Which books in the fields of biography (Seerah), history, and literature are most deserving of acquisition, and why?
Ibn al-Qayyim's book "Zad al-Ma'ad" is better than Ibn Hisham's "Sirah" because it does not merely narrate events but also mentions their benefits and jurisprudence, and it goes beyond the biography to include the Prophet's guidance concerning acts of worship and prophetic medicine. As for history, Ibn Kathir's "Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah" is more worthy of acquisition due to its service to the aspect of criticism and the scrutiny of historical narrations. Among literary works, Ibn Qutaybah's "Uyun al-Akhbar" is preferred because of the author's stature and sound methodology, as Ibn Qutaybah is considered one of the champions of the Sunni doctrines.
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