Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaykh Mohammad Mufti Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) recommends the following books to gain essential knowledge,  sound understanding and practical application of Islam for every Muslim.

“Section 1: Necessary Beginners Knowledge

“…without which living a life like a true Muslim is not possible.”

• Hayat al-Muslimin (Mawlana Ashraf `Ali)

• Furu` al-Iman (Mawlana Ashraf `Ali)

• Ta`lim al-Din (Mawlana Ashraf `Ali)

• Behishti Gohar [for men] (Mawlana Ashraf `Ali)

• Behishti Zewar [for women] (Mawlana Ashraf `Ali)

• Jaza’ al-A`maal (Mawlana Ashraf `Ali)

• Sirat Khatim al-Anbiya’ (Mufti Shafi`)

• Hakayat Sahaba (Mawlana Zakariyya Kandihlawi)

• Tarikh Islam (Mawlana Muhammad Mian)

• Usway Rasule Akram (Mawlana `Abd al-Hayy)

Section 2: Broadening the Core

“…by which such vastness and firmness is produced in religious aspects that a person will not be misguided by those who misguide.”

• Ma`arif al-Quran (Mufti Shafi`) or Tafsir Usmani (Mawlana Shabbir Ahmed)

• Ma`arif al-Hadith (Mawlana Manzur Nu`mani)

• Behishti Zewar ke Masa’il (Mawlana Ashraf `Ali)

• `Ilm al-Fiqah (Mawlana `Abd al-Shakkur Lakhnawi)

• Aqa’id al-Islam (Mawlana Idris Kandihlawi)

• Shari`at wa Tariqat (Mawlana Ashraf `Ali)

(Fatawa Usmani, volume 1,  pg. 181-182 ed. Maktaba Ma`arif al-Quran: 2005)