Diseases examined include miserliness, envy, hatred, treachery, rancour, malice, ostentation, arrogance, covetousness, lust, and other afflictions that assail people and often control them. The causes and practical cures of these diseases are discussed, offering a penetrating glimpse into how Islam deals with spiritual and psychological problems and demonstrating how all people can benefit from these teachings.

    This is a new 11th edition of the best-seller translation of the Meaning of The Holy Qur'an by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, published by Amana Publications.

    Forgiveness means a way out, a second chance, a feeling of hope with which to turn a new page in life. It is through the seeking of forgiveness that we begin to understand that there is no reason whatsoever to despair of the mercy of God. Islam encourages us to not run away in fear of Allah but rather to turn toward God the same way a baby would run into its mother's lap. So lovingly does God, Most High, address His sinful servants: "Say (to humanity, O Muhammad): O My servants—those (of you) who have committed (sins in great) excess against their own souls—never despair of the mercy of Allah! For, indeed, Allah forgives sins, one and all. Indeed, it is He who is the All-Forgiving, the Mercy-Giving. So turn in penitence to your Lord. And submit yourselves to Him." (The Qur'an 39:53-54) This collection of seventy prayers for forgiveness [istighfarat] is attributed to one of the greatest spiritual luminaries of the past, Hasan al-Basri, and it has been presented here to offer a way for us to navigate through the complications and pitfalls of this life. Set out in Arabic script, with adjoining translation in English, this edition also includes transliteration of the prayers to facilitate reading for those who are not so well-versed in Arabic.

    Unlike those organized Islamist activities that seek to seize or transform the state, this is a moral reform movement whose orthodox practices are commonly viewed as inconsequential to Egypt's political landscape. Saba Mahmood's compelling exposition of these practices challenges this assumption by showing how the ethical and the political are indelibly linked within the context of such movements.Not only is this book a sensitive ethnography of a critical but largely ignored dimension of the Islamic revival, it is also an unflinching critique of the secular-liberal principles by which some people hold such movements to account. The book addresses three central questions: How do movements of moral reform help us rethink the normative liberal account of politics? How does the adherence of women to the patriarchal norms at the core of such movements parochialize key assumptions within feminist theory about freedom, agency, authority, and the human subject? How does a consideration of debates about embodied religious rituals among Islamists and their secular critics help us understand the conceptual relationship between bodily form and political imaginaries? Politics of Piety is essential reading for anyone interested in issues at the nexus of ethics and politics, embodiment and gender, and liberalism and postcolonialism.

    The writings will be of equal interest to all Muslims whether they are children or adults, and similarly they will gain a lot of virtues, develop good character patterns, and adopt intellectual behavior in their lives from the examples of the great personalities of Islam.

    He says in the Qur'an, "And they are ordered only to serve God, keeping religion pure for Him, to remain upright, and to establish worship and to pay the poor-due. That is true religion" (Qur'an, 98.5). This worship is not possible without knowledge. This short work outlines the absolute essentials of this knowledge: in faith, prayer, and key points related to one's life and dealings. It is based on the methodology of traditional Sunni Islam, according to the Hanafi school, the largest school of Islamic law, and its purpose is to make one's worship valid, sound, and proper in a short amount of time. • Learn the basics & essentials of Islamic beliefs • Make your purification and prayer proper, sound, & valid • Learn key issues on the path to Paradise

    In this brilliant look at the rise of political Islam, the distinguished political scientist and anthropologist Mahmood Mamdani brings his expertise and insight to bear on a question many Americans have been asking since 9/11: how did this happen? Good Muslim, Bad Muslim is a provocative and important book that will profoundly change our understanding both of Islamist politics and the way America is perceived in the world today.

    In doing so, the authors provide a balanced approach representing not only theistic and atheistic perspectives, but also a much-needed Islamic point of view that has largely been ignored or misunderstood.

    It is a book that will inspire the youth and the old alike to spend their time wisely, constructively, and avoid wasting time.The stories narrated, unimaginable as they may be, are not fables nor fairy tales, burt are all authentice events that have been well documented and narrated by scholars themselves. The author was one of the prominent scholars of the 20th century and a veteran leader of the Islamic Movement in Syria

    Among his most outstanding contributions to Muslim intellectual life were masterly defenses of Islamic orthodoxy, mysticism, and law, against the attacks of those who advocated purely legalistic, or entirely esoteric, readings of the religion. He hence articulated the Islam of the middle way, in balance between the extremes of the letter and the spirit. Also included in this volume are extensive translations from key works of al-Ghazali.

    The ancient wisdom of the faith is lovingly passed down to readers from a distinguished lineage of teachers, including the author's own parents and grandparents. Each chapter features a series of thought-provoking questions and suggestions concerning Islamic spirituality along with a list of actions that will guide new believers in the simple spirituality of the faith while spreading compassion worldwide.

    Led by the shaykhs of the Golden Chain-inheritors of spiritual knowledge from Prophet Muhammad-the Naqshbandi Order has always played a central, pivotal role in the life of people in the Muslim world and survived the turmoil and tribulations of the past century to remain one of the few authentic mystical traditions maintaining a living link with its ancient past. The extraordinary vision of the Naqshbandi Saints was manifest in their establishment of fixed devotions and daily practices firmly rooted in the Qur'an and Sunnah of the Prophet. These practices have enabled devout seekers to awaken certainty of belief and to attain stations of nearness to the Divine Presence. The renewed prominence of this order at the turn of the 21st century, due to the indefatigable striving of Mawlana Shaykh Muhammad Nazim al-Haqqani, signals an impending change to our society in which aspirants to Divine Service will be granted to transcend the bounds of the physical senses in order to fulfill the unexplored potential in each human heart. The Naqshbandi Devotions are a source of light and energy, an oasis in a worldly desert. Through the manifestations of Divine Blessings bestowed on the practitioners of these magnificent rites, they will be granted the power of magnanimous healing, by which they seek to cure the hearts of mankind darkened by the gloom of spiritual poverty and materialism. We pray that each person who picks up this book of devotions with sincere intention to observe any of its efficacious practices will receive a portion of the blessings and manifestations bestowed on the greatest saints of earlier times.

    Dr. Mark A. Gabriel allows you to walk side by side with Jesus and Muhammad from their births to their deaths. You will discover that both were prophesied over as children, endorsed by their cousins, rejected by their hometowns, and assisted by twelve disciples. With an understanding of their biographies, you are prepared to compare their teachings, including: •How they described themselves •How they responded to challenges from Jews •The healings and miracles they performed •Guidelines for acceptable prayer •When to fight an enemy •What they taught about women Dr. Gabriel's balanced historical comparison will shatter false images and give you new insight into the influence of Jesus and Muhammad in the world today.

    

    

    Wonderful for Muslims interested in a more thorough understanding of their religion, this set is also an excellent introduction to Islam for people of other faiths who wish to gain a clear understanding of Islam’s basic principles and practices. Remembered by students for its liveliness and clarity, this set is filled with fascinating insights into Islam.

    A comprehensive collection of learned essays and papers on the subject of Sufi thought.

    Description from the publisher: This book covers the following Honorable Wives of the Prophet (S): Khadijah bint Khuwailid Aishah bint Abu Bakr Sawdah bint Zam'ah Umm Habeebah bint Abu Sufyan Umm-Salamah Juwairiyah bint Al-Harith Hafsah bint Umar bin Khattab Zainab bint Khuzaimah Safiyyah bint Huyay Zainab bint Jahsh Maimoonah bint Al-Harith (Peace be upon them all) (Muhammed Online Islamic Book Store +91 99457 44117)

    Glad tidings, then, to every Muslim who constantly and consistently hastens to repent to Allah and to ask for His forgiveness.

    The articles discuss a broad range of topics and issues confronting Muslims today in both their individual as well as collective lives, ranging from Islamic beliefs and practices to politics, women, and modernity. Written in lucid English, the highly engaging articles aim at providing reflection, exposition, inspiration, and intellectual stimulation. The author takes the reader on an intellectual journey to find answers for the problems facing Muslims today at all levels. Taking into consideration current social, cultural, and political discussions, he demonstrates how the solution lies in returning to Islamic principles—as valid and necessary today as they were fourteen centuries ago. His brilliant articulation of Islamic perspectives as well as clarification of thorny topics makes the book a must read for young adults, parents and teachers—Muslim and non-Muslim alike.

    On the one hand, it is a call to Muslims to a greater awareness that Islam teaches the need for dialogue and that Muslims are called to be agents and witnesses to God's universal mercy. On the other hand, the book is an invitation to non-Muslims to move beyond prejudice, suspicion, and half-truths in order to arrive at an understanding of what Islam is really about.

    The collection includes hundreds of invaluable belongings of prophets such as Abraham, Moses, and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon them all), the Prophet's Companions, as well as a number of Muslim saints. Excavated from the most restricted rooms of the palace, the entire selection is compiled here for the first time, including those that are not on exhibit for daily visits."

    Fethullah Gulen has been an extremely effective and popular scholar of Islam for the last 3 decades. This work presents Gulen through a short biography, a selection of various articles, his views on modern education and its importance, and how he has been presented in the media. It is by no means a comprehensive presentation of his life and influence upon millions of people; rather, it is meant to serve as an introduction to those who desire a better understanding of Gulen s message and what it has accomplished over the years."

    Reflecting on these wise sayings and heeding these counsels will assist in infusing us with the requisite awareness and fervour to prepare for the Day of Judgement. Verily, we are in need of such counsel, for our Day of Judgement begins not when the world ends, but when our life comes to an end – which is indeed imminent – as the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) stated. The author, Imam Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalani – a scholar of immense stature, especially in the field of hadith – adopted a unique approach in compiling these sayings.He ordered these sayings numerically, beginning each chapter with Prophetic traditions followed by sayings of the Companions, then those of the pious predecessors.This arrangement bears testimony to his encyclopaedic knowledge and creativity. May the immense wisdom contained in this book enlighten our hearts, open our eyes and awaken us from our state of heedlessness to our real task in this dunya – preparing for the Day of Judgement, as Allah the Almighty says, For surely it is not the eyes that are blind, but it is the hearts that are in the chests. -S.M. Hasan al-Banna

    R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen

    Daily readings include a short text from the Koran and one from Sufi or Hadith traditions.

    It shows how mystics are helping with this work, bringing light and love where it is needed, transforming old patterns, and bringing this new awareness into the mainstream. This book stresses the role of the feminine and how her natural understanding of life’s wholeness and interrelatedness is pivotal to evolution, offering an understanding of a future in which the knowledge of science and the wisdom of the mystic will come together.

    The principal elements are water and shade; they are also characterized by the chahar-bagh: a four-fold pattern, constructed around a central pool or fountain, with four streams flowing toward the four corners of the earth. Aesthetically, this design provides a striking feature in itself; however, a true appreciation of an Islamic garden is only ever complete with an understanding of the spiritual symbolism manifested in its design and planting. This lavish book provides both an intellectual guide to the symbolism of the Islamic garden and a practical guide to its component parts, with recommendations for suitable trees, shrubs, and flowers and advice on creating an Islamic garden in cooler climates. Garden designer Emma Clark teaches Visual Islamic and Traditional Arts at The Prince’s Foundation, London.

    Unlike any other collection of Islamic stories, Beautiful Signs gathers traditional stories from the farthest reaches of the Muslim world, stretching from Morocco in the west to Indonesia in the east, and from China in the north to Tanzania in the south.

    Tom Cheetham suggests that lives can only be completely whole if human beings come to recognize that the human and natural worlds are part of a vast living network and that the material and spiritual worlds are deeply interconnected. Central to this reimagining is an examination of the place of language in human life and art and in the worldview that the prophetic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—presuppose. If human language is experienced only as a subset of a vastly more-than-human whole, then it is not only humans who speak, but also God and the world with all its creatures. If humans' internal poetry and creative imaginations are part of a greater conversation, then language can have the vital power to transform the human soul, and the soul of the world itself.“Cheetham’s approach, style, and manner is scholarly-poetic for he calls on the reader to imagine his work with him, to be a traveler in tandem to his developing thesis, and to imagine it for oneself.” —Spring 74: Alchemy“…Cheetham[’s] vision is one of wholeness, of learning to speak, think, and feel again, and to bring together the ‘shattered fragments of a life into some wounded yet living whole.’” —Journal of Analytical Psychology“…a passionate cry for the reclamation of the imaginal realm denied by the dualistic cosmologies of the Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam … Green Man, Earth Angel is a very engaging read. Cheetham … brings … much-needed attention to the ground-breaking work of Henry Corbin in the field of Sufism and provides throughout … a learned and cogent exposition of Islamic esoteric thought in the work of Ibn 'Arabi.” —Esoterica "This book speaks trenchantly to themes that I have returned to time and again in my writings and throws new light on them. It is a very important addition to the ongoing discussion of where we are in human history." —Huston Smith "Tom Cheetham has written a remarkable book that has the power of shifting our way of imagining the world … Cheetham is one of the most courageous thinkers I have ever read … I hope … you enter into a study of a work that certainly does not belong to the world of throwaway books. This book requires slow reading, for as you read these living words you are undergoing a transformation. At the end of reading, the world will not be the same." —from the Foreword by Robert Sardello "Cheetham gives a very good overview of the many problems of scientific rationalism as they connect to monotheism and Christian teleological thinking. In contrast, he offers a new interpretation of ecology that is aesthetic and soulful, based on the writings of Henry Corbin." —Lee Irwin, author of Awakening to Spirit: On Life, Illumination, and Being Tom Cheetham has taught human ecology and is the author of The World Turned Inside Out: Henry Corbin and Islamic Mysticism.

    Presenting seventy works by seventy authors, it includes:• pre-Islamic poetry and prose;• selections from the Qur’an;• the Prophet Muhammad’s last sermon;• the powerful writing of Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the fourth Islamic Caliph;• writings from the “Golden Age of the Arabs” (750-1258 A.D.) in philosophy, mysticism, prose, and poetry;• works from the neoclassical, modernist, and metaphorical schools;• literature of the Arabs in Andalus, Spain;• discussions of cultural, literary, critical, and political movements of the present day;• vocabulary lists, a list of idioms and notes, a set of questions about the text, and two glossaries.This book not only introduces students to the entire sweep of Arabic intellectual, political, and cultural thought but also gives examples of how this thought is expressed, offering important insight into the Arab mind.

    English translation of Tarbiyat-ul-Awlaad fil-Islaam

    Including previously inaccessible material on the Arabic textual tradition on Byzantium, this investigation shows the significance of Byzantium to the Arab Muslim establishment and their appreciation of various facets of Byzantine culture and civilization. The Arabic-Islamic representation of the Byzantine Empire stretching from the reference to Byzantium in the Qur'an until the fall of Constantinople in 1453 is considered in terms of a few salient themes. The image of Byzantium reveals itself to be complex, non-monolithic, and self-referential. Formulating an alternative appreciation to the politics of confrontation and hostility that so often underlies scholarly discourse on Muslim-Byzantine relations, this book presents the schemes developed by medieval authors to reinterpret aspects of their own history, their own self-definition, and their own view of the world.

    This book is the English translation from Urdu by the prolific author Allama Abdul Mustafa Azmi, may Allah be pleased with him. It is one of the most comprehensive biographies on the market today and is extensively used in teaching circles, madrassahs and colleges.

    It includes over 450 cartoons covering such topics as: the war on terrorism, the 2004 presidential election, Islamism, the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, Iraq, Iran, world politics and more. Cartoons feature such personalities as: George W. Bush, John Kerry, Al Gore, Saddam Hussein, Jacques Chirac, Kofi Annan, Kim Jong Il, Uncle Sam, and of course the Democrat Donkey and Republican Elephant. Packed with hard-hitting, black-and-white cartoons from an individualist perspective. Also includes commentary and interviews with the authors, John Cox and Allen Forkum, as well as additional commentary by Robert W. Tracinski, Charles Johnson, and Felix Grabowski.

    But conflict in the region has deep roots. Now available in paperback, Holy War in China remains the first comprehensive and balanced history of a late nineteenth-century Muslim rebellion in Xinjiang, which led to the establishment of an independent Islamic state under Ya'qub Beg. That independence was lost in 1877, when the Qing army recaptured the region and incorporated it into the Chinese state, known today as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.Hodong Kim offers readers the first English-language history of the rebellion since 1878 to be based on primary sources in Islamic languages as well as Chinese, complemented by British and Ottoman archival documents and secondary sources in Russian, English, Japanese, Chinese, French, German, and Turkish. His pioneering account of past events offers much insight into current relations.

    The First and Final Commandment begins by defining the internal conflicts that fracture the metaphysical worlds of Judaism and Christianity from within, and indeed, which demand reappraisal of the Judeo-Christian scriptures themselves. Incorporating detailed analysis, this work continues on to document the scriptural evidences that suggest continuity in revelation from Judaism to Christianity and, in the end, to orthodox (Sunni) Islam. Provocative and thought-provoking, intelligent and inspiring, this book enters the melee of two thousand years of religious debate with clarity of vision, accuracy of detail, and common sense conclusions which boldly confront conventional Judeo-Christian conclusions.

    It reviews the biography of the Prophet (S) and tracks the places he honored by his visits, the battles he fought, and the expeditions and envoys he directed. The book presents all the required maps, illustrations, drawings and pictures. Briefings and excerpts have been added to the pictures and drawings for better understanding, benefit and satisfaction of the readers.

    Such topics as the meaning of jihad, the role of clerics as authoritative interpreters, and the place of human rights and toleration in Islam have become subjects of urgent public debate around the world. With few exceptions, however, this debate has proceeded in isolation from the vibrant traditions of argument within Islamic theology, philosophy, and law."Islam and the Challenge of Democracy" aims to correct this deficiency. The book engages the reader in a rich discourse on the challenges of democracy in contemporary Islam. The collection begins with a lead essay by Khaled Abou El Fadl, who argues that democracy, especially a constitutional democracy that protects basic individual rights, is the form of government best suited to promoting a set of social and political values central to Islam. Because Islam is about submission to God and about each individual's responsibility to serve as His agent on Earth, Abou El Fadl argues, there is no place for the subjugation to human authority demanded by authoritarian regimes. The lead essay is followed by eleven others from internationally respected specialists in democracy and religion. They address, challenge, and engage Abou El Fadl's work. The contributors include John Esposito, Muhammad Fadel, Noah Feldman, Nader Hashemi, Bernard Haykel, Muqtedar Khan, Saba Mahmood, David Novak, William Quandt, Kevin Reinhart, and Jeremy Waldron.

    The movement's remarkable presence in syndicates, student unions, investment companies and parliament was the outcome of its highly organized structure, consolidated during the earlier years of President Mubarak. Although the Brotherhood failed to secure the recognition of the state, they did secure a degree of informal legitimacy, based on their services to middle class beneficiaries. This "social" legitimacy was soon employed politically against the regime as Mubarak, haunted by the sudden rise of Islamists in Algeria and his failure to legitimate his leadership, was impelled to revoke his policies in the nineties.

    Jerald Dirks explores the similarities and contrasts among Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Using the analogy of a tree, he notes that each of the three Abrahamic faiths claims to be the one, true, vertical extension of a trunk of primary revelation, with the other two religions being seen as lateral branches that deviate from the true verticality of the original trunk.Working within the framework of this metaphor, Dr. Dirks focuses on a series of topics, including his own journey from Christianity to Islam, the extensive common ground that is to be found among the three faiths, the basic differences that separate Islam and Christianity, the issue of religious pluralism in a global world, Islamophobia in the Christian West, and the role of women in the scriptures and foundational texts of the three religions. Along the way, he exposes and corrects numerous myths about the faiths, myths that are too often accepted as common knowledge. Dr. Dirks concludes by calling for a reconciliation among the faiths that embraces and celebrates the commonalities to be found among them and that honestly and respectfully acknowledges their differences.About the author --Dr. Jerald F. Dirks holds B.A. and M. Divinity from Harvard University and doctorate in Psychology from the University of Denver.He is a former ordained minister (deacon) in the United Methodist Church and is author of The Cross & The Crescent and Abraham - The Friend of God. He published over sixty articles in the field of clinical psychology and over one hundred and fifty articles on Arabian horses. He has traveled extensively in the Middle East and interacted widely with the Muslim communities in the United States.

    This volume of the book consists of Ahadith on the priciples of beliefs and it is called 'Usul (principles) in al-Kafi. The sections or chapters in this volume are as follows: 1) The book of Intelligence and Ignorance. 2) The book of Excellence and Knowledge. 3) The book on Oneness of Allah. 4) The book about the people who possess Divine Authority.

    Looking back to the time of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, women were extremely active in all areas of life. The negative stereotype of the role of Muslim women, which is often trumpeted in the media, stems from ignorance of the reality of the position of women in Islam. This dictionary is a comprehensive reference source of women throughout Islamic history from the first century AH to roughly the middle of the thirteenth century AH. A perusal of the entries shows that Muslim women have been successful as, for example, scholars and businesswomen as well as fulfilling their roles as wives and mothers for the past fourteen centuries. In an age when limiting perspectives have come to be the norm, this is a most timely work. Aisha Abdurrahman at-Tarjumana Bewley is one of today's most prolific translators of classical Arabic works into English. She is not only learned in the Arabic language but also well-versed in the basic meanings and nature of the teachings and history of Islam. Being herself a Muslim, her knowledge is born of experience and direct transmission, not simply academic theory and learning by rote. For more than twenty-five years she has been concerned with making the contents of many classical works in Arabic more accessible to English-speaking readers for the first time, including Al-Muwatta' of Imam Malik (Madinah Press, 1991) and the Tabaqat of Ibn

    For Muslims concerned for this freedom, one of the major difficulties is the 'punishment for apostasy' - death for those who desert Islam. This book argues that the law of apostasy and its punishment by death in Islamic law is untenable in the modern period. Apostasy conflicts with a variety of foundation texts of Islam and with the current ethos of human rights, in particular the freedom to choose one's religion. Demonstrating the early development of the law of apostasy as largely a religio-political tool, the authors show the diversity of opinion among early Muslims on the punishment, highlighting the substantial ambiguities about what constitutes apostasy, the problematic nature of some of the key textual evidence on which the punishment of apostasy is based, and the neglect of a vast amount of clear Qur'anic texts in favour of freedom of religion in the construction of the law of apostasy. Examining the significant challenges the punishment of apostasy faces in the modern period inside and outside Muslim communities - exploring in particular how apostasy and its punishment is dealt with in a multi-religious Muslim majority country, Malaysia, and the challenges and difficulties it faces there - the authors discuss arguments by prominent Muslims today for an absolute freedom of religion and for discarding the punishment of apostasy.

    Built on more than 20 years of in depth research, this exciting book helps you evaluate Muslim claims in the light of documented history.Dr. Rafat Amari explains the fundamentals of Islam from a Christian perspective. He examines the Islamic claim that Mecca existed as far back as the time of Abraham, that Ishmael, Abrahams son and the father of the Ishmaelites, lived in Mecca and established a monotheistic faith there. Dr. Amari uses historical records to prove that this claim is impossible.As you dig deeper into Islam, youll learn more about its true roots: the Quran and Islamic tradition the faulty historical chronology on which Islam is based the Islamic Hajj and its Arabian roots the Arabian Jinn religion and its connection with Mohammed the Arabian Star religion and its effect on Mohammad's concept of deity the rise of Islam and how it was achieved during Mohammeds timeIslam: In Light of History is an authoritative guide for every student of Islamnot only the scholar and the Christian apologist, but for every Christian who has contact with, and ministry, to Muslims. This fascinating, scholarly work is rich in its depth and readily understood by the average reader.Youll find this book educational, stimulating and a treat to read

    Muslims today face many temptations and distractions. Those who consciously seek the means of steadfastness will succeed and those who are negligent will, sadly, suffer the doubts and confusion which are more severe now than ever before. Happy are those who seek the way out and join the righteous, dedicated Muslims, and who spare no effort to learn their religion and remain steadfast.This valuable book deals with all these issues and points out the means of steadfastness that every Muslim should learn and practice. The author also discusses common worldly distractions and explains how to deal with them.

    'Parenting Skills' helps parents acquire positive parenting skills and provides them with most effective and efficient parenting methods.

    Mack shows Muslim women in northern Nigeria actively involved in creative activity. Although most of the songs and oral poetry are performed for female audiences only, some are performed for mixed groups, and typically men of the household are permitted to listen as women sing and recite songs and poems that reflect their contemporary social and cultural concerns. Themes such as women's roles in society, women and Islam, history, politics, AIDS prevention, child care, and hygiene form an integral part of their repertoire. Descriptive portraits of the singers interspersed between chapters reveal how they have learned to compose or play instruments and expand on sources of their creative energies. An accompanying audio CD introduces Western audiences to the beauty and richness of Hausa women's song.African Expressive Cultures--Patrick McNaughton, general editor

    The reliability of this material as a source for early Islam is still a highly debated issue. This selection of articles presents the different points of view in this debate and the varying methodological approaches with which scholars trained in modern secular sciences have tried to find a solution to the problem.

    The manner in which this split has been imagined and represented in Western civilization has been the subject of intense cross-disciplinary scrutiny, much of it under the rubric of “orientalism.” This debate, sparked by the 1978 publication of Edward Said’s Orientalism identifies the “Orient” as the Islamic world and to a lesser extent Hindu India. “Orientalism” signifies the way the West imagined this terrain. Going beyond Said’s framework, in their introduction to the volume, Kalmar and Penslar argue that orientalism is based on the Christian West’s attempts to understand and manage its relations with both of its monotheistic Others—Muslims and Jews. According to the editors, Jews have almost always been present whenever occidentals talked about or imagined the East; and the Western image of the Muslim Orient has been formed and continues to be formed in inextricable conjunction with Western perceptions of the Jewish people. Bringing together essays by an array of international scholars in a wide range of disciplines, Orientalism and the Jews demonstrates that, since the Middle Ages, Jews have been seen in the Western world as both occidental and oriental. Jews formed the model for medieval depictions of Muslim warriors. Representations of biblical Jews in early modern Europe provided essential sustenance for Western fictions about the Muslim world. And many of the Western protagonists of imperialism “discovered” real or imaginary Jews wherever their expeditions took them. Today orientalist attitudes by Israelis target not only Arabs but also the mizrahi (“oriental”) Israelis with roots in the Arab world as Others.

    

    Half a million Somalis died that year, and over a million fled the country. Cameras followed US troops as they landed on the beaches at Mogadishu to lead what became an ill-fated UN intervention to end hunger and restore peace.In this book, Somali women write and talk about the war, their experiences and the unacceptable choices they often faced. They explain clearly, in their own words, the changes, challenges – and sometimes the opportunities – that war brought, and how they coped with them. Key themes include the slaughter and loss of men, who were the prime target for killings; rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war; changing roles in the family and within the pastoralist economy; women mobilising for peace; and leading social recovery in a war-torn society. This book is not only an important record of women's experience of war, but also provides researchers and students of gender and conflict with rare first hand accounts highlighting the impact of war on gender relations, and women's struggle for equal political rights in a situation of state collapse.

    Selected from more than thirty years of writing, Between Past and Future brings together for the first time of Eqbal Ahmad's most important essays, magazine articles, newspaper columns and interviews on South Asia, focusing in particular on Pakistan.

    The Prophet Muhammad (upon him be peace) said, "On the Day of Resurrection, nothing will weigh heavier upon the Scales than good character" (Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi). The scholars of the science of Sufism explained the way to live the guidance of the beloved Messenger of Allah (saw), outwardly and inwardly, and guided people toward the perfection of good character and spiritual realization. In this work, Imam Zafar Uthmani presents key Prophetic sayings related to good character and explains their implications for those seeking the spiritual way. To further the benefit of the book, commentary on many of the ¡adiths has been added from the classic works of Mulla Ali al-Qari and Mawlana Ahmad Diya' al-Din al-Kumushkhanawi.

    Although some reporters and Western orientalist scholars have been vigilant enough to rebut these widespread fables, most have fallen headfirst into what one discerning reporter called, "the neo-conservative line that the whole conspiracy against America can be traced back to Wahabism and the government of Saudi Arabia." The author outlines the principles of the Salafee creed in an easy to understand manner. Using many different sources, he carefully presents the arguments of the critics of Salafism and successfully addresses the misconceptions that are contained within these criticisms. Specifically, he addresses the commonly held belief that Usamah bin Laden is a Salafee/"Wahhabi." He compellingly dispels this myth and unveils the sect that has provoked Bin Laden to become the leader of a terrorist movement, something that the media has failed to do yet. Accordingly, it is expected that "The 'Wahhabi' Myth" could have a profound effect upon people's understandings of current affairs. This is the book which some renowned major media outlets have been anticipating since September 11 as the long awaited reply of the Salafee Muslims.

    Therefore, religion adopts science as a way to reach the details of God's creation and therefore encourages science. Just as religion encourages scientific research, so does scientific research that is guided by the facts communicated by religion yield very rapid and definite results. This is because religion is the unique source that provides the most correct and definite answer to the question of how the universe and life came into being.

    Great parts of the book are from "Sirat al-Rasul" by Ibn Ishaq (Allah bless him).

    

    However, and more importantly, he cautions the readers not to jump to the conclusion that since Islam is the only right path therefore all non-Muslims will go to hell-fire. The exclusivist view must be reformed as the belief of Islam being the right path does not automatically and necessarily lead to the belief that all non-Muslims will go to hell.

    His light is like a niche, within it a lamp; the lamp enclosed in glass, the glass like a brilliant star lit from a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor west, whose oil would almost glow though fire touched it not. Light upon light!...' [Qurʾan, 24:35]The 'Light Verse' has evoked numerous interpretations throughout the centuries. Here, Mulla Sadra devotes an entire book of his Qurʾanic commentary to this verse, exploring the meaning of the divine light through metaphysics, ontology, epistemology, psychology, spiritual wayfaring, and traditional Qurʾanic interpretation. Inspiring reading in and of itself, this spiritually uplifting book has also been used as a textbook in university courses on Qurʾanic exegesis and Muslim philosophy.

    Islamic regulation and statecraft in a predominately Hindu country required strategic shifts from the original Islamic injunctions. Islamic principles could not regulate beliefs in a vast country without accepting cultural limitations and limits on the exercise of power. As a result of cultural adaptation, Islam was in the end forced to reinvent its principles for religious rule. Acculturation also forced key Islamic terms to change so fundamentally that Indian Islam could be said to have acquired a character substantially different from the Islam practiced outside of India.

    Barazangi asserts that Muslim women have been generally excluded from full participation in Islamic society, and thus from full and equal Islamic identity, primarily because of patriarchal readings of the Qur'an and the entire range of early Qur'anic literature. Based on her study of the sacred text, she argues that Islamic higher learning is a basic human right, that women have equal authority to participate in the interpretation of Islamic primary sources, and that women will realize their just role in society and their potential as human beings only when they are involved in the interpretation of the Qur'an.        Barazangi offers a curricular framework for self-teaching that could prepare Muslim women for an active role in citizenship and policymaking in a pluralistic society by affirming the self-identity of the Muslim woman as an autonomous spiritual and intellectual human being.

    By analyzing documentary sources as well as original field data, she examines the shaping of religious identities in South Asia, particularly in North India. The author argues that the perception of Islam and Hinduism as two monolithic and perpetually antagonistic faiths coexisting uneasily in South Asia has become so deeply ingrained that the complexity of the historical fabric is often overlooked or ignored. She demonstrates how the emergence of clear-cut categories is a comparatively recent phenomenon, and shows how the past is characterized by a remarkable fluidity and diversity in the social and religious milieus of the two faiths. In exploring the historical mechanisms that have led to the emergence and crystallization of religious identities the author sheds light on the increasing number of conflicts which threaten the harmonious co-existence of South Asian communities today.

    It outlines principal trends of the main Sufi orders in India, the profiles and teachings of the famous and less known saints, and the development of pilgrimage to their tombs in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. A detailed discussion of the interaction of the Hindu mystic tradition and Sufism shows the polarity between the rigidity of the orthodox and the flexibility of the popular Islam in South Asia.

    Inside, multicolored frescoes depict scenes from courtly life and the hunt, along with musicians, dancing girls, and naked bathing women. The traveler is transported to the luxurious and erotic world of a mid-eighth-century Muslim Arab prince. For scholars, though, Qusayr 'Amra, probably painted in the 730s or 740s, has proved a mirage, its concreteness dissolved by doubts about date, patron, and meaning. This is the first book-length contextualization of the mysterious monument through a compelling analysis of its iconography and of the literary sources for the Umayyad period. It illuminates not only the way of life of the early Muslim elite but also the long afterglow of late antique Syria.