Books by Shaykh ar-Rajihi: Where to Start

Shaykh Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah ar-Rajihi (born 1360 AH) is a contemporary Saudi scholar who took knowledge from the senior scholars of his age, among them Shaykh Abdul Aziz ibn Baz. He earned his doctorate and taught for decades at the Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh. His lessons work through the short classical texts line by line, explaining each statement with its evidence from the Qur'an and the Sunnah.

Much of what has reached English from him is commentary on the treatises of Imam Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab, alongside short works on worship, character and calling to Allah. If you have searched for books by Shaykh ar-Rajihi and felt unsure where to begin, this guide groups the titles we carry at The Islamic Book Cafe and gives you a reading order.

Shaykh ar-Rajihi's Commentaries on the Treatises of Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab

Enlightening Mankind: A Commentary on the Nullifiers of Islam explains the ten acts that Imam Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab listed as nullifying a person's Islam, beginning with associating partners with Allah in worship, and gives the evidence for each. It protects a Muslim's faith by making clear what destroys it.

A Commentary on the Treatise: The Conditions of Prayer, Its Pillars, and Obligatory Acts takes the Imam's short summary of what a Muslim must know to pray correctly and explains each condition, pillar and obligation with its proof. Read it alongside our guide on how to pray salah.

For the Imam's own works and other explanations of them, see our guide to books by Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab.

Shaykh ar-Rajihi on the Rulings of Hajj

Concise Etiquettes and Rulings Concerning Hajj is a compact guide to the rites of Hajj in the order they are performed, each with its evidence. It is short enough to read before you travel and to keep with you on the journey.

Books on Character, the Self and Calling to Allah

Detail Chapters Concerning Islamic Cultivation and Nurturing covers tarbiyah from its foundations: sincerity of intention, the obligation of knowledge, the etiquette of worship and the disciplining of the self.

Becoming Acquainted With the Means for Achieving Prosperity and Happiness is a study of Surah al-Asr. It explains the four qualities Allah names as the way out of loss: faith, righteous deeds, advising one another to the truth, and advising one another to patience.

The Clear and Most Manifest Word on Calling to Allah, Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil sets out the evidence for these three obligations, what follows when they are neglected, and how to carry them out correctly.

Where to Start with Shaykh ar-Rajihi's Books

Start with the commentary on the Nullifiers of Islam, because it concerns the foundation everything else rests on. Then read the commentary on the Conditions of Prayer to check the act of worship you perform five times a day. From there, take up the study of Surah al-Asr and Islamic Cultivation and Nurturing for the heart and character, and the book on calling to Allah when you are ready to carry what you have learned to others. Keep the Hajj guide for when the journey comes.

Other contemporary scholars who explain these foundational texts have their own guides: see books by Ibn al-Uthaymeen and books by Shaykh al-Fawzan. For the wider foundation in creed, read our guide to the best aqeedah books for beginners.

Browse the full Shaykh ar-Rajihi book collection any time, and to plan the rest of your library, see our complete guide to the best Islamic books by topic. If you are unsure which book suits your level, reach out on live chat. We are always glad to help you choose.

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