#tbgbooks

[azzyandfriends7]

Little gift for @weirdboi

[two-browngirls]

RAMADAN READING RECOMMENDATIONS

We’ve received so many questions the past week about Islamic book recommendations so I figured it’d be easier to do a post for all of you who are interested! Below is a short breakdown of some good reads that would be good to get in your library this Ramadan! They’re all pretty much ‘entry level’ books; none of them deal with complex Islamic topics, and most of them are very easy to read! Here we go:

Qur’an Translation:

The Qur’an by M.A.S Abdel Haleem: Not only was he fantastic as my MA tutor (biased, much?), but Abdel Haleem’s translation is modern and contextualised and stays true to the arabic of the original Qur’an. One of the best translations out there. The introduction is really good, too. 

Qur’an Studies: 

Understanding the Qur’an: Themes and Style by M.A.S Abdel Haleem: Okay, if you’re looking for a book that’ll help you grasp Qur’anic style, or you’ve never read the Qur’an before, read this! This book is an excellent introduction into the style and themes of the Qur’an. If i’m honest, I wouldn’t recommend someone from another faith (or no faith - gotta be all PC here don’t we!), to just pick up an english translation of the Qur’an and begin their search into Islam that way. I would most definitely recommend they read this book first to understand the way the Qur’an is written, some of the prominent topics that occur throughout, and how it tackles these themes. 

General Islamic Books:

Muhammad by Martin Lings: Ranked as one of the best biographies written on the prophet, this book is a comprehensive yet easy to read start into learning about the Prophet Muhammad’s life and journey. I’m going to re-read it this Ramadan. It’s one of my favourites. Martin Lings is pretty epic too.

The Alchemy of Happiness by Ghazali: A nice intro to get you all into Ghazali, one of the greatest Islamic thinkers of all time. Easy to read, and super short too! 

The Vision of Islam by William Chittick & Sachiko Murata: A perfect introduction to Islam written by husband-wife power duo. It’s a little long (make it your target to finish it this Ramadan, maybe?) but includes all the core teachings of Islam and their purposes in the faith. Structured around the three levels of faith, Islam, Iman & Ihsan, it starts by discussing the outer level of faith, namely the rituals and practices, and then gradually delves into the inner dimensions of Islam, worship and gnosis. 

Islam and the Destiny of Man by Gai Eaton: Another fantastic introductory book, leaning more towards an intellectual approach to Islam. Whilst it’s focused on giving people who are not Muslim an understanding of the faith, it's still a very valued source for us Muslims too. If you think it’s too long, check out Reflections by Gai Eaton instead. 

The Tao of Islam by Sachiko Murata: I was a bit hesitant to put this in here, as a) I haven’t finished it and b) it’s a little ‘deep’ for some readers. Nevertheless, it’s a good book to have in your library to dip in and out of. Murata has some very unique, thought-provoking and interesting discussions in here ranging from the creation of man, nature of Satan, basis of marriage etc. The chapter on The Womb is really insightful. 

What is Sufism? by Martin Lings: Jus gonna throw this one in here! Check it out. What a nice book to end on :) 

Let me know how you all get on! Hope your Ramadan is going well. 

- A x 

Have you read any of the above? What did you think?