Question:
Can Dato’ Seri explain to us briefly on books supposedly owned and studied by students in the field of Tawheed?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
The Importance of Studying the Science of Tawheed
Imam al-Syafie said:
أحكمنا ذاك قبل هذا
“I master that (science of Tawheed) before I master this (science of Fiqh)” (Refer Manaqib al-Syafie, 1/457)
The importance of studying the science of Tawheed is undeniable and it is more important when compared to other sciences. The problems of deviation in thoughts, words and practices will not take place except from the misconceptions on Tawheed.
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدُونِ
And We sent not before you any messenger except that We revealed to him that, "There is no deity except Me, so worship Me."
Al-Anbiya’ (25)
Apart from that, all acts of worship done with the sincere intention and hope for its acceptance from Allah SWT is closely related to the validity of one’s belief. An impaired faith of a person results in blasphemy, and Allah SWT will not accept good deeds of the disbelievers. (Refer Tasbit al-‘Aqa’id al-Islamiyyah, page 21)
List of Suggested Books
We really appreciate the works of our archipelago scholars which gather various great books in science of tawheed. Some of them are as listed below:
- Ilmu Tauhid by Ahmad bin Aminuddin Qadhi (Kedah)
- Durar al-Fara’id bi Syarh al-‘Aqa’id by Sheikh Nuruddin ar-Raniri
- Bidayah al-Hidayah by Syeikh Muhammad Zain bin Faqih Jalaluddin Aceh
- Zahrah al-Murid fi Bayan Kalimah al-Tauhid by Sheikh Abdus Shamad al-Falimbani
- Tuhfah al-Raghibin fi Bayan Haqiqat Iman al-Muminin wa Yufsiduhu min Riddah al-Murtaddin denoted to Syeikh Muhammad Arsyad bin Abdullah al-Banjari
- Kifayah al-Mubtadi fi Usul I’tiqad al-Mursyidin by Sheikh Daud bin Abdullah al-Fathani
- Risalah Ta’alluq bi Kalimah al-Iman by Sheikh Daud bin Abdullah al-Fathani
- Dhiya’ al-Murid fi Ma’rifat Kalimah al-Tauhid by Sheikh Daud bin Abdullah al-Fathani
- Al-Durr al-Thamin fi ‘Aqa’id al-Mu’minin by Sheikh Daud bin Abdullah al-Fathani
- ‘Iqdat al-Jawahir by Sheikh Daud bin Abdullah al-Fathani
- Ward al-Zawahir li Hill Alfaz ‘Iqd al-Jawahir by Sheikh Daud bin Abdullah al-Fathani
- Kitab Usul al-Din by Syeikh Mukhtar ‘Atarid
- Perisai Bagi Sekalian Mukallaf by Syeikh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Mandili
- Jumanat al-Tauhid by Syeikh Ahmad bin Muhammad Zain al-Fatani
- Faridat al-Fara’id fi ‘Ilm al-‘Aqa’id by Syeikh Ahmad bin Muhammad Zain al-Fatani
- ‘Aqidat al-Najin fi ‘Ilm Usul al-Din by Syeikh Ahmad bin Muhammad Zain al-Fatani
- Munjiyyatul Awwam by Syeikh Ahmad bin Muhammad Zain al-Fatani
- Minhaj al-Salam by Syeikh Ahmad bin Muhammad Zain al-Fatani
- Fath al-Majid fi Syarh al-Durr al-Farid fi ‘Ilm al-Tauhid by Syeikh Muhammad Nawawi al-Bantani
- Nur al-Zalam ‘ala Manzumat al-Musamma fi ‘Aqidat al-Awwam by Syeikh Muhammad Nawawi al-Bantani
- Syarh Futuh al-Madaniyyah fi Syu’b al-Imaniyyah by Syeikh Muhammad Nawawi al-Bantani
On another hand, it is inevitable for students of tawheed to learn the science of the Arabic language. This is because, majority of the books are in this language. Arabic language is also the key knowledge of students in this field. Among the suggested books are:
- Al-Fiqh al-Akbar denoted to Imam Abu Hanifah. As well as the commentary by Mull ‘Ali al-Qari.
- Jauharah al-Tauhid by Syeikh Ibrahim al-Laqqani and its commentaries.
- Al-‘Aqidah al-Tahawiyyah by Imam Abu Ja’far al-Tahawi. As well as its commentaries.
- Umm al-Barahin by Imam al-Sanusi
- Al-Kharidah al-Bahiyyah by Imam al-Dardir
- ‘Aqidah al-‘Awwam by Syeikh Ahmad al-Marzuqi
- Maqalat al-Islamiyyin wa Ikhtilaf al-Musallin by Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Asy’ari
- Al-Luma’ fi Radd ‘ala Ahl al-Zaygh wa al-Bid’ by Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Asy’ari
- Al-Ibanah 'an Usul al-Diyanah by Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Asy’ari
- Istihsan al-Khaud fi ‘Ilm al-Kalam by Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Asy’ari
- Al-I’tiqad wa al-Hidayah ila Sabil al-Rashad by Imam al-Baihaqi
- Al-Asma’ wa al-Sifat by Imam al-Baihaqi
- Qawa’id al-‘Aqa’id by Imam al-Ghazali. As well as Ightinam al-Fawa’id fi Syarh Qawa’id al-‘Aqa’id by Syeikh Ahmad Zarruq
- Al-Farq bayna al-Firaq by Imam ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Baghdadi
- Al-Iqtisad fi al-I’tiqad by Imam al-Ghazali
- Faisal al-Tafriqah bayna al-Islam wa al-Zandaqah by Imam al-Ghazali
- Iljam al-‘Awwam ‘an ‘Ilm al-Kalam by Imam al-Ghazali
- Kitab al-Mawaqif fi ‘Ilm al-Tauhid by Imam al-Iji
- Al-‘Aqa’id al-Nasafiyyah by Imam al-Nasafi and its commentary by Imam al-Taftazani
- Al-Milal wa al-Nihal by Imam al-Syahrastani
- Al-Fisal fi al-Milal wa Ahwa’ al-Nihal by Imam Ibn Hazm
- Kubra al-Yaqiniyyat al-Kauniyyah by Syeikh Dr. Muhammad Said Ramadhan al-Buti
- Al-‘Aqidah al-Islamiyyah wa Ususuha by Syeikh ‘Abd al-Rahman Habannakah al-Maidani
- Tabsit al-‘Aqa’id al-Islamiyyah by Syeikh Hassan Ayyub
- Tarikh Mazahib al-Islamiyyah by Syeikh Muhammad Abu Zahrah
May we be blessed with the right understanding in the true meaning of belief, and the ability and determination to work hard in studying it.