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.