Ten Islamic Books to Read This Summer (part1)
Summer is a time to ease up and let our minds relax. At the same time, however, summer is a great time to catch up on some non-academic reading, i.e. something other than textbooks! If you are looking for suggestions on how to brush up your religious and spiritual know-how, here is a list of ten Islamic books to read this summer.
1. The Holy Qur'an
Of course, the most important book, and one we can never read enough of, is the Book of Allah. In his last will, Imam Ali says, 'Remain attached to the Quran. Nobody should surpass you in being intent on it, or more sincere in implementing it.' Summer is a great time to set up a daily Quran reading schedule. Devote at least half an hour every day to reciting the Holy Quran and reading the translation and commentary. The recent phrase-by-phrase translation by Ali Quli Qarai is considered the best English translation of the Quran from the Shia perspective thus far.
2. Nahj al-Balagha (Peak of Eloquence)
Considered the most important book of Shia Islam after the Holy Quran, Nahj al-Balagha is truly a timeless treasure trove of knowledge and wisdom. Consisting of Imam Ali's sermons, letters, and short sayings, the book is a must read for every believer.
According to many scholars, the best way to read Nahj al-Balagha is by going backwards: start first with the short sayings, then go through the letters, and finally read the sermons.
Since it takes some time to process the wisdom and literary depth of Imam Ali's words, it is advisable to read it for 15-20 minutes every day instead of trying to go through entire book in a month. Available online http://www.al-islam.org/nahj/
3. Tawheed al-Mufadhdhal
An atheist comes to the city of Medina and tries to misguide the people using false philosophical argumentation. Mufadhdhal, a companion of Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (peace be upon him), comes to the Imam and complains to him about how no Muslim can refute the atheist's claims. The Imam holds four sessions with Mufadhdhal, during which he proves to him God's existence using the human body, zoology, geology, and natural disasters. The book is extremely fascinating, and the Imam mentions numerous scientific details that weren't known to modern science until very recently. It is also an excellent resource for those who are interested in countering modern atheistic arguments from a scientific point of view.
4. Guiding the Youth of the New Generation
Our youth today are greatly impressed and highly influenced by pop culture which shapes their preferences about what to eat, what sport to play, how to dress, how to talk, and how to appear and behave in a way that is "cool". All this has contributed to increasing the generation gap between parents and elders of our community and our youth. The book Guiding the Youth of the New Generation is where Ayatollah Murtaza Mutahhari focuses on the subject of this generation gap and the mindset of our youth. Available online. http://www.al-islam.org/guiding_the_youth
5. Light Within Me
Light Within Me is a deeply spiritual book that introduces the reader to Irfan, guidance, and spiritual perfection. The book is divided into three parts, with different authors for each: Ayatollah Mutahhari, Allama Tabatabai, and Imam Khomeini. The book's goals is to have us leave behind the daily distractions and focus more on our spiritual knowledge. It also provides a history of Irfan and Gnosticism. The book concludes with the Invocation of Sha'baniyah following the interpretation of Sura Fatiha. Available online.http://www.al-islam.org/LWM/
Other links:
The Criteria for Humanity , The Discourse of Ayatullah Murtaza Mutahhari
The Ahl-ul- Bait's Love
Moderation - The Way of the Prophet (SAW)
Interpretation of Dua Kumayl
Commentary on Nudbeh Supplication Part1
