I am looking for some good books, preferably in Urdu, regarding “practicing Islam in Modern Ages” which explains rulings of Islam/shari’at on various issues that weren’t common until recently, such as
photography
music/singing
traces of alcohol in make-up, shampoos, perfumes, etc.
It depends which school of thought you believe in. If you are open minded, then 'Meezan' by Javed Ghamidi can give you a good start. I personally that he makes lot of sense and his interpretations give a fresh perspective.
I prefer it told by Hanafi's perspective, but any would work as long as it is by a well reputed scholar and the interpretations are closest to the actual meaning and thoughts in the concerning ahadeeth and verses of Qur'an.
One of the best recent urdu book on rulings according to hanafi school is the compilation of "aap ke masaail, aur oon ka hal" by Molana Yousuf Ludhyanvi. The online version is available for free from many websites
It might be an idea to find out what community you belong to and then buy books from bookstores which exclusively sell your communities books. this will be the most harmonious path. sometimes other sects can be a little too this and a little too that
^even within Hanafi school of thought you will get opinions which are too leftwing and some too rightwing. Plus there is a style difference
and if you are buying a book, it will cover over more issues, any one which could trigger a disharmony within the home or community environment
What makes you think that by reading 'hadith', it will make a person to pass rulings?
Salam
What is it that you wanted to convey on the question of ''"practicing Islam in Modern Ages" which explains rulings of Islam/shari'at on various issues'' *by answering with *''why don't you read hadith books?''?*
“Practicing Islam” is also through Sunnah and to know about Sunnah we may read Hadith. Once we know hadith(s) on a specific issue, then we can go further explanation/interpretation i.e., rulings/shari’at/Fataws etc.
That is actually not ISLAMIC way of doing things
*
…we as Muslims must realise that understand the Fiqh (Legal Ruling) of any matter is not as simple as quoting a Qur’anic verse or pointing to a Hadeeth. In fact, the Companions, and definitely the two generations following them (Tabi’een and Tabi’ Tabi’een) refrained from quoting from the Sunnah or the Qur’an without proper analysis of many many issues, e.g., linguistic proofs, context of revelation as well as a narration of the Prophet (upon whom be peace and blessings of Allah), absolute and qualified narrations, universality and particularity of verses and narrations, etc. These are deeply developed sciences. The points below are the summaries of rulings based on such a thorough understanding of the Shari’ah, rather than those who simply claim to quote a verse or a Hadith as proof…*
Although it is possible to get snippets of information from Hadiths such as learning about Sunnah, and it is also the way of Mujtahids to derive rulings, the layman has no part to play unless he wants to misguide and be misguided
For example the way of those following directly Quran and Hadith contradicts the way of the Community. What are we to choose at this junction?
Do we leave the community and join the independents? But there is no such thing as join ‘independents’ as they are exactly that, so are we to become independent!?
He who leaves the community and stands alone is dinner for the Shaitan
The proof that shaitan has devoured those claiming ‘‘Quran and Sunnah’’ ‘‘Quran and Sunnah’’ is that like you, they are active in making at cut off point from the Community. Like to send people down the road of ‘hadiths’ before the people have even realized how to stand up. If leaving the rulings of the community then nobody is actually allowed to follow rulings. meaning everyone is obligated to makeup their own rulings which is fitnah
This is also Shirk (al-asghar) in the motivation to leave the community