His original and suggestive approach opens new doors in the study of comparative philosophy and mysticism.Izutsu begins with Ibn 'Arabi, analyzing and isolating the major ontological concepts of this most challenging of Islamic thinkers. Then, in the second part of the book, Izutsu turns his attention to an analysis of parallel concepts of two great Taoist thinkers, Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu. Only after laying bare the fundamental structure of each world view does Izutsu embark, in the final section of the book, upon a comparative analysis. Only thus, he argues, can he be sure to avoid easy and superficial comparisons. Izutsu maintains that both the Sufi and Taoist world views are based on two pivots—the Absolute Man and the Perfect Man—with a whole system of oncological thought being developed between these two pivots. Izutsu discusses similarities in these ontological systems and advances the hypothesis that certain patterns of mystical and metaphysical thought may be shared even by systems with no apparent historical connection. This second edition of Sufism and Taoism is the first published in the United States. The original edition, published in English and in Japan, was prized by the few English-speaking scholars who knew of it as a model in the field of comparative philosophy. Making available in English much new material on both sides of its comparison, Sufism and Taoism richly fulfills Izutsu's motivating desire "to open a new vista in the domain of comparative philosophy."

    Chasm of Fire: A Woman's Experience of liberation through the Teachings of a Sufi Master - It is an account of the slow grinding down of personality - a painful process for man cannot remake himself without suffering.

    These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

    In analyzing British failures in the region during the zenith of their power and influence, Mr. Kedourie attributes much of Britain's faulty and disastrous handling of Middle East problems to what he calls "the Chatham House version." It was a view of Middle Eastern history and politics propounded and propagated in the various publications of the Royal Institute of International Affairs (known popularly as Chatham House), written or edited by Arnold Toynbee. The episodes that Mr. Kedourie investigates show "successive and cumulative manifestations of illusion, misjudgment, maladroitness, and failure." Together they point up hard lessons for the Bush administration or any outside power that would intervene in Middle Eastern affairs. "No better guide...can be found to the pitfalls awaiting those who seek to control the Middle East to their own advantage."--Asian Affairs "These twelve studies in the modern history of the Middle East [form] the most learned book, the most demanding therefore of rethinking, that has come out on the Middle East for many years, and anyone who in the future writes on any Middle Eastern subject, from any point of view, without consulting it, will do so at his or her grave peril."--London Telegraph

    Essential teachings on nature and meaning of life, exploring the soul's experience from manifestation, through life on earth, and its return to the source of life.

    But after four people told me this book was a must in as many weeks, I took a copy home. Now I'm telling others, You have to read this! Part thriller, part biography, part history, Badshah Khan's life story is remarkable by any measure: dubbed the Frontier Gandhi, he raised a nonviolent army of followers from one of India's most violent minorities, the islamic Pathans of the Khyber Pass.Khan's message offers a weapon of hope for deadlocked conflicts around the globe -- in the Middle East, India, Central America, the Balkans -- wherever people have forgotten that peace and forgiveness are possible.

    This is the story of how a proud and powerful chieftain came to embrace Islam as a result of the humane treatment shown to him by the Prophet during his capture and imprisonment.

    Unfortunately, it is a common view in the west that the Irani Shi'ites and their so-called 'Islamic' revolution with all its attendant turmoil, injustice and barbarism, are representatives of Islaam. It is hoped that the reader of this work will come to perceive the abyss which separates the Shi'ites from the Muslim majority, and that he will no longer condemn all Muslims for the activities of one deviant sect.A Small Book which covers a wide range of Subjects including:THE PREDETERMINED FACT OF SECTARIANISMTHE CALL TO RECONCILIATION OF THE VARIOUS SECTS AND SCHOOLS OF THOUGHTISLAMIC JURISPRUDENCETHE QUESTION OF TAQIYYAHSHI'ITE ATTACK ON THE NOBLE QUR'AANSHI'ITE LIES, EVEN AGAINST 'ALIREJOICING OF THE MISSIONARIES AND ORIENTALISTSSHI'ITE VIEWS ON THE MUSLIM RULERSMALICE AGAINST ABU BAKR AND 'UMARSHI'ITES EXALT THE ASSASSIN OF THE CALIPH 'UMARDESIRE FOR REVENGE AND DESTRUCTIONSHI'ITES' WAY OF THINKING UNCHANGEDDISTORTION OF HISTORICAL FACTSTHE SHI'ITES PLACE THEIR IMAMS ABOVE THE MESSENGERSHI'ITE TREACHERY TOWARDS ISLAMIC GOVERNMENTSTHE TREACHERY OF AL-'ALQAMI AND IBN ABIL-HADEEDAN IMPEDIMENT TO RECONCILIATIONSALVATION CANNOT BE ATTAINED WITHOUT PLEDGING ALLEGIANCE AND GRANTING SOVEREIGNTY TO AHLIL-BAITSHI'ITES DIFFER WITH MUSLIMS IN FUNDAMENTALS, NOT ONLY IN THE SECONDARY ISSUESTHE TALE OF THE DOOR AND THE TUNNELTHE CONCEPT OF PLEDGING ALLEGIANCE ACCORDING TO THE MUSLIMSFRIENDSHIP AND AFFECTION AMONG THE RIGHTLY-GUIDED CALIPHSWHY WE MUST RID OURSELVES OF ANY CONNECTION WITH THE SHI'ITESSHI'ITES PREFER PROPAGATION OF THEIR SECTARIAN TENETS TO TAQREEBTHE INTRIGUE OF BAABISM AND BAHAISM AND THE ENSUING UPHEAVAL IN IRANFROM SHI'ISM TO COMMUNISM

    

    This concise but enormously valuable work lays down the nature, logic and dynamic of the Islamic movement in the context of Iman and Jihad.

    Dismissing oversimplified and politically charged views of the politics of Shi'ite Islam, Said Amir Arjomand offers a richly researched sociological and historical study of Shi'ism and the political order of premodern Iran that exposes the roots of what became Khomeini's theocracy.