3 minutes read
Most fathers think about leaving behind money, land, a house, or a business. Few think about leaving behind knowledge. Yet the Prophet ﷺ taught something different about what lasts.
"When a person dies, all his deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for him." (Sahih Muslim 1631)
Every Muslim father should leave behind a library. A library containing knowledge that outlives him and shapes generations.
Muslim Founder Brief
A daily briefing on Muslim ownership, responsibility, and disciplined building.
What should be in the library
- The Qur'an and its tafsir
- Books of hadith
- Books of fiqh
- Books of aqidah
- The seerah of the Prophet ﷺ
- Biographies of the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم
- Works of the scholars رحمهم الله
- Books on family, parenting, and character
- Books related to the family's trade or profession
Write your family's story
But he should also write. Write about your parents. Write about your grandparents. Write about their struggles, sacrifices, migrations, trades, and lessons.
Many families can trace their lineage but cannot tell the story of the people who came before them. A hundred years from now, your descendants should inherit more than your last name. They should inherit your story.
How books shape generations
Research has consistently found that children raised around books tend to achieve higher educational outcomes throughout life. Books shape minds. Libraries shape cultures. Cultures shape generations.
The scholars of Islam preserved the Qur'an, hadith, fiqh, language, and history through documentation. Had they relied only on memory, much of that knowledge would have been lost. The same applies to families, businesses, and communities.
A library is not furniture. It is an institution inside the home.
Muslim Founder Brief
A daily briefing on Muslim ownership, responsibility, and disciplined building.
Muslim Founder Brief
A daily briefing on Muslim ownership, responsibility, and disciplined building.
Muslim Founder Brief
A daily briefing on Muslim ownership, responsibility, and disciplined building.
