Highlights from Oregon Muslims' Lit Fest and Book Fair

Over the weekend, we had the opportunity to be a vendor at Oregon Muslims' Lit Fest & Book Fair. This was our second year attending. You can see our original announcement in We Will Be At Oregon Muslims' Lit. Festival and Book Fair. Last year, we attended with a small collection of books; this year we brought 174 books. We expanded our classical and contemporary collection and added our most requested item, kids and youth books. It was a good opportunity to see our growth within the previous year, as well as bringing Islamic books to the community in Portland and the surrounding areas.

We love doing these types of events as it is an opportunity for us to interact with our customers. We love to answer questions and introduce classical and contemporary books. It gives us insight into what readers are reading.

Our Top Three Books from the Book Fair

The top three books our readers picked up at the event were:

1. The Explanation of Imam An-Nawawi's 40 Hadith by Shaykh Saalih Al-Fawzaan
2. Juz Amma Journal 30 by Ayiena
3. Who is Allah? by Muslimkid

The Explanation of Imam An-Nawawi's 40 Hadith, written by Shaykh Saalih Al-Fawzaan, goes through a detailed explanation of the 40 hadith with commentary. It's a book that should be read by all to understand and implement the 40 hadiths into our daily lives.

Juz Amma Journal 30 by Ayiena is an interactive journal that goes through the last Juz of the Qur'an. It provides a word-for-word meaning of the Juz, allowing the reader to use the book to memorize the surah and its meaning together. Each surah starts with a summary and then has Arabic and English meanings. This book is for people who know how to read Arabic and want to connect word for word meaning. If you cannot read Arabic, we recommend starting with Reading Quran Book first. Once you accomplish learning how to read Arabic, you can come back and pick up the Juz Amma Journal to continue your learning.

Who is Allah? by Muslimkid is a kid's book on aqeedah. It explains who our Lord is in a fun and easy-to-understand way. It is illustrated throughout and encourages the reader to discover who Allah is through what He has created. Depending on the child's skill level, you can read it to them, or it is a book for new little readers. For the grown-up treatment of the same question, see Who Is Allah? The One True God in Islam.

Books by Ibn Taymiyyah We Carry

One discussion that drew my attention was a sister who asked me about the books by Ibn Taymiyyah, as she had been seeing a lot of lectures and books referencing him. We discussed the books we currently carry, which I will list below, as well as the reason why people reference him and his work.

Ibn Taymiyyah is a classical scholar whose writing is referenced constantly in contemporary Islamic books and lectures. His books are books that today's generation should read and understand. Our goal is for our readers to read directly from his work rather than only through what others say about it. More titles are on his author collection page.

Pursuing the Straight Path and Defying the Path of the People of Hellfire
This extensive volume addresses the importance of adhering to the straight path in matters of belief, worship, law, and moral conduct, cautioning against emulating disbelievers.

Sharh Al-Aqeedah Al-Wasitiyah
In this work, Ibn Taymiyyah discusses the pure Islamic faith and creed, particularly concerning Allah's names and attributes, providing concise arguments rooted in the Qur'an and Sunnah.

Friends of Allah and Friends of Shaytan
In this book, Ibn Taymiyyah discusses the distinction between the true allies of Allah (Awliya' Allah) and the allies of Shaytan.

Introduction to Al-Fatawa al-Hamawiyyah
This concise introduction provides insights into one of Ibn Taymiyyah's works, focusing on theological issues and offering clarity on complex topics.

Ibn Taymiyyah on Creation ex Materia (The Act of Creation)
This book is the second in a series of translations from Ibn Taymiyyah's theological works, exploring topics such as the evidences of God's perfection and the meaning of divine creative agency.

Looking Ahead to Future Events

Our participation in the Oregon Muslims' Lit Fest & Book Fair for the second year was a rewarding experience. Many readers were able to pick up their new favorite books. It was a privilege to connect with the community in Portland and the surrounding areas. We look forward to continuing this journey and bringing more books to future events.

Baarakallahu feekum — The Islamic Book Cafe | Portland, Oregon.