Which Books are you reading?

Peace All,

Noticed they had this on the Urdu forum recently. Did a search and couldn't find anything recent on the MF. Thought it would be nice to share what we are all reading at the moment!

At the moment, I am reading:

The Road to Mecca, by Muhammad Asad
The Bible: Authorized King James Version with Apocrypha
The Idea of Pakistan, by Stephen Philip Cohen

Listening (on audiobook):

Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources, by Martin Lings
The God Delusion, by Richard Dawkins


So, I am interested to know, which books are you reading right now, religious, non-religious, whatever?

EDIT: Also, as suggested by br. Tilmeez: Please also comment on the book you have read / are reading. (Commentry should not be a book itself ) This will help other readers to go for the same.

Omar_21:30 said:

Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources, by Martin Lings

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Thats the second last book I finished reading.
The last book I finished reading was Dan Brown's the Lost Symbol :embarrass
which is a complete rubbish, story and literary-wise.

I just finished the series of books by George R.R. Martin "A Song of Fire and Ice". It took me a while to wrap my head around the storytelling style, but once I did I couldn't put the books down.

Not reading any book at moment as I am spending a lot of time in office trying to manage new assignments. May be after Eid, Inshallah.

One more thing I would like posters to do is: Pls coment on the book you have read / are reading.
(Commentry should not be a book itself :X) This will help other readers to go for the same.

I am reading three books these days moving from to another

In defense if Islan for Ali Atie
Gospel of Barnabas
Sahih Qisas Al Quran (Arabic book) the authenticated stories of Quran

I'm reading Fiqh As-Sira by Al-Ghazali It is very interesting, but sometimes too tenacious due to in-depth description

I am currently reading Book of the End - Great Trials & Tribulations by Ibn Kathir. Ive read this book before but reading it again

I love reading about stories of past scholars.

Im reading Siyaar 'allaam an-nubalaa at the moment, its a comprehensive book of history [28 volumes] written by Imaam ad-Dhahabi.

Also Im reading ad-Daa wa-Dawaa by Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim, I love his books because it always makes me think, he delves deep into issues of the heart etc.

As for fictional books, I must say I am a big fan of Agatha Christies books about murders and Mysteries.

^ me too is crazy about Agatha Christie books

Khaldun said:

Also Im reading ad-Daa wa-Dawaa by Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim,

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I have this book in my home library but have never read it, what is it talking about in general?

It deals with issues regarding the heart, its diseases and its cures, it is an absolute must read! Actually sign off right now and start reading! lol

Tilmeez said:

to do is: Pls coment on the book you have read / are reading.
(Commentry should not be a book itself :X) This will help other readers to go for the same.

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I agree - I am going to write full comments later on when I have time!


naidamar: What did you think of it (Martin Lings' Muhammad: His life According to Earliest Sources)? I finished it last night, I have to say the ending was surprisingly emotional, considering I already knew what was going to happen. This was the first biography of the Prophet I've ever read.

Brasco said:

I'm reading Fiqh As-Sira by Al-Ghazali It is very interesting, but sometimes too tenacious due to in-depth description

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I'm always intrigued when people mention Al-Ghazali. He is a scholar I can imagine myself liking given all I've heard about him. I really don't know where to start but I'm thinking of picking up this book when I'm done with the above!

Being unemployed gives you a lot of reading time!

I'm currently reading:

Animal Farm, a fantastic evaluation of Stalin's regime portrayed in such a genius metaphorical and simple fashion. 'All animals are equal... but some animals are more equal than others.' Stalin's rule in a nutshell. Stalin truly is the most evil tyrant in history.
Gospel of John. I am relatively new to this Christianity lark, so I've decided to read all the Gospels. Luke's my favourite so far, because of its account of Jesus' birth and crucifixion, and the speech Jesus gave on hopitality at a wedding, but those three are all rather similar, so this book is quite unique.
Four Hours in My Lai- Tells the tale of My Lai and the US involvement. The horrific event left 300-500 innocent Vietnamese civilians dead.

^^ I agree, and would go as far to say Animal Farm is one of the greatest novels ever written. Most people read it in school, but I am glad to say that I didn't, otherwise I would probably not have enjoyed it half as much.

I read 1984 first, then Animal Farm after. I much prefer the latter because it is an allegorical rather than literal representation of communism. Orwell was a genius, but it is a shame people reference 1984 more than his cleverer novel Animal Farm.

Omar_21:30 said:

^^ I agree, and would go as far to say Animal Farm is one of the greatest novels ever written. Most people read it in school, but I am glad to say that I didn't, otherwise I would probably not have enjoyed it half as much.

I read 1984 first, then Animal Farm after. I much prefer the latter because it is an allegorical rather than literal representation of communism. Orwell was a genius, but it is a shame people reference 1984 more than his cleverer novel Animal Farm.

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It is worth noting that I too read 1984 just recently, before Animal Farm (which I have just finished). I really couldn't choose between them, both are works of genius. I think the best thing about the two novels is just the last lines of both. Both have a depressing ending- Winston finally succumbs to the Party's rule before being shot, and Animal Farm ends with the pigs acting just as the humans did before the revolution (a reference no doubt to the little change to Russia's peasant majority in between Tsarist rule and Stalinist rule)- and both are utterly essential to anyone studying Russian history in that period, perhaps even more useful and interesting than some sources. I liked Animal Farm's shortness- it kept to the point. I loved the way by the end of the story, no one could remember life before the revolution and Napoleon was appearing less and less in public. I could talk all day about such genius.

So, where are the comments ppl?

The Road to Mecca, by Muhammad Asad
I am nearly finished with this book and so far it has been a combination of riveting and rambling, but definitely riveting for the most part. It's the story of Leopold Weiss's (an Austrian journalist later known as Muhammad Asad) conversion to Islam after travelling extensively throughout the Islamic World during the 1920s and experiencing first-hand many of the historic events which took place during that time. I would definitely recommend it for the opening chapter and the chapter caled Dajjal alone.

The Bible: Authorized King James Version with Apocrypha
I'm just finishing reading Genesis right now (long ways to go!) but I am enjoying reading stories about Prophets like Abraham/Ibrahim, and comparing them to the Qur'anic versions. I am not sure what the best way is to read this, so I'm just going to slog through it for the time being. I definitely see why for any Muslim it is a must-read. Am not sure how this compares to other versions but it contains the 'Apocrypha' which is left out of most version I think...?

The Idea of Pakistan, by Stephen Philip Cohen
Again, early stages of this book, is more of a reference book. Can't really decide whether it is negatively biased or not, but why is it so difficult to find a good book on Pakistan's history?

Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources, by Martin Lings
Finished this a few days ago. My first thought having finished it was, 'What a life he had!' The language of Lings (who was a Shakespeare scholar and Oxford graduate) is truly eloquent and poetic, and I can see now why this is called 'The Best Biography of the Prophet in English'. Highly recommended.

The God Delusion, by Richard Dawkins
I am so far on chapter 3, after having read Chapter 4: 'Why there almost Certainly is no God' straight off the bat, just to see what the man had to say. I am enjoying the wit and style but I felt a bit disappointed by the arguments put into chapter 4 after all the hype...

I'm currently readiing (True Message of Jesus by Bilal Philips) it's so interesting
Here's the link if you are interested in reading online
True Message of Jesus by Bilal Philips

Omar_21:30 said:

I agree - I am going to write full comments later on when I have time!


naidamar: What did you think of it (Martin Lings' Muhammad: His life According to Earliest Sources)? I finished it last night, I have to say the ending was surprisingly emotional, considering I already knew what was going to happen. This was the first biography of the Prophet I've ever read.



I'm always intrigued when people mention Al-Ghazali. He is a scholar I can imagine myself liking given all I've heard about him. I really don't know where to start but I'm thinking of picking up this book when I'm done with the above!

Being unemployed gives you a lot of reading time!

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The Al Ghazali who wrote Fiqh as sirah is different to your Al Ghazali. The one who wrote fiqh as sirah is Muhammad al Ghazali as saqqa, egypt. The one you mean is called Abu Hamid Muhammad ibn Muhammad Al Ghazali, persia.

The Bible: Authorized King James Version with Apocrypha
I'm just finishing reading Genesis right now (long ways to go!) but I am enjoying reading stories about Prophets like Abraham/Ibrahim, and comparing them to the Qur'anic versions. I am not sure what the best way is to read this, so I'm just going to slog through it for the time being. I definitely see why for any Muslim it is a must-read. Am not sure how this compares to other versions but it contains the 'Apocrypha' which is left out of most version I think...?

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Fascinating stuff. May I ask, what extra books are in there? Gospel of Mary Magdalene? Book of Enoch? Acts of Peter perhaps?

The God Delusion, by Richard Dawkins
I am so far on chapter 3, after having read Chapter 4: 'Why there almost Certainly is no God' straight off the bat, just to see what the man had to say. I am enjoying the wit and style but I felt a bit disappointed by the arguments put into chapter 4 after all the hype...

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I held out from reading this for a while in case it completely destroyed my faith. I needn't have worried. If there's one thing Dawkins is good at, it isn't religion. It's a case of comparing the worst of religion to the best of science with arguments Dawkins doesn't really understand. I think when Dawkins attributes the Book of Hebrews to Paul is when you realise just how bad things are. I read the Dawkins Delusion afterwards. It makes a mockery of Dawkins' arguments and really makes you believe that Dawkins insulted the intelligence of his audience with The God Delusion.

Supreme said:

Fascinating stuff. May I ask, what extra books are in there? Gospel of Mary Magdalene? Book of Enoch? Acts of Peter perhaps?

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If there was, I don't think I would be able to hold the book when reading - It's already pushing 2000 pages! It's basically OT, The Books of Apocryphia, then NT. Both OT and NT are KJV. I understand the Apocryphia is not considered part of the Bible? If so, why is it included here?

Supreme said:

I held out from reading this for a while in case it completely destroyed my faith. I needn't have worried. If there's one thing Dawkins is good at, it isn't religion. It's a case of comparing the worst of religion to the best of science with arguments Dawkins doesn't really understand. I think when Dawkins attributes the Book of Hebrews to Paul is when you realise just how bad things are. I read the Dawkins Delusion afterwards. It makes a mockery of Dawkins' arguments and really makes you believe that Dawkins insulted the intelligence of his audience with The God Delusion.

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I agree. I actually read the book 'Dawkin's God' by McGrath about 2 years ago, which was a similar response to Dawkins' arguments (though more aimed at 'The Selfish Gene' I think.) To be honest I wouldn't bother reading McGrath's book, it's counter-arguments are just as weak and convoluted as Dawkins's.

At the moment I am reading The Moral Maze: A Way of Exploring Christian Ethics by David Cook.