Imam Luqman Ahmad Mosque Without Borders

The Value of Islamic Religious Books and Islamic Knowledge    

 

I confess, I love Islam, and I love Islamic books. Islam is my life, and books are my fuel. Islam is a religion deeply rooted in knowledge and learning. From the first revelation to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), which commanded,   “Read in the name of your Lord who created”   (Quran 96:1), the importance of seeking knowledge has been emphasized in our tradition .

Islamic religious books and the pursuit of Islamic knowledge hold immense value for me, as they provide guidance, strengthen my faith, assist me in teaching, and connect me to the teachings of Allah and His Messenger. 

The Quran is the ultimate source of knowledge for me. It’s like having a light in your home. Kitaabillah contains divine wisdom, laws, moral teachings, and guidance. Pure guidance. It is not merely a book to be recited but a guide for all aspects of my life—spiritual, social, economic, and political. Not only that, it was revealed from above seven heavens during Lailatul Qadr, a night that is more blessed that a thousand months. I still can’t quite wrap my head around that.

Alongside the Quran, the Hadith (sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad) serve as a practical explanation of the Quran and Islamic teachings. Books of Tafsir (Quranic exegesis), Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), and Aqeedah (Islamic creed) has help me throughout my life in understanding this religion with clarity.  

I’m grateful to Allah for the scholars of Islam who throughout  history have compiled and preserved our religious texts to ensure that future generations remain on the straight path.  I remember years ago when I lived in North Philly, which was a tough run down neighborhood back then, making du’aa for Ibn Taymiyya, Imam Nawawi, Ibn Hahar al-Asqalaani, Imam Bukhaari, Imam Bayhaqi, Imam Shafi’ee, and others as here I was in a North Philadelphia ghetto, surrounded by blight, drugs, and violence, benefitting from their work! I was in love with my books then, as I am now.

I pray that this path I’ve taken, will somehow lead me to jannah, and join me with my beloved Rasoolillah صلى الله عليه وسلم Books are my dhikr (remembrance of Allah), and I pray to many teachers along the way. And when I was at my lowest (I’ve been there), it was Kitaabillah and my books that lifted me up.

  “Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge by degrees.”   (Quran 58:11) 

I love books, I love to read them. I even get exited when a new one comes in the mail. I raised my kids surrounded by books. My homes have always been libraries. People who’ve visited any of my homes know that. I’m still excited by Kitaabillah, by hadith of Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, and by the acquisition of knowledge. I find relaxation in old 1950s movies, coffee, and a book of fiqh, tafseer, or one of the usool. Does that make me boring? So be it. I’ve never been bored tho. Never in my life. You wanna gift me something? Give me a book.

May Allah grant us beneficial knowledge and the ability to act upon it. Ameen.

Imam Abu Laith Luqman Ahmad

imamabulaith@yahoo.com