Advice and Instruction for Young People

Question :

How must a Muslim submit himself to Allah Almighty - a question that we should particularly ask now, considering the spread of materialism and the hardened hearts of most people? And more specifically, what advice can you give to me, a young man twenty years of age, who is just entering the peak stages of life? Finally, what books do you advise me to read?

Answer:

You must fear Allah Almighty; obey Him and His Messenger ; adhere to His Book and to the Sunnah of Messenger of Allah: focus on what concerns you and avoid what does not concern you, and stay away from temptations; keep the company of the righteous and abandon the company of the wicked; engage yourself with reciting the Qur'an, and contemplating its meanings; be steadfast in invoking Allâh Almighty with those invocations that have been authentically related from the Prophet, and do so with humility and a soft heart; read those books that contain wisdom and admonition.

These include: Al-Fawa'id and Ad-Da' wad-Dawa', both of which are written by Ibn Al-Qayyim. Supplicate to Allah Almighty while you are prostrating to Him, with supplications that have been related in the Sunnah, and do so with humility, perhaps that Allah Almighty may guide you to what is good and protect you from all evil both apparent and hidden. And these arebsome beneficial books I advise you to read:

Zad Al-Ma'ad (Ibn Al-Qayyim).

Ighathatul-Lahfan (Ibn Al-Qayyim).

Fath-al-Majid the explanation of Kitab At-Tawhid.346

Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir.

May Allah send peace and blessings upon Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.