Islamic Books - Page 2

Hamid Al-Din Al-Kirmani: Ismaili Thought in the Age of al-Hakim (Ismaili Heritage)

Paul E. Walker

List Price: $45.00 By: Institute for Ismaili Studies Amazon Marketplace: 2 new & used starting at $25.54

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Biographies & Memoirs -> Leaders & Notable People -> Religious
Subjects -> Biographies & Memoirs -> General
Subjects -> Biographies & Memoirs -> General AAS

Editorial Review:

Among the most outstanding Ismaili thinkers, Hamid al-Din al-Kirmani was at the forefront of the intellectual advances of his time and almost on a par with his famous contemporary, Ibn Sina, with whom he shared many philosophical ideas. His ideas on the intellect and the order of creation are a departure from those expressed by early Ismaili thinkers which he endeavoured to amend, thus providing insights into to early Ismaili debates about philosophical and scientific concepts.

This book presents a systematic investigation of al-Kirmani's life and thought. It focuses on the principal themes of his writings: the nature of human recognition and veneration of God; an understanding of the cosmic order; and the repose and tranquillity of the intellect. The author also examines a number of problems in the biography of al-Kirmani, the affiliations between his metaphysical system of thought and those of al-Farabi and Ibn Sina, and the importance of his writings for the Ismaili da'wa during the late-10th and 11th centuries.

An Anthology of Philosophy in Persia, Volume 2: Ismaili Thought in the Classical Age

Amazon Price: $50.36 List Price: $69.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: I. B. Tauris Amazon Marketplace: 19 new & used starting at $46.74

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Philosophy -> Eastern -> General
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Philosophy -> Eastern -> General AAS
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Philosophy -> History & Surveys

Editorial Review:

The tradition of philosophy in the Persian-speaking world is extraordinarily rich, creative and diverse. This anthology, which is divided into three volumes, aims to communicate something of that richness and diversity. The term "philosophy" is understood to in its widest sense to include theological debate, philosophical Sufism and philosophical hermeneutics (ta'wil). Extending over a period of more than two millennia, and showcasing translations by well-established scholars, the anthology offers full bibliographical references throughout. For anyone interested in exploring, in all their varied manifestations, the fascinating philosophical traditions of Persia, such a wide-ranging and ambitious work will be an indispensable resource.  Volume 2 covers five centuries of Ismaili philosophy, and includes extracts from outstanding Ismaili works including the Rasa'il Ikhwan al-Safa (Treatises of the Brethren of Purity) and the philosophical odes of Nasir Khusraw. It is of great significance that, in the early centuries of Islam, philosophers were influenced by Pythagorean and Hermetic ideas, which are usually associated with Shi'i thought in general and Ismailism in particular. Ismaili philosophy at this time was able to integrate strands of Greco-Alexandrian thought such as Hermeticism and Neo-Pythagoreanism, as well as aspects of Mazdaeism and Manichaeism. It also showed marked interest in Neo-Platonism.

Dante's Pluralism and the Islamic Philosophy of Religion (New Middle Ages (Palgrave Macmillan (Firm)).)

Gregory B. Stone

Amazon Price: $84.95 List Price: $84.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Palgrave Macmillan Amazon Marketplace: 22 new & used starting at $71.33

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Literature & Fiction -> Classics -> Medieval
Subjects -> Literature & Fiction -> History & Criticism -> Criticism & Theory -> General
Subjects -> Literature & Fiction -> History & Criticism -> Criticism & Theory -> General AAS

Editorial Review:

This book shows that Dante's project for the establishment of a peaceful global human community founded on religious pluralism is rooted in the Arabo-Islamic philosophical tradition--a tradition exemplified by al-Farabi's declaration that "it is possible that excellent nations and excellent cities exist whose religions differ." Part One offers an approach to Dante's Comedy in the light of al-Farabi's notion of the relation between religion and imagination. Part Two argues that, for Dante, the afterlife is not reserved exclusively for Christians. A key figure throughout is the Muslim philosopher Averroes, whose thinking on the relation between religion and philosophy is a model for Dante's pragmatic understanding of religion. The book poses a challenge to the current orthodoxies of Dante scholarship by offering an alternative to the theological approach that has dominated interpretations of the Comedy for the past half century. It also serves as a general introduction to Dante's thought and will be of interest to readers wishing to explore the Islamic roots of Western values.

Bangladesh: The Next Afghanistan?

Hiranmay Karlekar

Amazon Price: $32.95 List Price: $32.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: SAGE Publications Amazon Marketplace: 14 new & used starting at $12.85

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Business & Investing -> Economics -> Development & Growth
Subjects -> Business & Investing -> Economics -> Economic Policy & Development
Subjects -> Business & Investing -> Popular Economics -> Policy & Current Events

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 1.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

In recent years, Bangladesh has experienced an alarming rise in Islamist fundamentalism. The world began to take serious notice of this after the grenade attack on the Awami League’s rally in Dhaka on August 21, 2004 almost succeeded in killing off the entire top leadership of the party. This book shows that terrorist acts such as this are part of a systematic attempt to destroy Bangladesh’s secular and democratic political parties, as well as its vibrant intellectual and cultural life, and to convert the country into a hardline Islamic one. The author further argues that the headquarters of Islamic terrorism is shifting from Afghanistan to Bangladesh, which he describes as a ‘soft’ state with an ineffective government and police force, and which Islamist groups, with their organized and well-armed cadres, can easily dominate. Islamists are being systematically placed in key positions in government, and an Islamist state within a state is being built for the ultimate takeover of Bangladesh as the base for Islamist-including Al Qaeda and Taliban-operations in South and Southeast Asia. This lucid, hard-hitting and well-documented book analyzes in detail the circumstances-historical, social, cultural and political-which account for the rise of violent Islamist fundamentalism in Bangladesh, a country known for its cultural plurality and religious tolerance. The author also discusses the chances of halting the process, through a determined and well-strategized effort by those committed to keeping Bangladesh a moderate and tolerant modern Islamic nation.

Islamic Philosophy and Theology (Islamic Surveys)

W. M. Watt

Amazon Price: $50.00 List Price: $50.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Edinburgh University Press Amazon Marketplace: 24 new & used starting at $17.54

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> History -> World -> Islamic
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Philosophy -> Eastern -> General
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Philosophy -> Eastern -> General AAS

Editorial Review:

-- Muslim World

Nasir Khusraw: the Ruby of Badakhshan: A Portrait of the Persian Poet, Traveller and Philosopher (Ismaili Heritage)

Alice C. Hunsberger

Amazon Price: $65.00 List Price: $65.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: I. B. Tauris Amazon Marketplace: 9 new & used starting at $29.95

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Biographies & Memoirs -> Historical -> General
Subjects -> Biographies & Memoirs -> Historical -> General AAS
Subjects -> Biographies & Memoirs -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Nasir Khusraw The ruby of Badakshan 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 7 people found this review helpful.

This book answered a lot of questions that I had about the people of Badakshan and surrounding areas. Extremely readable book. Age old philosophies disclosed, still relevant after 1000 years. Great poetry and translation by Alice Hunsberger. Must read by all Rumi fans.

An exceptional example of erudite research! 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Dr Hunsberger's biography of the seminal Persian poet and philosopher is a must read for anyone curious about the state of affairs in the Middle East a millennium ago. Her exhaustive research and insight gives ballast and meaning to the personality of Nasir Khusraw as well as his travels and his journals. I highly recommend Dr Hunsberger's most-amazing book to any scholar devoted to Middle Eastern, Arabic, Persian or Islamic studies. Nasir was a dedicated scholar and so is Dr Hunsberger.

Editorial Review:

This is a comprehensive study of the life of Nasir-Khusraw, one of the foremost poets of the Persian language and a major Ismaili thinker and writer. Celebrated for a poetry that combines art with philosophy, trusted for the details of his travels throughout the Middle East, revered and criticized for his theological texts, he remains one of the most fascinating figures in Islamic history and literature. This volume also includes sections of his work.

Jewish and Islamic Philosophy: Crosspollinations in the Classic Age

Lenn Evan Goodman

Amazon Price: $55.00 List Price: $55.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Rutgers University Press Amazon Marketplace: 10 new & used starting at $34.99

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Series -> Classics -> Scholastic Classics
Subjects -> History -> World -> Islamic
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Philosophy -> Eastern -> General

Editorial Review:

Examines core issues common to Jewish and Islamic philosophy, such as freedom and determinism, the basis of ethical values, and the relationship between faith and reason, in the rich and varied interactions of two traditions that have carried on a written conversation spanning the centuries. Analyzes dialogues between influential Jewish and Islamic thinkers in order to explicate, connect, and demonstrate the commonalities of these two competing yet linked religious and philosophical traditions.

Islamic Life and Thought

Seyyed Hossein Nasr

List Price: $59.50 By: State Univ of New York Pr Amazon Marketplace: 6 new & used starting at $14.82

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> History -> Historical Study -> Civilization & Culture
Subjects -> History -> World -> Islamic
Subjects -> History -> World -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

An excellent selection and introduction to the subject 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 6 people found this review helpful.

Professor Nasr's works on Islamic Islamic subjects is generally characterised not merely by their academic and still hospitable narrative style but further by a indepth understanding and experience of spirituality as such in its most universal and applicable sense. In the book "Islamic art and Spirituality" Nasr cover the highlight themes of traditional art, architecture, calligraphy, poetry, esoterism, piety, etc, as it developed in Islamic lands. I warmly recommend the present work both to students of religious studies as well as religious seekers from all traditions.

Editorial Review:

This collection of essays by one of the best known contemporary Muslim scholars writing in English covers many facets of Islamic life and thought. The author has brought together studies dealing with the practical as well as intellectual aspects of Islam in both their historical and contemporary reality. The contemporary significance of themes such as religion and secularism, the meaning of freedom, and the tradition of Islamic science and philosophy is given particular attention.

An Introduction to Islamic Cosmological Doctrines: Conceptions of Nature and Methods Used for Its Study by the Ikhwan Al-Safa, Al-Biruni, and Ibn Si

Seyyed Hossein Nasr

List Price: $22.50 By: State University of New York Press Amazon Marketplace: 2 new & used starting at $27.50

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> History -> World -> Islamic
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Philosophy -> Eastern -> General
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Philosophy -> Eastern -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

great and interesting 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 12 people found this review helpful.

Writing the most Islamic tradition and examines the classical Islamic cosmology and shows how Ikhwan ,al Biruni combined teaching the Quran

Very high standard work 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

This book is for those with "higher" education. Professor Nasr quotes frequently directly from the French, often from the Arabic and occasionally from the German. Without at least passive understanding of French one would miss out on some important information.

In a way the book shows a descent from the Brethren of Purity through Al-Biruni to Ibn Sina. Professor Nasr has faithfully treated an often complex and difficult subject matter without over-simplification but also without getting lost, using Tawhid as a compass.

There are, however, some underlying basic issues that Professor Nasr might have dealt with in more depth. The first one is the symbolic nature of what is called the "physical universe", even more apparent since the middle ages. Without any apologetics, Professor Nasr could compare say Ibn Sina's Weltanschauung with the post-Keplerian or even post-Einsteinian from a pure traditional perspective.

Another welcome topic would have been an interweaving of the development of Islamic cosmology with the cyclical descent of the Iron Age, also known as Kali Yuga. Humans of the Golden Age needed no revealed Books. In this sense, although the traditions with revealed Books, the Islamic tradition being the last of them, close the cycle, they also mark its lowest spiral.

Thus, Professor Nasr seems to lose sight a bit of the Primordial Tradition in favour of the Islamic one but the latter, of course, is the subject matter of the book.

For those interested in profound approaches to the subject of cosmology, an excellent complement to Professor Nasr's work may be found in:

Miscellanea (Guenon, Rene. Works.)

in particular the article entitled "The Conditions of Corporeal Existence" beginning on page 88. Readers should bear in mind that this English version is a translation from the French original.

Proofs for Eternity, Creation and the Existence of God in Medieval Islamic and Jewish Philosophy

Herbert A. Davidson

List Price: $75.00 By: Oxford University Press, USA Amazon Marketplace: 3 new & used starting at $169.75

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> History -> World -> Islamic
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Philosophy -> Eastern -> General
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Philosophy -> Eastern -> General AAS

Editorial Review:

The central debate of natural theology among medieval Muslims and Jews concerned whether or not the world was eternal. Opinions divided sharply on this issue because the outcome bore directly on God's relationship with the world: eternity implies a deity bereft of will, while a world with a beginning leads to the contrasting picture of a deity possessed of will. In this exhaustive study of medieval Islamic and Jewish arguments for eternity, creation, and the existence of God, Herbert Davidson provides a systematic classification of the proofs, analyzes and explains them, and traces their sources in Greek philosophy. Throughout the study, Davidson tries to take into account every argument of a philosophical character, disregarding only those arguments that rest entirely on religious faith or which fall below a minimal level of plausibility.