good, educational fiction books?

[knowrass]

assalaamu alaykum,

in shaa Allaah i'd like the brothers and sisters to recommend any good fiction books that would improve my english skills and vocab. (something educational or to take a lesson from... ideally an islamic one).

[Idriss]

salaamalaykum Difficult to find something that is fictional and Islamic because it may be a contradiction in terms of aqeedah? To learn English you would probably be better to read Arthur Conan Doyle’ if it’s just to gain mastery over the English language’ the only Islamic fiction I know but wouldn’t recommend is tablighi nisaab’ full of stories though’ what’s wrong with learning from a good translated Islamic book there are many outstanding translations now with beautiful English’:)

[Skillganon]

Although I personally have not read any of her book but from what I heard Jane Austen Books are recommendable.

Don't know how un-islamic the content is.

[morbius]

Frank Herbert's "Dune".

Science fiction, good use of English language and strong Islamic influnce, everything that you've asked for. The book is a classic, don't miss out.

[Magoo]

Frank Herbert's "Dune".

Science fiction, good use of English language and strong Islamic influnce, everything that you've asked for. The book is a classic, don't miss out.

i read these over 10 years ago when i was really into sci fi & fantasy, i thought the first 2 were excellent and then they went way too sci-fi and surreal and i got bored, i think stephen donaldsons gap series was excellent and his language is excellent in most of his books

[Abu wakee]

Tough one.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

Far From The Madding Crowd by Hardy.

Anything from Dickens.

Tolkien perhaps?

[Hamza]

Try Orwell (1984, Animal Farm)...

Also see what Imam Anwar said about novels in his reviews from prison thread. He gives good advice.

[Brother_Mujahid]

Well, if the goal is just to improve one's language skills then looking entirely novels probably won't cut it. But to answer the question, I'd personally suggest Charles Dickens, Tolkien, George Orwell, Thomas Hardy, and Joseph Conrad.

['Abd al-Kareem]

When I was a kid I used to read those types of fiction books, but now I don't recommend them to anyone (when they ask for recommendations, such as this thread for example) because of the content. Tolkein's books, for example, include magic and mystical creatures and whatnot. And those science-fiction books have a whole bunch of crap. So are they permissible to read and allow children to read?

[Brother_Mujahid]

Jund, you are mostly right. I think most novels should only be read by those with a sound foundation in aqida with the intention being to understand the so-called ideology of the West or to improve one's English language abilities. Just reading them for entertainment is a waste of time and can lead to corruption of the mind.

See Shaykh Anwar al-Aulaqi: http://www.anwar-alawlaki.com/2008/08/06/book-review-9-english-novels/

['Abd al-Kareem]

I wasn't making a statement or using a rhetorical question to prove my point, lol. I was actually asking. I definitely would not let a Muslim kid read fiction which glorifies magic and other garbage. But the general permissibility of such things [is what I am wondering about]. If I remember correctly, as a kid all the books I read were pretty much fiction and many had make-believe stuff (i.e. not just a made-up story, but with fictional characters and things that can't actually happen).

Would that fall into changing/ridiculing the creation of Allah 'azza wa jall?
Of course it is obvious, books that glorify the kufr of magic are definitely not good.