If one takes these four things into account, it will help them read books more effectively.

My professor mentioned that there are 4 things to be aware of before reading a book

1. The name of the book

One may think this is self-explanatory. But it is not. And oftentimes, the book may have a name beyond what people call it.

For example, Sahih Al Bukhari’s full name is actually الجامع المسند الصحيح المختصر من أُمور رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلّم وسننه وأيامه

Knowing that name itself tells us a lot. What is the جامع genre in the Hadith tradition? What is the مسند tradition in Hadith? Imam Bukhari intends it as a مختصر(meaning a summary) meaning it is not to include every Sahih Hadith he ever heard. A lot can be dissected my merely knowing the name of the book.

Another example is the famous Hanafi fiqh text اللباب which is actually called اللباب في شرح الكتاب. Surprisingly, many pick up this book and do not even know they are reading a commentary of Quduri, but this is mentioned if they know the full title of the book.

1. The author of the book

This is also very important. My professor mentioned that he was teaching فتح القدير which is Ibn Hummam’s commentary of Hidaya.

He asked the students midway through the book who the author of the book was and one of them said Shawqani. He had merely googled فتح القدير and Shawqani’s tafsir came up instead of Ibn Hummam’s fiqh work.

Shawqani was raised Zaydi but then became Sunni and considered himself to be a Mujtahid Mutlaq. Ibn Hummam was an Egyptian Hanafi who was a major scholar within the madhabb. Knowing the background of the author can do a lot for someone. And this can often be achieved by reading the introduction of the book.

1. The reason for compiling the text

This can also tell us a lot. For example, who was the audience of the book? Was this book intended for the scholar? For the student of knowledge? For a specific ruler? For the average Muslim? Reading the intro is also important here.

In knowing the audience, one can understand the goals of the author. One may see a scholar speaking very harshly of another group of Muslims, not understanding that this was intended for other scholars, who they knew were safe from getting riled up by such things, in a way that the average Muslim might.

Another example is كتاب الخراج of Abu Yusuf which was written for the Sultan. This book was not intended to be a book for ulema or students of knowledge to use as a reference book.

Another example is أصول of Saraksi. My professor mentioned some students came to him and said they wanted to study it with him beginning to end. He laughed. He said this is a research book. It was not intended for a student to study with a shaikh from beginning to end.

1. The methodology of the author

This too is very important. Some books will include only what the author determines to be the relied upon opinion in the madhabb. Others will mentions خلاف نازل-different opinions that exist within the madhabb. Others will mentioned خلاف عال—opinions between the author’s madhabb and other madhabbs. Some books may even mention شاذ opinions. If people do not know that, they might start giving fatwa by these opinions, which the author did not intend for them to do.

Some fiqh books will give the evidence behind the issue. Others will not because they are written for beginners. They just want the reader to understand the ruling with the understanding they as they get more advanced and study Usul, they will be able to understand the reasons behind the ruling.

Within the madhabb, there are also different positions on certain things. For example, Ibn Abideen, the great Syrian scholar, mentions in his Hashiya with regard to combining prayers while traveling that it is permissible as long as one has met the conditions of the Shaafi or Maliki madhabbs.

The fatwa books of South Asian Hanafi scholars often do not show the same comfort with taking the opinion of another madhabb, and will likely signal that one needs a حاجة or even ضرورة to do so.

It is important to be aware of such methodologies when reading the books of different authors.

Abbas رضي الله عنه was asked “Who is older, you or the Prophet ﷺ?” He replied “The Prophet ﷺ is older but I was born first.”

We should fear looking down at people more than we fear sins. The reasons are:

1) Sins are easily identifiable, whereas arrogance is in the heart and cannot always be seen. We can go years until we realize we're smug.

2) Sins are forgiven by tawba and good deeds, which are not that hard to do. Arrogance, however, is only broken by failure and humiliation, which are much more painful.

3) Allah says He loves the penitent, who are essentially sinners who always repent right away. But He "does not love the arrogant."

4) Everyone except Prophets fall into mistakes yet can still enter Paradise. But "nobody with an atoms weight of arrogance can enter heaven."

-Dr Shadee Elmasry

The letter that made al-Imām Aḥmad cry

al-Imām al-Rabīʿ b. Sulaymān, the famous student of al-Imām al-Shāfiʿī, narrates that when he was in Egypt with al-Shāfiʿī, he said to him: “Yā Rabīʿ, take this letter of mine, and give it to Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal, and come back to me with his response.”

So al-Rabīʿ travelled to Baghdād, where Aḥmad was, and he met him at the Fajr prayer there. After prayer, he gave him the letter, saying “This is a letter from your brother al-Shāfiʿī, from Egypt.” Aḥmad said: “Have you read it?” al-Rabīʿ responded: “Nope.” Then, Aḥmad removed the seal of the letter and opened it, and his eyes instantly filled up with tears.

al-Rabīʿ asked: “What is inside, Yā Abā ʿAbdillāh?” Aḥmad replied: “He (al-Shāfiʿī) mentions that he saw the Prophet ﷺ in a dream, who ordered him to write to Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal, conveying him my Salām, and informing him that he will be tested in the issue of Khalq al-Qurʾān, so tell him not to respond to it, for Allāh shall raise his status till the Day of Judgement.”

al-Rabīʿ said: “Such good news!” Aḥmad then removed his innermost shirt, and gave it to al-Rabīʿ, who took the shirt back to al-Shāfiʿī in Egypt. It is as if al-Shāfiʿī knew Aḥmad would have given him something, so he asked al-Rabīʿ: “What is the thing that he gave you?” al-Rabīʿ replied: “His innermost shirt, that would touch his skin.” To this, al-Shāfiʿī said: “Soak it in water, and bring me the water, so that I may have a share (i.e. from the Barakah of al-Imām Aḥmad)!”

Narrated by al-Imām al-Bayhaqī in Dhayl al-Manāqib, page 30, narration 6.

Habib Umar’s teacher Habib Ibrahim bin Aqil may Allah have mercy on him once said

“If one makes an intention to perform Hajj and the means are not available, then he is still in a state of performing Hajj as long as he awaits those means, similar to what our Prophet ﷺ in the Hadith: ((You are in the state of prayer as long as you await the prayer)).”

Ruling on polygamy

Hanafis and Malikis: Encouraged(Mustahabb) to have more than one if done justly.

Shaafis and Hanbalis: Encouraged(Mustahabb) to only have 1.

Also an interesting observation that the Prophet ﷺ only had one wife while married to Sayyida Khadija. And Imam Ali و كرم الله وجهه رضي الله عنه only had one wife while married to Sayyida Fatima رضي الله عنها. So in both cases, they were non-polygamous with their first wife رضي الله عنها. But after her passing became polygamous.

As my teacher was explaining the differences between the madhabbs on this issue, one of my classmates joked, that perhaps we could do جمع of these opinions, and say that it is Mustahabb to marry multiple wives after the first wife passes away, but Mustahabb to only have one while the first wife is alive.

The references below

حكم تعدد الزواج:
أولا: الشافعية والحنابلة.
قال الشربيني: ويسن أن لا يزيد على امرأة واحدة من غير حاجة ظاهرة. مغني المحتاج.

وقال المرداوي: ويستحب أيضاً أن لا يزيد على واحدة إن حصل بها الإعفاف على الصحيح من المذهب. الإنصاف.

وقال البهوتي: ويسن نكاح واحدة لأن الزيادة عليها تعريض للمحرم. الروض المربع.
ثانيا:
الحنفية والمالكية.
أحكام القرآن للجصاص80/2 ط دار الفكر )----
وَأَمَّا قوله تعالى : { مَثْنَى وَثُلاثَ وَرُبَاعَ } فَإِنَّهُ إبَاحَةٌ لِلثِّنْتَيْنِ إنْ شَاءَ وَلِلثَّلاثِ إنْ شَاءَ وَلِلرُّبَاعِ إنْ شَاءَ , عَلَى أَنَّهُ مُخَيَّرٌ فِي أَنْ يَجْمَعَ فِي هَذِهِ الأَعْدَادِ مَنْ شَاءَ ; قَالَ : فَإِنْ خَافَ أَنْ لا يَعْدِلَ اقْتَصَرَ مِنْ الأَرْبَعِ عَلَى الثَّلاثِ , فَإِنْ خَافَ أَنْ لا يَعْدِلَ اقْتَصَرَ مِنْ الثَّلاثِ عَلَى الاثْنَتَيْنِ , فَإِنْ خَافَ أَنْ لا يَعْدِلَ بَيْنَهُمَا اقْتَصَرَ عَلَى الْوَاحِدَةِ . وَقِيلَ : إنَّ " الْوَاوَ " هَهُنَا بِمَعْنَى " أَوْ " كَأَنَّهُ قَالَ : مَثْنَى أَوْ ثُلاثَ أَوْ رُبَاعَ .
«عون المتين على نظم رسالة القرويين» (ص530 ):
«قول الله عز وجل: (فإن خفتم أن لا تعدلوا ‌فواحدة) فأباح أربعا مع ‌العدل، وحرم ما بعد واحدة إذا خاف الميل»

Taqwa is of three levels, according to Imam al Saawi

1- Taqwa of the masses, which is to avoid shirk
2- Taqwa of the elite, which is to fulfill the obligations and leave off the prohibitions
3- Taqwa of the elite of the elite which is to avoid anything that preoccupies them from remembering Allah at all times

Important death dates of major figures in Islamic history

The Prophet Muhammad SAWS passed away at the age of 63 on the 12th of Rabi Al Awwal in the year 11 AH

Of the 10 Sahaba promised Jannah in the famous Hadith

1. Abu Bakr RA passed away at the age of 63 in Jumada Al Awla in the year 13 AH
2. Umar RA passed away at the age of 63 in Dhul Hijjah in the year 23 AH
3. Uthman RA passed away at the age of 83 in the year 35 AH(Imam Nawawi mentions that some say that he was 80 and others say an age other than that)
4. Imam Ali RA passed away at the age of 63 in Ramadan in the year 40 AH(Imam Nawawi mentions does that some say he was 64, and others say he was 65)
   5 and 6. Talha and Zubayr RA both passed away at the age of 64 in Jumada Al Awla(This age is the view of Al-Hakim but some say other than that)
5. Saad b. Abi Waqqas RA passed away at the age of 73 in the year 55 AH on the most accurate opinion
6. Saeed b. Zayd passed away at the age of 73 or 74 in the year 51 AH
7. Abdulrahman b. Awf passed away at the age of 75 in the year 31 AH.
8. Abu Ubaidah b. Al-Jarrah passed away at the age of 58 in the year 18 AH.

Of the founders of the madhabbs
1. Imam Abu Hanifa passed away at the age of 70 in Baghdad in the year 150 AH
2. Imam Malik passed away in the year 177 AH in Medina. And they say he was born in the year 93 AH, thus making him 81 at his passing. But some say he was born in the year 91 or 94 or 97 AH.
3. Imam Shaafi passed away at the age of 53 at the end of Rajab in the year 204 AH in Egypt, and he was born in the year 150 AH
4. Imam Ahmed passed away at the age of 76 in Baghdad in Rabi Al-Akhir in the year 241 AH, and he was born in the year 164 AH.
5. Sufyan Al-Thawri passed away at the age of 62 in Basra in the year 160 AH and was born in 97 AH.
6. Imam Auwzai passed away at the age of 66 in Beirut in the year 157 AH and was born in the year 88 AH

Of the compilers of the relied upon books of Hadith
1. Imam Bukhari passed away at the age of 61 on the night of Eid Al Fitr in 256 AH and was born 194 AH on a Friday in Shawwal.
2. Imam Muslim passed away at the age of 55 in 261 AH in Nishabur.
3. Abu Dawud passed away in 275 AH in Shawwal in Basra.
4. Tirmidhi passed away in 279 AH in the month of Rajab in Tirmidh.
5. Nasa’i passed away in 303 AH
6. Daraqutini passed away in 390 AH in Baghdad in the month of Rajab, at the age of 83, and was born in 306 AH.
7. Al-Hakim passed away in 405 AH in Nishabur in the month of Safar, at the age of 84, and was born 320 AH, in the month of Rabi Al Awl.
8. Ibn Abdul Barr passed away in 463 AH in Shatiba, at the age of 94 or 95, and was born in 368 AH in Rabi Al Akhir
9. Bayhaqi passed away in 458 AH in Nisabur in the month of Jamada Al Awla, at the age of 73 or 74 , and was born in 384 AH.
10. Al-Khateeb Al-Baghdadi passed away in 464 AH in Baghdad in Dhil Hijjah, at the age of 72, and was born in 392 AH in the month of Jamada Al-Akhira.

May Allah be pleased with them all

Source: Imam Nawawi’s abridgment of the Muqaddimah of Ibn Salah: Al-Tayseer Wal Taqreeb

Imam Amin Muhammad recently reminded us of the profound dedication the Sahabas had towards Ramadan, initiating their preparations six months prior to the holy month. Remarkably, six months ago marked the month of Rabi' al-Awwal in the Islamic calendar, coinciding with October in the Gregorian calendar, a period that also saw the onset of the conflict in Gaza. This period has been marked by immense suffering, oppression, and hardship for the faithful there, embodying a trial of faith and resilience. Despite the adversity, those enduring these trials in Gaza, seen as Allah's chosen and martyrs, have inadvertently prepared for Ramadan in a manner reflecting the devotion of the Sahaba.

The Sahaba’s preparation was a spiritual journey, aiming to align themselves with the divine gaze of Allah—a gaze that promises forgiveness and victory in both this life and the hereafter. Similarly, the people of Palestine, through their steadfast faith amidst trials, are also in preparation, embodying the spirit of readiness for Ramadan. It's a poignant reminder for us all: the significance of preparing our hearts and souls for Ramadan, inspired by the devotion of the Sahaba and the resilience of those in adversity.

As we approach Ramadan, let us aspire to earn the gaze of Allah, for it brings forgiveness and ultimate success. May this period of preparation not only be for the upcoming Ramadan but become a continuous endeavor in our spiritual journey. May Allah grant victory to the Ummah of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), and inspire us to embrace the lessons of perseverance and faith, preparing us for Ramadan and beyond, six months in advance.