Islam Books - Page 12

The Crusades, Christianity, and Islam (Bampton Lectures in America)

Jonathan Riley-Smith

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Editorial Review:

The Crusades were penitential war-pilgrimages fought in the Levant and the eastern Mediterranean, as well as in North Africa, Spain, Portugal, Poland, the Baltic region, Hungary, the Balkans, and Western Europe. Beginning in the eleventh century and ending as late as the eighteenth, these holy wars were waged against Muslims and other enemies of the Church, enlisting generations of laymen and laywomen to fight for the sake of Christendom.

Crusading features prominently in today's religio-political hostilities, yet the perceptions of these wars held by Arab nationalists, pan-Islamists, and many in the West have been deeply distorted by the language and imagery of nineteenth-century European imperialism. With this book, Jonathan Riley-Smith returns to the actual story of the Crusades, explaining why and where they were fought and how deeply their narratives and symbolism became embedded in popular Catholic thought and devotional life.

From this history, Riley-Smith traces the legacy of the Crusades into modern times, specifically within the attitudes of European imperialists and colonialists and within the beliefs of twentieth-century Muslims. Europeans fashioned an interpretation of the Crusades from the writings of Walter Scott and a French contemporary, Joseph-François Michaud. Scott portrayed Islamic societies as forward-thinking, while casting Christian crusaders as culturally backward and often morally corrupt. Michaud, in contrast, glorified crusading, and his followers used its imagery to illuminate imperial adventures.

These depictions have had a profound influence on contemporary Western opinion, as well as on Muslim attitudes toward their past and present. Whether regarded as a valid expression of Christianity's divine enterprise or condemned as a weapon of empire, crusading has been a powerful rhetorical tool for centuries. In order to understand the preoccupations of Islamist jihadis and the character of Western discourse on the Middle East, Riley-Smith argues, we must understand how images of crusading were formed in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Spirituality, Contemplation & Transformation: Writings on Centering Prayer

Thomas Keating

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Editorial Review:

In Spirituality, Contemplation & Transformation, leading practitioners of centering prayer--the contemporary expression of the Christian contemplative tradition as developed by the desert fathers and mothers and elaborated by mystics such as saints John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila--write about the many and varied benefits of this dynamic and intimate means of connecting with the Divine.

Thomas Keating and David Frenette examine the sources of centering prayer * Justin Langille and Jennifer Michael explore different facets of the wisdom of silence * and Paul David Lawson, David G.R. Keller, and Tom Macfie explain the vital role centering prayer can play in fostering communities of faith. Cynthia Bourgeault explicates philosopher and spiritual practitioner Beatrice Bruteau's study of the meaning of contemplation * Brian Taylor uncovers the positive mental changes that centering prayer can bring about * and Thomas Ward reflects on spirituality in the twenty-first century, as well as the inspiring experience of attending a centering prayer retreat.

Of interest to anyone involved with contemporary Christian life, these essays, originally published in the Sewanee Theological Review, contribute to the growing body of literature on centering prayer--its practice, theory, and applications--and offer valuable entry points for all those interested in deepening their spiritual practice and fostering a more profound relationship with the Divine.

The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf: A Novel

Mohja Kahf

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Syrian immigrant Khadra Shamy is growing up in a devout, tightly knit Muslim family in 1970s Indiana, at the crossroads of bad polyester and Islamic dress codes. Along with her brother Eyad and her African-American friends, Hakim and Hanifa, she bikes the Indianapolis streets exploring the fault-lines between “Muslim” and “American.”

When her picture-perfect marriage goes sour, Khadra flees to Syria and learns how to pray again. On returning to America she works in an eastern state — taking care to stay away from Indiana, where the murder of her friend Tayiba’s sister by Klan violence years before still haunts her. But when her job sends her to cover a national Islamic conference in Indianapolis, she’s back on familiar ground: Attending a concert by her brother’s interfaith band The Clash of Civilizations, dodging questions from the “aunties” and “uncles,” and running into the recently divorced Hakim everywhere.

Beautifully written and featuring an exuberant cast of characters, The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf charts the spiritual and social landscape of Muslims in middle America, from five daily prayers to the Indy 500 car race. It is a riveting debut from an important new voice.

Living from the Heart: Heart Rhythm Meditation for Energy, Clarity, Peace, Joy, and Inner Power

Puran Khan Bair

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The mind is the surface of the heart---the heart is the depth of the mind. 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I have read many many "heart" entitled books over the years and it is surprising to me that so few people are aware of this book and the method of meditation that it introduces, especially given its ease and effectiveness. Before I discovered this work, my own heart had attained various states----from serious questioning with Ramana Maharshi and other spiritual quests, to the ecstatic verse of Rumi and Hafiz----from sharing with patients, life's trauma and joys through years as a health care provider, to the wrenching-heart-breaking-openings of ended relationships.

When I began Heart Rhythm Meditation, sensations and awareness felt great right away which aroused my curiosity and encouraged me to keep practicing. But it took me six more months of various methods of this meditation before realizing I was experiencing much more than just a temporary high or an insightful understanding. Some essential aspect of my being was gradually changing by such a simple practice of attending to my breathing and my heart-beat.

(For the quickest experiential entry, go immediately to "The First Intervention" practice on page 144 for a limited number of breaths. Then go right on to page 155 "The Second Intervention" also for a limited number of breaths. Gently. Simply. Easily. Entering into a "conversation" with your lungs and then opening to the possibility of a "conversation" with your heart. If any anxiety or concerns arise in this new relationship with your heart, move right on to page 166.)

I have read this book every year for the last nine years and shared it with patients and students. With even a little patience, I know you will discover or uncover within, exactly what the book's subtitle suggests: energy, clarity, peace, joy and inner power. Moving into your heart, layer after layer after layer. Holding a feeling state longer and longer. Living less through your mind, and living more from your heart. You will not lose any mental abilities but calm and enhance them as you gain your full heart function. As Puran Bair speaks so succinctly, you may now live with your mind in service to your heart.

(This book provides practical emotional experience of the Elements and insights on pranayama for those interested in either of these arenas.)

Puran and Susanna Bair have also published another title: Energize Your Heart

Editorial Review:

Living from the Heart introduces an innovative, Sufi-based meditation method for improving daily life. Through becoming mindful of the heartbeat readers will be able to create a deep state of stillness and alertness, improve physical health, enhance intuition, and concentrate personal power. Bair illustrates the effectiveness of his program with stories of clients he has helped and with ancient teaching stories from the Sufi masters. Heart Rhythm Meditation is suitable for beginners as well as experienced meditators looking to expand their practice.

The Koran: The Holy Book of Islam with Introduction and Notes (Sacred Wisdom)

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GIVING PRAISES TO ALLAH 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 22 people found this review helpful.

SPIRITUAL INSPIRATION COMES IN MANY FORMS AND I AM GLAD THAT ALLAH, GOD, ALOHIM, ETC... IS IM MY LIFE... I GIVE ALL PRAISES AND THANKS FOR THE SPEEDY DELIVERY...

Editorial Review:

The Koran is one of the most influential works in the history of literature, and the greatest literary masterpiece in Arabic. It is the supreme authority and living source of all Islamic teaching, the sacred book that lays out all of Islam’s creeds, rituals, ethics, and laws. Revealed to the Prophet Mohammed by the angel Gabriel, it has been called “a glorious symphony” that moves men and women to ecstasy and awe. E. H. Palmer’s superb translation brings unsurpassed clarity to the text, while R. A. Nicholson’s erudite but accessible introduction places Mohammed’s story in a historical, religious, and social context that illuminates the Koran’s sometimes conflicting dictates and revelations.

Why We Left Islam: Former Muslims Speak Out

Susan Crimp, Joel Richardson

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Shaking off the mental shackles.. 4 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

Even though nations with Judeo-Christian roots universally surpass Islamic nations in terms of freedom and human rights, we are expected to believe Islam provides mankind with a better source of justice and human rights. However, even within the best examples of Islamist nations in the world today, we do not see the promotion of human rights and justice, but instead only oppression and darkness. (introduction p.xviii)

This collection of letters collected over the last 5 years by former Muslims will open your eyes to what is really happening within the walls of Islam. The truth is that hatred and violence isn't from just a few who have "hijacked" the religion. The information is proof that indoctrination begins at birth and questioning Islam or any independent thinking is never allowed.
In reality Islam is not the fastest growing religion unless you count all the forced conversions and extremely high birth rate for Islamic women. Muslims are finally waking up and questioning these beliefs. Leaving Islam is a death sentence but thanks to the internet and relative anonymity more and more free thinkers are breaking free.

Once you begin to understand Islam is one big lie and full of contradictions and observe the cruel and barbaric words and actions, only then will you realise Islam is not a religion at all but an instrument of domination for Mohammed. A cult and nothing more. Though obedience was supposed to flow from "Allah" down to Mohammed, in actuality it was always Muhammed and his every whim that the followers were expected to satisfy.

Now this might come as a shock to non-muslims. There is tight control over what information is fed to the ignorant masses. Deception on a large scale is found in the books of Karen Armstrong, Edward Said and John Esposito for instance. I wont even mention western academicians, the media or politicians. These people are guilty of complicity, appeasement and of self-deception. All in the name of Political Correctness. Even in the West where freedom of expression is appreciated one is not allowed to speak the truth of Islam without being branded a racist, hate-monger or Islamaphobic!!

There is not a single day that someone, somewhere in the world is not killed by the hands of Muslim terrorists. I encourage you to check out the website TheReligionofPeace.com for a daily total of Islamic attacks. Also useful information can be found on faithfreedom.org; jihadwatch.org; politicalislam.com


Disregard the negative reviews of this book and other similar books. The reader needs to understand that Muslims can not withstand any criticism and are unable to come up with logical, truthful arguements defending it, therefore anything will be done to inhibit valid criticism of Islam.

Editorial Review:

He was about to convert to Islam but pleaded, "I fear I am about to make the biggest mistake of my life. Please give me one solid reason not to convert."

This desperate cry for help from a visitor to an interfaith website inspired Susan Crimp and Joel Richardson to find that reason. Instead of one, they found many, put forward by former Muslims who dared to speak out about the oppressive religion that held them in thrall.

Collected here are the powerful and brutally honest personal testimonies of men and women who have left Islam - at the risk of death. What compelled these individuals to free themselves from Islam's tyrannical grip, how did they do it, and at what cost? Why We Left Islam provides the shocking, disturbing answers.

Muhammad

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Wonderful introduction to the life of Muhammad 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 9 people found this review helpful.

This is a beautiful, brief biography of the life of Muhammad. Demi's illustrations are lovely and are a perfect complement to his life. Of course it does not cover every aspect of Muhammad's life, but it is respectful and Demi's selection of episodes in his life are accurate and not misleading at all. I highly recommend this book as an introduction to Muhammad and Islam.

Editorial Review:

Muhammad

is

the messenger of Islam.

Born in Mecca in the year 570, Muhammad grew into a sensitive and thoughtful man who believed deeply in the worship of one true god.

In his fortieth year, Muhammad experienced a revelation from the angel Gabriel that he, Muhammad, was the messenger of God. Over the next twenty-three years, he received many such revelations, all of which were written down by scribes at the time of revelation to become the Koran, the sacred scripture of Islam, a religion that is practiced by nearly one-quarter of the world's population and holds as its most sacred tenet that there is no god but God.

Through a clear text and stunning illustrations based upon those of traditional Islamic expression, the award-winning artist Demi here introduces the remarkable life of the Prophet Muhammad for young readers.

Islam: The Straight Path Updated with New Epilogue, 3rd edition

John L. Esposito

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Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

This updated version of Islam: The Straight Path includes a new Epilogue by John Esposito in which he addresses the impact 9/11 and its aftermath have had on both the Muslim and non-Muslim world, discussing Islam's relationship to democracy and modernity and focusing more sharply on the origins and growth of extremism and terrorism in the name of Islam.
This exceptionally successful survey text introduces the faith, belief, and practice of Islam from its earliest origins up to its contemporary resurgence. Esposito, an internationally renowned expert on Islam, traces the development of this dynamic faith and its impact on world history and politics, discussing the formation of Islamic belief and practice and chronicling the struggle of Muslims to define and adhere to their Islamic way of life. Lucidly written and expansive in scope, Islam: The Straight Path provides keen insight into one of the world's least understood religions and is ideally suited for use in courses on Islam, comparative religions, and Middle Eastern history and culture.

The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History (Bollingen Series (General))

Ibn Khaldun

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Editorial Review:

The Muqaddimah, often translated as "Introduction" or "Prolegomenon," is the most important Islamic history of the premodern world. Written by the great fourteenth-century Arab scholar Ibn Khaldûn (d. 1406), this monumental work laid down the foundations of several fields of knowledge, including philosophy of history, sociology, ethnography, and economics. The first complete English translation, by the eminent Islamicist and interpreter of Arabic literature Franz Rosenthal, was published in three volumes in 1958 as part of the Bollingen Series and received immediate acclaim in America and abroad. A one-volume abridged version of Rosenthal's masterful translation was first published in 1969.

This new edition of the abridged version, with the addition of a key section of Rosenthal's own introduction to the three-volume edition, and with a new introduction by Bruce B. Lawrence, will reintroduce this seminal work to twenty-first-century students and scholars of Islam and of medieval and ancient history.

Losing My Religion: A Call For Help

Jeffrey Lang

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Editorial Review:

Crucial to the vitality of any religious community is its ability to attract and engage descendants and converts. By this measure, notwithstanding the proliferation of mosques and Islamic organizations, the Muslim community in America is not doing at all well." This rather sober assessment motivates Dr. Lang to address, in this book, the alienation from the Mosque of the great majority of America's homegrown Muslims.

In Losing My Religion: A Call For Help, the author comes to terms with many of the queries put to him by Americans of Muslim parentage and converts to Islam since the publication of his book Even Angels Ask in 1997. Lang asserts that to effectively respond to the general malaise of American-born Muslims, the Islamic establishment in America needs to be willing to listen to the doubts and complaints of the disaffected. This entails engaging in open discussions on issues with which many in the Muslim community will be uncomfortable, but Lang avers that such open dialogue will be of more benefit to young American Muslims struggling with their faiths than the covert and uniformed discussions that often take place or no discussion at all. For this reason, Lang feels it is important and beneficial "to be candid and objective and not evade controversy, for to inadequately state the case for or against a specific position, especially when it challenges convention, only serves to fur! ther alienate the sceptical." In addition to examining questions of theodicy, hadith authenticity, and moot practices within the American Muslim community, the author includes many testimonials and inquiries that make this book informative.