Kais al-Kalby and he was originally from Iraq. He had founded a Da'wah Center in Utah and was giving Da'wah to the Mormons there, may Allah reward him with good.

In all of this time I have never been able to find the Arabic edition but I found it in a brother's library one day. I had meant to ask him if he would sell it to me but in the interim of eating dinner I totally forgot until it was too late. I think the Arabic is much better than the English and if you can find it for Arab Christians then please do so they need a lot of Da'wah. You will be amazed at how much they do not know or really understand about Islaam even though they live in the Muslim lands. I remember brother Wadih al-Hage (may Allah protect him and make things easy for him and his family) one day told me this when we were walking around Center Street Masjid in the late 90's. He used to be a Lebanese Christian until Allah guided him to Islaam wal-Hamdulillah.

(A newspaper clipping in the book in the Arabic magazine al-Muslimoon about brother Kais's book)
(Pages from the book)

The edition that I have is very old and has fallen apart from wear and tear. I will probably have to burn it because it is not staying binded wal-Allahu musta'aan.

You can download this book for free at the link below. I have also included a link for further information to give non-Muslims.

Click Here to Download "Prophet Muhammad the Last Messenger in the Bible"

Click On This Link for Non-Muslims

Book Review: مرجع الطلاب في الخط العربي

مرجع الطلاب في الخط العربي

Prepared by Khaalid Muhammad al-Misree al-Khattaat
Reviewed by al-Ustaadh ‘Abdul-Majeed Khayaalee
Published by Daar-ul-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah
Pages 222
Soft Cover

I purchased this book with a set of grammar books that come in a series put out by Daar-ul-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah in Beirut, Lebanon. If you are into Arabic calligraphy and its history then you are really going to enjoy this one. Other Arabic calligraphy books that I have read focus on the discipline of writing and form but what makes this book unique is the fact that it draws from the whole history of how Arabic writing evolved. It draws its proofs from the Quraan, the Ahaadeeth, and the statements of the Salaf.

The author starts off with the history of Arabic writing and how it came about. He incorporates the relationship between writing and speech alongside calligraphy and grammar. He then brings a section that covers information regarding each Arabic letter and how the People of Knowledge differed in arranging them and teaching them.

Then he goes into the manners that the calligrapher should observe when writing and covers basic strokes and writing exercises. After this he divides the rest of the book into seven sections each covering the eight most popular styles of Arabic calligraphy:

الثلث
Thuluth

النسخ
Naskh

الفارسي
Faarisee

الديواني
Diwaanee

جلي الديواني
Jalee Diwaanee

الرقعة
Ruq’aah

الكوفي
Koofee

المغربي
Maghribee

(A page on how to write in Thuluth.)

(Some beautiful examples of Thuluth.)

(Writing in Faarisee style.)

(Examples of the style.)

(Writing in Diwaanee style.)

(Examples of the style.)

(Writing in Ruq'aah)

(Examples of Ruq'aah.)

(The Koofee or Kufic style is the most ancient style. Old copies of the Quraan were written in it.)

(Some pages on the Kufic and Maghribee styles)

There is some very beautiful and impressive calligraphy throughout the book along with the poem of Aboo ‘Abbaas ar-Rifa’aaee entitled: Natham li-Aalee as-Samt fee Hasan Taqweem Badee’-ul-Khatt which covers the proper manners of writing the Arabic letters and sentences.

This is a good read and highly enlightening even if you are not big on calligraphy it gives you a great sense of respect for the art. Most of the styles covered in this book appear in many titles of the ‘Ulamaa’s books that are published in the fancy scripts. After reading through it you will be able to better identify those styles contained within your book shelves, and Allah knows best.

Book Review in Memory of Shaykh Ahmad an-Najmee (rahimahullah)

شرح الأصول الستة

The Explanation of the Six Principles

by ash-Shaykh Ahmad bin Yahyaa an-Najmee (rahimahullah).

In memory of the noble ‘Alaamah I am posting this book review of his explanation to al-Usool-us-Sittah (The Six Principles) of Shaykh-ul-Islaam Muhammad bin ‘Abdil-Wahhaab (rahimahullah).

I purchased this binded copy from the brothers at Salafi Library.com may Allah bless them. They have a lot of good books and have been very prompt with my orders. This binded copy they sent me seems to be a version that was not ready for print as it has no publisher name or index.

The Shaykh (rahimahullah) uses a very simple manner of explanation that is good for many who have finished Madinah Book 3. The footnotes are a bit small but informative. I highly recommend you check his site to see if this is available for download or get a copy of the first printing.

May Allah have mercy on our Shaykh and may He grant him the highest place in the Jannah.

Sisters Book Review: الصَّحِيْحُ المُسْنَدُ مِنْ فَضَائِلِ أهِلِ بَيْتِ النُّبُوَّةِ

الصَّحِيْحُ المُسْنَدُ مِنْ فَضَائِلِ أهِلِ بَيْتِ النُّبُوَّةِ

تَأْلِيْف أُمُّ شُعَيْب الوَادعِيَّة حفظها الله تعالى

إشْرَافُ وَ تَقْدِيْمُ أبي عبد الرحمن مقبل بن هادي الوادعي رحمه الله تعالى

as-Saheeh-ul-Musnad min Fadhaaili Ahli Bayt-in-Nubuwwah

The Authentic Narrations regarding the Noble Traits of the Family of the Prophetic Household

Written by: Umm Shua’yb al-Waad’iyyah (hafithahaallah)

Supervised with Introduction by ash-Shaykh Abee ‘Abdir-Rahman Muqbil bin Haadee al-Waad’iee (rahimahullah)

Language: Arabic

Printed by Daar-ul-Aathaar

Pages: 192

This is an excellent collection of narrations concerning the noble traits of the family of the prophetic household, written by the wife of the Muhaddith of Yemen, ash-Shaykh Muqbil bin Haadee (rahimahullah), Umm Shua’yb al-Waad’iyyah (hafithahaallah). The Shaykh had been married four times in his life, the first women he married he divorced and married his second wife Umm Abdir-Rahman who passed away in 1422/2/9 (rahimahaallah), the third was Umm Shua’yb and his fourth was Umm Salamah. She was married to him for close to ten years and studied intensely with him may Allah have mercy upon him.

The noble Shaykh supervised it while it was written and wrote an introduction to it when it was completed. He states, “Allah the Glorified and Most High has granted success with an abundance of good that has come from the women who seek beneficial knowledge, who act upon it, and who invite to the way of Allah. From them are teachers, authors of Islamic works, and callers to Allah calling based on insight. Allah has caused benefit by them. There is an excellent example in ‘Aaishah, Umm Salamah, Hafsah, and all of the wives of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in addition to a large amount of women from amongst the companions and those who followed them such as Hafsah bin Seereen, ‘Umrah bint Abdir-Rahman, and Umm ad-Dardaa as-Sughraa. Much good has been spread because of them, may Allah be pleased with them. Indeed the women are sisters of men except for those whom the evidence specifies otherwise.”

She has compiled two hundred and sixty authentic narrations divided into sections according to the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) family member. This is an outline of the contents found in this book:

Chapter: The excellence of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) lineage

Chapter: The beneficial traits of ‘Alee bin Abee Taalib

‘Alee and those who were with him were more correct in truth than Mu’aawiyyah and those who were with him

The assassination of ‘Alee by the Khwaarij

The Remaining beneficial traits of ‘Alee bin Abee Taalib

Chapter: The beneficial traits of Faatimah bint Muhammad

Chapter: The beneficial traits of al-Hasan bin ‘Alee bin Abee Taalib

Chapter: The beneficial traits of al-Husayn bin ‘Alee Abee Taalib

Chapter: The beneficial traits of both al-Hasan and al-Husayn

Chapter: The beneficial traits of Ibraaheem the son of the Prophet (peace be upon him)

Chapter: The beneficial traits of Ja’far bin Abee Taalib

Chapter: The beneficial traits of ‘Abdullah bin Ja’far

Chapter: The beneficial traits of al-‘Abbaas bin ‘Abdil-Mutallib

Chapter: The beneficial traits of ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbaas

Chapter: The beneficial traits of Qutham bin al-‘Abbaas

Chapter: The beneficial traits of the family of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) household

Chapter: The beneficial traits of the mother of the believers Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid

Chapter: The beneficial traits of the mother of the believers ‘Aaishah

Chapter: The beneficial traits of the mother of the believers Zaynab bint Jahsh

Chapter: The beneficial traits of the mother of the believers Umm Salamah

Chapter: The beneficial traits of the mother of the believers Maymoonah

Chapter: The beneficial traits of the mother of the believers Juwayriyyah

Chapter: The beneficial traits of the mother of the believers Sawdah bint Zam’ah

Chapter: The beneficial traits of the mother of the believers Hafsah bint ‘Umar bin al-Khattaab

Chapter: The beneficial traits of the mother of the believers Safiyyah bint Huyai

Chapter: The beneficial traits of the mother of the believers Umm Habeebah Ramlah bint Abee Sufyaan

Chapter: The beneficial traits of Zaynab bint Muhammad (peace be upon him)

Chapter: The beneficial traits of Safiyyah the paternal aunt of the Prophet (peace be upon him)

Chapter: The beneficial traits of Umm Haaniee bint Abee Taalib

Chapter: The beneficial traits of the Mahdee

Shaykh Muqbil mentions in his introduction that many books have been written concerning this topic however many have included both authentic and weak narrations. He says that what makes this book so unique is that it includes only authentic narrations concerning the prophetic household. Many of the Raafidhaah have written similar books however they contain many weak and fabricated narrations, having no basis or chains of narration.

This is an excellent work for our sisters to have even if you don’t read Arabic yet, with time and diligent study you can still have it for the time when you will be able to benefit from it, may Allah grant all of you the ability to read, write, and speak the language of the Quraan.

Book Review: فَضْلُ لاَ إلَهَ إلاَّ اللّه

فَضْلُ لاَ إلَهَ إلاَّ اللّه

Fadhl Laa Ilaha Illa Allah
By Ahmad bin Sa’eed bin Naasir Shafaan al-Ahjuree
Published by Maktabah San’aa al-Athariyyah
Pages: 112
Softcover

Everyone needs to get a hold of this short treatise covering the first portion of the Shahaadah: Laa Ilaha Illa Allah. Shaykh Yahyaa al-Hajooree (hafithahullah) gives a brief introduction to the book and gives it a high recommendation. The author then gives his Intro and presents 33 sections on the virtue and benefit of this statement which is one of the first pillars of Islaam. As Shaykh Yahyaa says:

“Indeed the statement Laa Ilaha Illa Allah is the first pillar from the pillars of Islaam. Many people today truly do not know its benefit. They are ignorant of its meanings nor do they concern themselves with understanding it or understanding and actualizing what it entails from the aspect of Tawheed in Allah’s Lordship, Oneness of Worship, and pertaining to His Names and Divine Attributes. Due to this The people of the Sunnah may Allah protect them give this statement the utmost attention in their sermons, lessons, and in their writings. From them is the noble brother Ahmad bin Sa’eed al-Ahjuree may Allah protect him.”

I have translated several sections of this book into English but I am not sure if anyone one is working on translating the entire book. It is indeed a gem so those who can read Arabic should do their best to own it.

You will notice the high degree of concern that the author had in including all of his references from the people of Knowledge although since some of the Ahaadeeth are lengthy I would have like to see them fully voweled due to some difficult words in some of the text.

Sister's Book Review: Fataawaa al-Mar’aat-il-Muslimah

Fataawaa al-Mar’aat-il-Muslimah
(Hardback)
Pages 1008
Daar Ibn Hazm

This is a combined two volume compilation of legal Islamic rulings for Muslim women. It contains rulings from many of the major Scholars of Islaam such as ash-Shaykh Muhammad bin Ibraaheem Aali-Shaykh, ash-Shaykh ‘Abdur-Rahmaan as-Sa’dee, ash-Shaykh ‘Abdullah bin Humayd, ash-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, ash-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, ash-Shaykh ‘Abdullah bin Jibreen and ash-Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan. The book begins with an Introduction, how the book was compiled and the sources that the rulings were collected from. After this there are brief biographies of each Shaykh provided. Book one deals with ‘Aqeedah, Tahaarah, Salaah, Zakaah, Sawm, Hajj, the woman’s head covering, and woman’s beautification. This first part is 502 pages and contains hundreds of legal rulings for the Muslim woman.

The second volume deals with women’s issues and deals with rulings concerning the woman’s hair, shaking hands with a woman, seclusion and intermingling between a man and a woman, the rulings on marriage, rulings on divorce, Khula’, ath-Thahaar (making your wife impressible by saying you are like my mother or sister), the timeframe for a divorced woman, rulings on breast feeding, child support, rulings centered on spending on one’s children, guardianship, al-Ihdaad (the waiting time for a woman whose husband has passed away), rulings on inheritance, oaths and swearing, raising children, serving one’s parents, various rulings affiliated with the Muslim woman.

This is a very beneficial book with a lot of information that everyone can benefit from. The book is available in hardcover and makes for an excellent reference work.

Press Release: Exposing the Mistakes Regarding the Hajj of the Improperly Covered Woman

With the premission of our beloved
Shaikh Muhammad ibn Abdillah Al Imaam [May Allaah preserve him]
Al Hujjah Publication & DTSSBC
Are happy to present our Second Publication
Titled
“Exposing the Mistakes Regarding the Hajj of the Improperly Covered Woman”


Taken from the first chapter of the book:
Definition of At-Tabarruj: The author of Lisaan Al-'Arab (3/33) said:
“It is the woman's displaying of her beauty, or exposing her face and the charms of her body to men, and everything that elicits their desire, and strutting in her walk, so long as that is not for the husband”. So Tabarruj can be through one of two things, or with both of them:The First: By exposing some or all of the charms, like the face, and the neck, and the two hands, and the two forearms. The Second: By strutting in her walk, and though this may be connected to exposing the charms, it can also be without exposing the charms.

Click Here for More Information

Book Review: فَـــــضَائِلُ الصَّلاَةِ وَ السَّلاَمِ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ خَيْرِ الأنَامِ

فَـــــضَائِلُ الصَّلاَةِ وَ السَّلاَمِ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ خَيْرِ الأنَامِ

The Benefits of sending prayers and peace upon Muhammad the best of Creation (First Edition)

By ash-Shaykh Muhammad bin Jameel Zeeno (hafithahullah) a teacher in Daar-ul-Hadeeth al-Khairiyyah Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

This 64 page treatise covers many aspects of sending prayers and peace upon the Prophet (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him). After the introduction there are twenty sections covering the command to pray and send peace upon the Prophet (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) its rulings, descriptions, benefits, meaning, method, etc. The sections are brief and filled with evidence from the Book and the Sunnah.

I plan to translate the book after I complete several projects that I am working on with other brothers inshaAllah. I enjoy Shaykh Jameel’s method of expression; he keeps the text simple yet the points shed light on many errors that the Muslims have fallen into. He devotes several sections to the innovated forms of sending prayers and peace upon the Prophet (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) and refutes some foreign ideas held by the people of innovation. May Allah reward the Shaykh and protect him.

Book Review: In Memory of Dr. Bakr Aboo Zayd and Dr.Saleh as-Saleh

With the recent passing of Dr. Bakr Aboo Zayd and Dr. Saleh as-Saleh (rahimahumaa Allah) I wanted to present two very beneficial books from these two people of Knowledge.

(Cover of Adab-ul-Haatif)

The first is Adab-ul-Haatif (the Islamic Manners of Using the Telephone). It is a short treatise only 38 pages long published by Daar-ul-‘Aasimah. I have had this book for a very long time after I heard brother Dawud Adeeb (hafithahullah) mention it many years back. I bought it from al-Basheer Book Publishing for like maybe $3.00. The Shaykh (rahimahullah) divides the book into many important sections. He explains the legislated manners the Muslim should observe when using the phone such as verifying the phone number before calling so not to bother someone else. The length one should remain on the phone so as to be considerate of one’s time. Answering the phone with the Salaams and not imitating the non-Muslims by using, “Hello”, etc. He even has a section dedicated to the women and how they should deal with using and answering the phone.

(Inside of Book)

One important section for me was the manner in which how the one who seeks Fatwaa from the Mufti should act. Many of us neglect this when we contact the Scholars and Shaykh Aboo Zayd brings some benefits from the Book and the Sunnah regarding this issue. I was also extremely happy to read his presenting some English terms used by the Muslims today and a better equivalent for it in Arabic. For example many Muslims say “at-Talifoon” whereas he says its better to say al-Haatif (telephone) or al-Masarrah. Some Muslims say Faaks (fax) he says Raasil, etc.

No doubt this book will prove to be useful for the Muslims who read it and implement it while it shows the great insight that Dr. Aboo Zayd had when it came to issues affecting the Muslims. We ask Allah the Mighty & Majestic to have mercy upon him and to grant him the highest position in Paradise.

***Update***

May Allah reward our brother Abu Nuaym who provided the link to the PDF Arabic text of the book. This was the exact same print that I had before I sold my library to go overseas!

Click Here to View Book In Arabic (PDF format)

Who was Dr. Bakr Aboo Zayd?

(Cover of Book)

The second book is from the noble Student of Knowledge Dr. Saleh as-Saleh (rahimahullah) in one of the best English translations concerning the issue of al-Qadr available today. While the book itself has been around for some time many new Muslims are beginning to study Islam and many want a better understanding of this very controversial topic.

(Inside of Book)

Using the works of the ‘Ulamaa such as Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Qayyim-il-Jawziyyah, Aboo Ja’far at-Tahawee, Muhammad bin Naasir as-Sa’dee, Ibn Baaz, Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, al-Albaanee, and others Dr. Saleh as-Saleh outlines the meaning of al-Qadr along with its ranks, and Sixteen cases centered around common misconceptions surrounding al-Qadr. It is an excellent work and one that every English speaking Muslim should own. I have had this book since it came out in 96 and it is still a constant reference work for me whenever I give Da’wah or teach my family. We ask Allah the Mighty & Majestic to have mercy upon Dr. Saleh as-Saleh and to grant him the highest position in Paradise.

Who was Dr.Saleh as-Saleh?

Book Review: An Arabic-English Lexicon

About the lexicon:

The Arabic-English lexicon by Edward William Lane is a remarkable reference dictionary of the Arabic language for native speakers of the English language. It is widely recognized and used by many students who are learning Arabic and of whom Arabic is not their native language.

In my own personal experience I have found the lexicon to be more suitable for usage in translating from Arabic to English than with in-depth Arabic studies. What I mean by this is if I want to gain a better understanding of a particular Arabic word then I will refer to an Arabic dictionary as opposed to the lexicon. That is because in order to fully understand Arabic one must understand it by way of the language itself not by translation. The proof for this is in Mr. Lane’s own work. He used the Arabic dictionaries of the ‘Ulamaa of the language to compile his lexicon.

Don’t get me wrong the lexicon is very beneficial for the native English speaker as a reference work but if the lexicon had never been compiled the Arabic student could have still accessed the abundant Arabic works that were written and made available by the People of Knowledge. In the first volume the author cites all of the classical works and the names of the compilers that he used to base his lexicon off of. In fact his original plan for the lexicon was to translate the entire Taj-ul-‘Aroos into English but then he decided to sift through it and other works instead. In fact if you look at the format of his work and compare it with the dictionaries that he used you will find a striking resemblance.

One down side to the lexicon is that the author only completed the first five volumes of it. So from volumes six through eight it becomes very deficient in terms of detail. This leaves out a large portion of the meanings of the Mithaal (those Arabic words that begin with Waaw or Yaa). Despite this you will still find a decent compilation of words from these last few volumes.

About the author:

The author’s biography and the methodology that he used to compile this work are contained within the first portions of the lexicon itself. I found it very interesting to read about him because he spent close to thirty years working on this compilation.

I have come across several statements in various books implying that Mr. Lane embraced Islam. For example in Kais al-Kalby’s “Muhammad in the Bible” page 595 he wrote:

“A British Muslim, born in 1801 in Harvard, London. Lane studied the Language (Arabic) and culture of the Muslims…He became a Muslim in 1825 and married an Egyptian woman.”

Yet through admission of his own nephew Stanley Poole, Edward Lane never accepted Islam, he merely pretended to be Muslim so as to gain an in-depth knowledge of the Arabic language. He remained a devout Christian and Orientalist up until the day of his death.

This brings me to my final point regarding the author. When using this lexicon Muslim students of Arabic must keep in mind that the author was not from the People of Knowledge, not an Arabic grammarian in Nahw, Sarf, Balaaghah, Fiqh-ul-Lugah, or any of the other sciences of the Arabic language.

(A page from the Taaj-ul-'Aroos)

The lexicon is available in several formats:

An eight volume version that was printed in India. I currently own this copy and while I tend to enjoy bulky and large print due to my poor eyesight if you have to travel with this edition you are going to face some difficulties due to its size and weight.

A two volume version that has been condensed. This version is ideal for travel but still bulky. It also seems to be more costly than the eight volume version and I still cannot figure out the reason why. Shop around though you may be able to find it at a decent price somewhere.

A CD version of the lexicon for those who prefer referencing via computer. It is much lighter and is ideal for laptop use.

A free online version of the lexicon is available. You can download the entire eight volume version in PDF format. Be advised that it is slow and tends to be a hardship when sifting through each page. I tend to benefit from it when I am at work and I need to look up a word or two that I am not familiar with. The link is: http://www.studyquran.co.uk/LLhome.htm

Press Release: The Status of Jesus in Islaam

AL-IBAANAH BOOK PUBLISHING

NEW PUBLICATION (JANUARY 2008)

The Status of Jesus in Islam

By Dr. Rabee' Ibn Haadee Al-Madkhalee

Completely Revised and Updated

Paperback, 6x9 in., 48 pages

ISBN: 0-9814757-0-1

About the Book:In this brief treatise, the author sets out to clarify Islam’s true position towards Jesus, which is the middle course between two extremes. At one extreme there are those who believe that Jesus is God, the Son of God or part of a divine trinity while on the other extreme there are others who slander him and deny his message.The correct belief regarding Jesus as confirmed in the Qur’an and Prophet Muhammad’s teachings is that he was no more than a prophet and messenger of God sent with the same message as all the prophets before him such as Moses, Abraham and Noah. That message was to worship God alone and avoid false deities. This is the one true unwavering message of the Creator to His creation throughout the course of time, and it is the same message that Jesus brought to his people and which Muhammad brought to his people after him.We hope that this short treatise will serve as an invitation to Christians to reflect on the beauty and simplicity of Islam, which has taken a moderate stance towards Jesus, assigning him a lofty role as one of the foremost messengers of God.About the Author:Dr. Rabee’ Ibn Haadee Al-Madkhalee is one of the well-known scholars of Saudi Arabia. He is a former graduate and professor at the renowned Islamic University of Madeenah. He has authored numerous books and treatises about Islam which clarify misconceptions and false notions concerning it.

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Book Review: Just some stuff from off the shelf

In this review I wanted to present some books for those who have reached an intermediate level of Arabic reading. Back in Texas there is a used book outlet called Half Price books that buys books from the public and then turns around and sells them at half their price. Next to the Islamic bookstores this spot was my favorite place. I would rummage through the Arabic section and find books that Muslims had discarded and sold to this bookstore. I bought a large amount of Arabic books from this store. I found books by Shaykh al-Albaanee, Shaykh-ul-Islaam Muhammad bin ‘Abdil-Wahhaab, Muhammad ash-Shinqitee, you name it I would find it. One time I even found Subul-us-Salaam (the explanation of Buloogh-ul-Maraam) for half of what it sells on the Internet! When I got home and started to read to my dismay I found that it had belonged to a brother that I knew personally who had stopped seeking Knowledge, may Allah protect us from that. The way I knew this was because his name was on all four volumes of the book along with other books that I had purchased.

I also found a lot of Arabic children’s books and I became fond of reading them to develop vocabulary and to strengthen my reading skills. So I wanted to share just some of the many booklets that I have amassed.

This booklet focuses on teaching short Soorah’s of the Quraan along with lessons about respecting the parents, Paradise and Hellfire, and a host of other Islamic topics. It is a short book and looks photocopied. It was printed in Jordan and I believe was used in the educational system in the late 80’s.

This book (below) comes from Lebanon at a time when it dominated the scene in publishing Arabic books. It came out in the 70’s and centered around teaching Fushaa in an every day conversation setting. What makes it unique is that you learn Arabic by the pictures presented in each lesson.

If you notice the page I scanned you will see where it is teaching you how to say that you are closing your eyes and opening them, I am seeing you and you are seeing me, etc.

I taught some lessons from this book to some of my children and I found that they were picking up on how to think in Arabic and say simple things such as my hand is on my head, my finger is in my ear, etc. A lot of Arabic books today do not teach simple things like this.

When I first saw this book on the shelf two things went through my mind. One it is an extremely old and dirty book. I mean it is so dirty that your fingers are stained black from the print. Second I thought someone placed this book in the wrong section because it’s written in Urdu. I was right about my first thought but wrong about the second. It was a bilingual book teaching Arabic to Urdu speakers, but written in mostly Arabic.

As I went through the pages I immediately fell in love with the stories and sections contained in the lessons. It has a lot of vocabulary to learn and the type is very old but the style of Fushaa used is what makes it enjoyable. There is a good portion of poetry along with prophetic narrations and statements of the Salaf.

Now before you think I am strange for buying this next book I would like to share with you something I had read from the biography of Shaykh al-Albaanee’s life (rahimahullah). He once stated:

“The first books that I would read from were Arabic stories such as Thaahir wa ‘Antarah, al-Malik Sayf, and other works. Then the translated detective stories of Arsene Lupin and others like it, then I found a desire towards historical readings.”

So when I came across the Arabic translation of “Little House on the Prairie” out of curiosity I wanted to see how well I could understand it. I found that I understood a great deal of the story even though I had never read this book in English before. I was only familiar with the television program that aired when I was a young boy.

I will say that once you understand Arabic you will prefer to read many Arabic translations over their original sources. I have purchased other translated works and found that the beauty of the Arabic language captures far more in-depth meaning and makes more sense.

These are just some titles I wanted to share and I encourage all who are studying Arabic to read as much as you can. Do not just focus on the book you are learning from. Branch out into newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, books, etc. this will improve your reading skills tremendously.