Can I Have a List of Books About the Basics of Sunni Islam?
Answered by Shaykh Abdullah Anik Misra
Question
I am a new Muslim, and I reverted to Islam at 15. I’m age 22 now, and I seek to study the basics of Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jama‘a. Can you suggest a list of books, please?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate
Thank you for reaching out to us. I would suggest balancing reading books alongside personal contact with practicing, mainstream Sunni Muslims and a local Muslim community. One can also gradually take courses with the SeekersGuidance Academy online to learn about Islam.
Among the books I would recommend initially are:
– The Absolute Essentials of Islam – Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
– Being Muslim – Dr. Asad Tarsin
– In the Footsteps of the Prophet (peace be upon him) – Dr. Tariq Ramadan
I do not want to pile too many on at once – gradualism is best. Once one has covered these few basics, I would recommend choosing books that inspire, uplift, and enlighten you in whichever direction you feel drawn, whether in prophetic biography, the Quranic sciences, spirituality, and more. Feel free to consult teachers and mentors at that point for recommendations.
Wassalam,
[Shaykh] Abdullah Anik Misra
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Shaykh Abdullah Misra was born in Toronto, Canada, in 1983. His family hails from India, and he was raised in the Hindu tradition. He embraced Islam in 2001 while at the University of Toronto, from where he completed a Bachelor of Business Administration. He then traveled overseas in 2005 to study the Arabic language and Islamic sciences in Tarim, Yemen, for some time, as well as Darul Uloom in Trinidad, West Indies. He spent 12 years in Amman, Jordan, where he focused on Islamic Law, Theology, Hadith Sciences, Prophetic Biography, and Islamic Spirituality while also working at the Qasid Arabic Institute as Director of Programs. He holds a BA in Islamic Studies (Alimiyya, Darul Uloom) and authorization in the six authentic books of Hadith and is currently pursuing specialized training in issuing Islamic legal verdicts (ifta’). He holds a certificate in Counselling and often works with new Muslims and those struggling with religious OCD. He is an instructor and researcher in Sacred Law and Theology with the SeekersGuidance The Global Islamic Seminary. Currently, He resides in the Greater Toronto Area with his wife and children. His personal interests include Indian history, comparative religion, English singing, and poetry.
