How To Read Large Multi-Volume Books?

Naṣāʾiḥ of Ibn Muneer - 0013

Q: What is the best way to tackle the reading of a large book with many volumes?

A: Well first and foremost I would humbly say, you have to have purpose. You have to have a reason. Do I need to read this 20 volume book? Or is it just a reference book? In which I go back to it only when I need it. Or it’s a book only for “بحث” or “تخريج”? Or is it “کتاب يُقْرَأْ”? To be read from beginning to end, cover to cover, over and over again. (speaker says something in Arabic that sounds like Am Kitab Yutala Fee) a book in which you just open up from time to time, just read it sporadically. So first and foremost you have to have a reason. You have to have aim. You have to have a purpose of the book. Everybody understand this? That’s first and foremost.

So if it is a book that you should read over and over again, or you should memorize, or its a book that you need or its a book that’s your favorite or one of your favorites, one may say I know it isn’t a book that's a pocket book, it's not a book to be read, but I love it, I wanna read it over and I’ll never ever get enough. طيب لا بأس

The next step is, to sacrifice. You have to cut out some of the other smaller books that you’re reading, and some of the other smaller classes that you may taking, that you may take. You may say to yourself, I have a teacher or teachers, an hour here, 30 minutes there, 45 minutes there. But it’s not as fun, nor is it as beneficial for me to spend an hour on this big book and read it. And then, if I have that class everyday, that’s 7 hours now, out of 7 days. How many pages can I read in 7 hours? How much of this book, this 1 volume here, is 2 volumes in 1, but this is at least how many pages? At least 500, at least. How many, how long is it gonna take me to read a 500 page book by if I have 7 hours a week, and I’m a pretty good reader. I’m reading to myself is not like I’m reading out loud Imma get tired, I’m not worried about making a mistake, I’m just sitting here what? Reading it. Speed reading or not. It’s gonna take me relatively what? It’s not gonna take that long. It’s not gonna what? It’s not gonna take that long. So you have to prioritise, you have to get rid of some of those other what? Classes, and what? Books if you love that book that much and it’s such a big and large what? Book. Everybody understand that?

Step number 3 is, learning how to speedread. Which is a skill that you can learn.

Step number 4 is, learning how to peruse. It may not be a book in which you have to read every single word, but you can what? [demonstrates perusing] People they send me messages, or they say that can you read it? It says “You watched it that fast?”, “You listened to the video that fast?”, “You heard my khutbah that fast?” “You read it that quick you didn’t read my whole message.” And they don’t understand that what? i.e. the read it through my speed reading, [snaps fingers] or I just did what? (audience replies) And I’ve done so many messages, or watched so many videos, or listened to so many khutbahs, so many brothers clips, or questions in which I don’t have to listen to every single second. I got it. So you have to ask yourself do you have that skill and that talent? Everybody understand this? If you do, then you can knockout 500 pages like what? [snaps fingers] Even quicker than that.

Next point of advice, is never huh what? Climb Mount Fiji considering it to be Mount Fiji. Or Kilimanjaro or Mount Everest or Rocky Mountain, whatever mountain it is, Uhud. Don’t look at it like this huge gigantic mountain. Look at it as a big, piece by piece. A thousand mile journey begins by what? One step. So this is a huge book, it's a thick book, to someone to that is not a serious hardcore reader, is gonna be extremely intimidating, but someone who is a hardcore reader, he says, this is what? I can break this down the what? [snaps fingers] Like that. And someone who is a beginner or novice, can also take the technique of taking what? Slow but steady. And not looking at its like “Woah, how am I gonna get up this thing?” Start climbing. Everybody understand this? So that’s very important with regards to your psyche as a “طَالِب العِلْم” or “طَالِبَة العِلْم”. It’s how to break down something that seems to be what? Big.

The next point of advice is, what rush are you in, what's the rush? It’s not important that you finish or get to the finish line, it's important that you stay in the race. Whether you live, whether you get there or not, what’s important is that you die in a state that is pleasing to what? Allah (عزّ وجلّ). And you can never ever get all of the knowledge. And you can never encompass all of the علم. What’s important is that you what? You keep doing it. That’s the only thing that's important is that you remain upon the path. If you have a personal goal, or an agenda, it's gonna make you happy, you're gonna feel good, you wanna feel righteous, you wanna feel studious, you wanna do it? Then try it. But don’t necessarily always have it on your what? On your mind.

The last piece of advice with regards to reading a big book in which they’re many volumes, is learning how to read a book without taking notes. Learning how to read a book without what? Taking notes. And oftentimes, or you may say “If I can’t take notes, what's the point of reading the book?” “If i cannot write down the فَوَائِد?” “Right?” or “They're certain things that have to be written down because I don't know if I'll be able to find them again.” or “Life is short.” Everybody understand this? All of these things slow you down from reading a book. So you may have to bring an alternative, which is memorize the فَائِدَة immediately. Take a screenshot with your what? With your eyes. Get it, خَلَاص keep moving, and you may make a mistake, 2nd 3rd time you may feel like you’re losing but if you keep doing it, with the proper training, you keep taking your time بإذن الله it will come to you. And you force yourself to do what, memorize the فَائِدَة. Or if you can't memorize the فَائِدَة, you force yourself to know where to go back and look for it. And it may take you more time, but you’ll what? Get better the 2nd or the 3rd time around. Everybody understand this? Or a person may say, force yourself to avoid trying to take the فَوَائِد and perhaps the فَائِدَة itself will find a comfortable place in your mind and your heart. Maybe the فَائِدَة will what, like you. And you never know, you could be speaking, or talking, and the subconscious is just what? Comes up. And I’m only speaking out of experience. I’m not speaking out of some crazy  صُوفِيّ stuff. It's a reality. You never know what your mind what? Can do and what it captures. So you have to push yourself huh.

That’s the best advice that I can give. And Allah (عزّ وجلّ) knows best.

Note: This advice of Mufti Ibn Muneer was transcribed from Live Q&A 1/7/19 (4:08) (alternative link)

Video streamed live Jan 7, 2019 on hadithdisciple

يَهْدِيكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيُصْلِحُ بَالَكُمْ