The ‘book therapy’ is a must for the seekers of knowledge. Some scholars have stated that the dire need for books due their great benefits, are more than the need to breathe. Many have also written books just about how to treat one’s books. The students of knowledge are filled with the passion for knowledge and always had a strong passion for books. Unfortunately, due to some people not understanding the importance of this matter, many people withhold from spending their money on books. And those people who actually have a passion for knowledge and books are ridiculed. So, you might have a person saying to them, ‘You are a book worm!’ or they say to them, ‘Is this all you do, just read?!’ and the likes of that due to their ignorance of the matter. The books written by the great scholars of Islam are instruments of knowledge, through it one gains access to understanding the Deen, through it the Deen is preserved, through it one expands his chest and opens his mind.
The Salaf dealt with their book with great manners and would excel and strive in gaining the right collection of books. To attain a book, a person should not hold back due to ‘tight-fistedness’ – and it is amazing how we can waste so much money on food, friends, going out etc, but when it comes to books; one of the instrument that will help you to worship Allah (SWT) better – we tend to hold back! When it comes to Deen; we have become in a state where we want every thing to be for free, and anything to do with the Deen has to be attained without any effort! Due to great benefits of books, if one needs a book – one should not hold back and try to attain that book, whether that is through buying, borrowing or loaning.
The issue about borrowing and lending books out. I am sure many of us have experienced that when we have lent a book to a person, that book was never seen again. Or it could be that, one of us borrowed a book from someone but that book is sitting on our bookshelves for many years [I am sure we are all guilty of this!]! So, should one borrow out their books to anyone?
The books are indeed tools by which one attains knowledge, and one should not limit the understanding and spreading of his knowledge by just collecting and accumulating all the books. It is encouraged to lend your books to those who will not damage them; although some scholars have said that, even knowing this, one should still loan out his books since it is a form of assisting each other in gaining knowledge, and due to the virtue and reward of lending out books. There are many statements from the Salaf, regarding lending book and not withholding:
And al-Khatib (may Allah have Mercy on him) reported that Waki’ said: “The first blessing of Hadith is that you lend out your books.”
Sufyan ath-Thawri said: “Whoever is stingy with his knowledge will be tested with one of three things: he will forget and be unable to memorize, or he will not benefit from it, or he will find himself losing his books.”
Yunus narrated that Yazid said to him that az-Zuhri said: “O Yunus, beware of the treachery of books.” So, Yunus asked: “And what is the treachery of books?” He said: “That you keep them from their owners.”
al-Fudayl bin ‘Iyad (may Allah have Mercy on him) said: “It is not from the actions of the cautious or the scholar that you take a man’s hearing and books and keep them with you. Whoever does this has wronged himself.”
But there were scholars from the Salaf who refrained from lending out their books such as Sufyaan and ar-Rabi ibn Sulaymaan.
If one borrows a book, he should immediately give it back if the owner requests it. Obviously, the one who borrowed the book should return it as soon as he is done with it and thank the lender and reward him with good; perhaps buy a little present or so. It is useful sometimes just to write your name, in the corner of the book – why? We all have a tendency to forget. I remember a brother telling me story, that how he lent a book out to a brother, and he saw that brother with that book, and when he said to the borrower, ‘That’s my book!’, the other brother rejected this claim! Obviously, this is due to forgetfulness, and these kinds of situations and conflicts can be avoided, perhaps by just writing you name in the books. This will avoid any ill-feelings, regrets, hate etc and Allah (SWT) knows best.
Other basic etiquette regarding books:
If you purchase a book do not put it into your library until you have had a browse through it, or read its forward, its index and a few extracts from it.
It is best that the book not be placed directly on the ground in order to avoid getting it dirty or wet and keeping it away from the reach of the little ones.
One should pay special attention to how he organizes his books, and should do so in
If one is going to write footnotes, then one shouldn’t write except the important points related to that particular book, such as a point of confusion, a parable, an example, a mistake, etc as mentioned by Muhammad Sa’ad Raslan.
One should not write between the lines. Although some did this by writing in red between the lines, it is better to leave this totally.
Just an addition side point; Being a student of knowledge one should not forget the responsibility [towards ones] classes. After the actual class, one must revise, memorise and have questions ready for the next class. If a person just attends classes and do not do anything thereafter, there is something wrong with the person or his intensions. If one does not have layers of knowledge through summarization, memorisation etc, it is just information. Whatever one learns, one should summarise, memorise, and ask questions [about what was studied previously]. If one does not ask while studying a book, such a person will not be able to teach that book.
And Allah (SWT) knows best.
Abu Siyaam
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