The Satanic Verses

The Satanic Verses PDF Author: Salman Rushdie
Publisher: Macmillan
ISBN: 9780312270827
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 580

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Book Description
Just before dawn one winter's morning, a hijacked jetliner explodes above the English Channel. Through the falling debris, two figures, Gibreel Farishta, the biggest star in India, and Saladin Chamcha, an expatriate returning from his first visit to Bombay in fifteen years, plummet from the sky, washing up on the snow-covered sands of an English beach, and proceed through a series of metamorphoses, dreams, and revelations.

The Satanic Verses

The Satanic Verses PDF Author: Salman Rushdie
Publisher: Macmillan
ISBN: 9780312270827
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 580

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Book Description
Just before dawn one winter's morning, a hijacked jetliner explodes above the English Channel. Through the falling debris, two figures, Gibreel Farishta, the biggest star in India, and Saladin Chamcha, an expatriate returning from his first visit to Bombay in fifteen years, plummet from the sky, washing up on the snow-covered sands of an English beach, and proceed through a series of metamorphoses, dreams, and revelations.

Exploring the Qur'an

Exploring the Qur'an PDF Author: Muhammad Abdel Haleem
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1786731657
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 362

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Book Description
The teachings, style and impact of the Qur'an have always been matters of controversy, among both Muslims and non-Muslims. But in a modern context of intercultural sensitivity, what the Qur'an says and means are perhaps more urgent questions than ever before. This major new book by one of the world's finest Islamic scholars responds to that urgency. Building on his earlier groundbreaking work, the author challenges misinterpretations of particular Qur'anic verses from whatever quarter. He addresses the infamous 'sword' verse, frequently cited as a justification for jihad. He also questions the 'tribute' verse, associated with the Muslim state subjugating Jews and Christians; and the idea of Paradise in the Qur'an, often viewed by the West as emphasising merely physical pleasures, or used by Islamic fighters as their just reward for holy war. The author argues that wrenching the verses out of the context of the whole has led to dangerous ideologies being built on isolated phrases which have then assumed afterlives of their own. This nuanced, holistic reading has vital interfaith ramifications.

The Sword Verse

The Sword Verse PDF Author: Malek Meselmani
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781935577331
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
The thoughtful reader of the Qur'ān will probably pause in confusion, for how does one reconcile this verse with tens of other verses that call for tolerance, such as Q 2.256 (Pickthall trans.): "There is no compulsion in religion...." The baffled reader encounters two contrasting spirits, as if facing the conflicted protagonist of Robert Louis Stevenson's novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. A kind of schizophrenia seems incarnated in the Qur'ān with its verses of peace (which resemble the character of Dr. Jekyll) and its verses of killing (which reflect the character of Mr. Hyde), and the reader is left to ponder these questions:Why does the Qur'ān's text present a double personality?How can a Muslim take the Qur'ān as the guide for living one's life when it has two contrasting spirits?Which should the Muslim follow: the verses that reflect Jekyll or Hyde?

Understanding the Hadith

Understanding the Hadith PDF Author: Ram Swarup
Publisher: Prometheus Books
ISBN: 1615922431
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 262

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Book Description
Noted Indian writer and polymath Ram Swarup explores the meaning of Islam through the words of the Sahih Muslim, considered by Muslims to be one of the most authoritative of the collections of "traditions" (Arabic Hadith) about the life of the Prophet Muhammad. Like the Koran, these traditions are believed to be divinely revealed by Allah and they complement the verses of the Koran, in many cases expanding upon them and explaining the context of their revelation. As Swarup notes in his introduction, to Muslims the Hadith literature represents the Koran in action, stories of "revelation made concrete in the life of the Prophet." Among the orthodox they are considered as sacred as the Koran itself.Swarup is plainly skeptical of the claim that the Hadith literature is divinely inspired. In the introduction he says, "The Prophet is caught as it were in the ordinary acts of his life - sleeping, eating, mating, praying, hating, dispensing justice, planning expeditions and revenge against his enemies. The picture that emerges is hardly flattering. . . . One is . . . left to wonder how the believers, generation after generation, could have found this story so inspiring. The answer is that the believers are conditioned to look at the whole thing through the eyes of faith. To them morality derives from the Prophet''s actions. . . .his actions determine and define morality."The Sahih Muslim, a massive work consisting of 7,190 traditions divided into 1,243 chapters, is hardly accessible to the average reader; so Swarup quotes representative selections that touch upon the main tenets of Islam: faith, purification, prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, marriage and divorce, crime and punishment, religious wars (jihad), paradise, hell, repentance, and many other features of the religion.To non-Muslims this work provides many insights into the mindset of the average Muslim who is raised on these traditions about Muhammad. It also underscores the gulf that exists between the sanctum of orthodox Islam and an increasingly secularized Westernized world.

Day and Night on the Sufi Path

Day and Night on the Sufi Path PDF Author: Charles Upton
Publisher: Sophia Perennis et Universalis
ISBN: 9781621381358
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 242

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Book Description
The first textbook of Sufism is the Qur'an; there is no principle of Tasawwuf that cannot be traced back to the Holy Book. The Sufis read the Qur'an for its inner meaning, but they do not claim this is the only meaning. The clear legal rulings, the moral exhortations and warnings of the Book, are not abrogated by the batini tafsir (inner exegesis) of the Sufis, but neither can the Noble Qur'an be limited to its legal and moral dimensions. If all the seas were ink for the tafsir of the Qur'an, they would be exhausted twice over before all its meanings were unveiled. Inner and outer co-exist within the Book, depend upon each other, and inform each other; in the words of the Surah Ha Mim Sajdah, I will show them My signs on the horizons and in their own souls until they are satisfied that this is the Truth. Is it not enough for you, that I am Witness over all things? Q. 41:53]. The Sufi Path, insha'Allah, has the power to place one in the near Presence of Allah--a Presence which, whether or not we are always conscious of it, alchemizes the Heart. The changes the Heart undergoes by the power of this Presence have been recorded by the Sufis over many centuries, and some of the operative laws behind these changes discerned and defined. This book contains only one small drop from that vast ocean of knowledge; it attempts to define a number of the spiritual states and transformations of the self often encountered over the course of the Path--but as the author's own shaykh reminds his followers, in reality there is only one state--Allah. "This is simply the best and most profound book on Sufism that I have encountered."--Andrew Harvey, author of The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism "Charles Upton is a serious thinker from whom I have learned much. His writing merits close attention."--Huston Smith, author of The World's Religions "This challenging book demands all our attention, and for those willing to make the effort there is much to be learned. Charles Upton has pondered deeply the themes he examines. He has engaged, not just intellectually but with his heart, in the alchemy that transforms the self. You may well keep this book at hand, to be tasted from time to time, comparing the steps of this spiritual traveler to your own."--Kabir Helminski, Mevlevi Shaikh and Sufi author "Charles Upton is an oasis of spirituality in a parched desert of secularism. In a world desiccated by materialism, greed, envy, and egotism, where virtues are viewed as vices and vices as virtues, Day and Night on the Sufi Path provides desperately needed access to a soul-saving spiritual source. Well-versed in the inner and outer dimensions of Islam, Upton exemplifies the balance between the esoteric and the exoteric. His Sufism, while sublime, is rooted in the realities of our time."--John Andrew Morrow, author of The Covenants of the Prophet Muhammad with the Christians of the World "In Day and Night on the Sufi Path Charles Upton provides us with a lucid glimpse of one of the spiritual paths to God in Islam. Classical Sufi teachings on the soul, spiritual practice, states and stations, and potential dangers are discussed with eloquence and rigor in a manner that is true to the tradition and relevant to the time we are in. This work is at once philosophical and poetic, systematic and with flashes of original inspiration that can only come from someone conversant in both the theoretical and practical dimensions of tasawwuf. It is a faithful reflection of the Divine Light that has captured the author's attention and may help to illuminate the path for others."--Zachary Markwith, author of One God, Many Prophets: The Universal Wisdom of Islam

If the Oceans Were Ink

If the Oceans Were Ink PDF Author: Carla Power
Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
ISBN: 0805098240
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 308

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Book Description
PULITZER PRIZE FINALIST • NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST • Hailed by The Washington Post as “mandatory reading,” and praised by Fareed Zakaria as “intelligent, compassionate, and revealing,” a powerful journey to help bridge one of the greatest divides shaping our world today. If the Oceans Were Ink is Carla Power's eye-opening story of how she and her longtime friend Sheikh Mohammad Akram Nadwi found a way to confront ugly stereotypes and persistent misperceptions that were cleaving their communities. Their friendship-between a secular American and a madrasa-trained sheikh-had always seemed unlikely, but now they were frustrated and bewildered by the battles being fought in their names. Both knew that a close look at the Quran would reveal a faith that preached peace and not mass murder; respect for women and not oppression. And so they embarked on a yearlong journey through the controversial text. A journalist who grew up in the Midwest and the Middle East, Power offers her unique vantage point on the Quran's most provocative verses as she debates with Akram at cafes, family gatherings, and packed lecture halls, conversations filled with both good humor and powerful insights. Their story takes them to madrasas in India and pilgrimage sites in Mecca, as they encounter politicians and jihadis, feminist activists and conservative scholars. Armed with a new understanding of each other's worldviews, Power and Akram offer eye-opening perspectives, destroy long-held myths, and reveal startling connections between worlds that have seemed hopelessly divided for far too long. Praise for If the Oceans Were Ink “A vibrant tale of a friendship.... If the Oceans Were Ink is a welcome and nuanced look at Islam [and] goes a long way toward combating the dehumanizing stereotypes of Muslims that are all too common.... If the Oceans Were Ink should be mandatory reading for the 52 percent of Americans who admit to not knowing enough about Muslims.”—The Washington Post “For all those who wonder what Islam says about war and peace, men and women, Jews and gentiles, this is the book to read. It is a conversation among well-meaning friends—intelligent, compassionate, and revealing—the kind that needs to be taking place around the world.”—Fareed Zakaria, author of The Post-American World “Carla Power’s intimate portrait of the Quran, told with nuance and great elegance, captures the extraordinary, living debate over the Muslim holy book’s very essence. A spirited, compelling read.”—Azadeh Moaveni, author of Lipstick Jihad “Unique, masterful, and deeply engaging. Carla Power takes the reader on an extraordinary journey in interfaith understanding as she debates and discovers the Quran’s message, meaning, and values on peace and violence, gender and veiling, religious pluralism and tolerance.”—John L. Esposito, University Professor and Professor of Islamic Studies, Georgetown University, and author of The Future of Islam “A thoughtful, provocative, intelligent book.”—Diana Abu-Jaber, author of Birds Of Paradise and The Language of Baklava

The Crucifixion and the Qur'an

The Crucifixion and the Qur'an PDF Author: Todd Lawson
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 178074675X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 135

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Book Description
The first book to examine the controversial Qur'anic phrase which divides Christianity and Islam. According to the majority of modern Muslims and Christians, the Qur'an denies the crucifixion of Jesus, and with it, one of the most sacred beliefs of Christianity. However, it is only mentioned in one verse - 'They did not kill him and they did not crucify him, rather, it only appeared so to them' - and contrary to popular belief, its translation has been the subject of fierce debate among Muslims for centuries. This innovative work is the first book devoted to the issue, delving deeply into largely ignored Arabic sources, which suggest that the origins of the conventional translation may lie within the Christian Church. Arranged along historical lines, and covering various Muslim schools of thought, from Sunni to Sufi, "The Crucifixion and the Qur'an" unravels the crucial dispute that separates the World's two principal faiths.

Feminist Edges of the Qur'an

Feminist Edges of the Qur'an PDF Author: Aysha A. Hidayatullah
Publisher:
ISBN: 0199359571
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 277

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Book Description
Aysha A. Hidayatullah offers the first comprehensive examination of contemporary feminist Qur'anic interpretation, exploring its dynamic challenges to Islamic tradition and contemporary Muslim views of the Qur'an.

The Syro-Aramaic Reading of the Koran

The Syro-Aramaic Reading of the Koran PDF Author: Christoph Luxenberg
Publisher: Verlag Hans Schiler
ISBN: 3899300882
Category : Koran
Languages : en
Pages : 354

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Book Description
No Marketing Blurb

What The Koran Really Says

What The Koran Really Says PDF Author:
Publisher: Manas Publications
ISBN: 9788170493136
Category : Kashmir, Vale of (India)
Languages : en
Pages : 244

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Book Description
Islam Has Worldwide Influence, And Even In The United States Is Experiencing A Period Of Unprecedented Growth. Islam And Its Sacred Book, The Koran, Have Been The Subject Of Voluminous Commentary And, Recently, Great Popular Interest; Yet It Has Rarely Received The Kind Of Objective Critical Scrutiny That Has Been Applied To The Texts Of The Bible For More Than A Century.Though Some Scholars Of Note Have Raised Crucial Questions About The Authenticity And Reliability Of The Koran And Muslim Tradition, Koranic Studies By And Large Have Failed To Take Advantage Of Critical Skeptical Methodologies. Today The Majority Of Interpreters Of Islam S Sacred Text Appear Content To Lie In The Procrustean Bed Prepared By Muslim Tradition More Than A Thousand Years Ago.