With practical information and personal stories, Carl Medearis shows readers how they can build life-changing bridges between the world's two largest religions--one person at a time, whether in the US or elsewhere.

    Gabriel challenges our western and politically-correct notions about Islam, demonstrating why radical Islam is so deadly and how we can halt its progress.Brigitte Gabriel speaks her mind:*Fundamentalist Islam is a religion rooted in 7th century teachings that are fundamentally opposed to democracy and equality.*Radical Islamists are utterly contemptuous of all "infidels" (non-Muslims) and regard them as enemies worthy of death.*Madrassas in America are increasing in number, and they are just one part of a growing radical Islamic army on US soil.*Radical Islam exploits the US legal system and America's protection of religion to spread its hatred for western values.*America must organize a unified voice that says "enough" to political correctness, and demands that government officials and elected representatives do whatever is necessary to protect us.Brigitte Gabriel has fearlessly faced down critics, death threats, and political correctness, and is one of the most sought after terrorism experts in the world. They Must Be Stopped is her clarion call to action. Gabriel thoroughly addresses the historical and religious basis of radical Islam, its frightening encroachment into societies around the world, and its abuses of democracy in the name of religion.

    A Large Collection (2000+ pages) of events and incidents involving the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them), meticulously categorized by the common lessons and morals these incidents symbolise.The author has organised together a vast amount of information to paint a vivid picture of the struggle for Da'wah of the Sahabah, and their training by the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), a picture meant to leave an inedible mark on the reader. The Author has relied mainly on Authentic Hadith and Works of renowned Classical Scholars.The book presents in graphic detail each and every aspect of the many splendoured and exalted lives, morals and struggles of the Sahabah, based on authentic and original sources of Ahadeeth, Sirah, Tabaqat and Islamic History. One finds here all the hear, light and power of their faith in Islam, unfolding into words and actions which laid the foundations of the golden era of the Righteous Caliphate. Originally written in Arabic by well known scholar Maulana Muhammad Yusuf Kandhlawi the book has been highly acclaimed as one of the most authentic book of its kind, throughout the Islamic world. As such, it is necessary for all those who wish to understand the basic Islamic forces at work, in the lives and times of the Sahabah, which turned the tide of history.

    This book should be required reading for the Left in the West who have mistakenly started believing that Islamists represent some sort of anti-imperialism.

    It contains a careful selection of thirty three magnificent Quranic tales retold in age-appropriate language. A simple text and fabulous colour illustrations, which brings the narratives vividly to life, make the message of the Quran more meaningful for children. The book offers a special dimension to these wonderful goodnight stories, and acts as a foundation on which to build a growing knowledge of the Quran.

    Religious scholar and medical doctor Laurence B. Brown concludes MisGod'ed, his exposé of the shortcomings of Judeo-Christian theology, with God'ed?, which examines the Islamic claim of Muhammad as the foretold final messenger, and the revelation he transmitted, the Qur'an, as the completion of God's revelation to humankind. Together, these two scholarly works differentiate the truth of God's guidance from the falsehoods of human corruption while offering evidence that not only suggests the need for a final, clarifying revelation, but in fact demands it. At last, we have a comprehensive guide to the three Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and a sensible roadmap by which sincere seekers can navigate their quest for religious truth.

    

    The ancient practitioners of this craft used traditional methods of measurement to create dazzling geometric compositions, often based on the repetition of a single pattern. The results are magnificent in their beauty and awe-inspiring in their execution. Now, with the aid of this book, everyone can learn how to master this ancient art and create their own intricate patterns or re-create classic examples. All one needs are a pencil, a ruler, a compass, and a steady hand. First, technical tips demonstrate the basics: how to draw a square, hexagon, or pentagon. This is followed by some of the best examples of geometric patterns from around the world, arranged into three levels of complexity, with careful, step-by-step instructions. The book features geometric patterns from some of the most famous and beautiful Islamic architecture and art, including: La Mezquita, Cordoba; Capella Palatina, Sicily; Mustansiriya Madrasa, Baghdad; Umayyad Mosque, Damascus; Mosque of al-Salih Tala'I, Cairo; The Koran of Rashid al-Din.

    With lush illustrations that evoke Islamic art, this beautiful story offers a window into modern Muslim culture—and into the ancient roots from within its traditions have grown.

    After a bad fall in the river, 16 year-old Sophia suddenly finds herself in nineteenth century Kansas. She struggles to adjust to new food, new entertainment and a new family. She is still a twenty-first century Muslim girl, though, so slavery is intolerable and the way Native Americans are treated is unacceptable. Sophia copes the best she can as she tries to understand how she got there, how she can help those she's met and if she will ever get back. Sophia's Journal is a fresh take on a pivotal moment in American history. Filled with adventure, romance and self-discovery, it offers a glimpse into a world half-forgotten, from a vantage point like no other. "Quite simply, an excellent read." -J.M. Hayes, author of the Mad Dog and Englishman series "Finally, a well-written novel about a teenage Muslim!" - Freeda C. Shamma, Curriculum Consultant "A valuable and entertaining addition to any social studies or language arts curriculum." -Tamara Gray, Educational Consultant and founder of Rabata.org

    This book carries 18 motivational and inspirational stories shared in a simple, chatty, conversational, humorous and witty way that promises to touch your heart, tease your mind and soothe your soul!

    Brown teases common threads in the complex world of organized religion from the tangled mass of religious misdirection. An earnest search for truth, this text unveils both the corruptions and commonalities of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam to fill the current void of intellectual discourse on the subject. For those readers who are intrigued but skeptical of organized religion, especially strict, literal interpretation of the Bible, this book articulates many of the questions readers have about religion, and poses others of its own. It provides a comprehensive, historically based analysis of documents, traditions and institutions. The central theme is to examine Judaism, Christianity, and Islam for truth in revelation, and trace the chain of revelation to its logical conclusion. Solicitous and precise, this text captures the essence of what it means to be a person of God.

    There has perhaps never been a time when the world was more in need of an authentic depiction of the Best of Creation (asws). ‘Our Master Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (asws)’ is a unique work discussing the noble qualities and characteristics of the Final Prophet (asws) in a way that is infused with love and devotion. In the first volume of this book, the author depicts all the fine attributes of our Prophet (asws) with respect to his physical beauty, his eloquence and wisdom, his exalted status, his sublime character and his mercy (asws).This incredible expression of Prophetic love was written by the scholar of Aleppo, Imam ‘Abdallah Sirajuddīn al-Husayni (ra), who was not only a Hafiz, a leading scholar of Hadith and exegete of the Qur’an, but also a true Saint, referred to by scholars as ‘The Pole of Prophetic Love of our Times’. His book is the product of true scholarship and virtue. ‘It is as though the Shaykh (ra) was looking directly at the Messenger of Allah (asws) before him as he wrote, deriving his beautiful expressions from the light of his (asws) countenance, so that by divine providence his insight was opened, and he grazed in the pastures of subtle secrets, uncovering the beauty and perfection of the Messenger’s (asws) character, imbibing the fragrance of the Prophetic Sunnah, bathing in the light of the Muhhammadan reality and its meanings, and tasting of its fruits, and then gathering all of these illuminations in a work so noble and rarefied that it would not be surprising if it were to be read to a sick person and so cure him.’– Shaykh Muhammad b. Yahya al-Ninowy

    Amira Ayad is a practitioner and researcher with a Master’s in Pharmaceutics and a Doctorate in Natural Health. She writes:During the course of this work, I try to explain how you can combine the rich tradition of Islamic teaching with beneficial contemporary scientific knowledge in order to lead a holistically healthy and happy life.The book is divided into five chapters, each concerning one of the five components that make up your body, mind and soul, clarifying in each chapter how to look after that part of you and keep it healthy. During the course of the book you will notice how these bodies are interconnected; the health of one is highly dependent on the wellbeing of the others, so that a happy, healthy life entails a balance between all of them. Healing Body & Soul presents holistic Islamic health science in a simple yet comprehensive user-friendly guide to better health. Healing Body & Soul is an invaluable reference that encourages and empowers people to take control of their health and their lives.

    Who Speaks for Islam? is about this silenced majority. This book is the product of the Gallup World Poll’s massive, multiyear research study. As part of this groundbreaking project, Gallup conducted tens of thousands of interviews with residents of more than 35 nations that are predominantly Muslim or have significant Muslim populations. Gallup posed questions that are on the minds of millions: Is Islam to blame for terrorism? Why is there so much anti-Americanism in the Muslim world? Who are the extremists? Where are the moderates? What do Muslim women really want? Grounded in Gallup World Poll data, not in contentious rhetoric, Who Speaks for Islam? brings data-driven evidence — the voices of a billion Muslims, not those of individual “experts” or “extremists”— to one of the most heated and consequential debates of our time.

    The author also includes a number of interviews with exorcists from around the world.

    These are the messengers of God who came with holy books containing the Divine Message. The others are prophets who received divine revelation but who were not ordered to deliver it to anyone; it was for them. By way of example, all of Jacob's sons were prophets, but Joseph was the only messenger from among them. Laboriously compiled from rare manuscripts, traditional Islamic texts, and other printed source material, including ahadith and athar and the many traditional books of history, and painstakingly translated from Ottoman Turkish to English, Lore of Light depicts the perfected, blessed character and refined manners that God bestowed on His blessed prophets and messengers. This illustrious work examines the lives of the prophets and messengers of God in great detail, heretofore unknown in English literature on their lives. It depicts the great lengths to which these holy figures went - at times losing life, suffering humiliation, torment and abuse from those who opposed them, often leaving their homes, always tolerant of their attackers and seeking peace - to guide the many peoples and nations of the world towards the light which God has sent throughout time for humankind's betterment and upliftment.

    Everything about her life?family, sexuality, hygiene, business, banking, contracts, economics, politics, social issues, everything?was dictated by the Islamic law code known as Sharia.But Sharia isn't staying in majority Muslim nations. Darwish now lives in the West and brings a warning; the goal of radical Islam is to bring Sharia law to your country. If that happens, the fabric of Western law and liberty will be ripped in two. Under Sharia law:A woman can be beaten for talking to men who are not her relatives and flogged for not wearing a headdressDaughters, sisters, and wives can be legally killed by the men in their familyNon-Muslims can be beheaded, and their Muslim killers will not receive the death penaltyCertain kinds of child molestation are allowedThe husband of a "rebellious" wife can deny her medical care or place her under house arrestThink it can't happen? In 2008, England?once the seat of Western liberty and now the home of many Muslim immigrants?declared that Sharia courts in Britain have the force of law.When Muslim populations reach as little as 1 or 2 percent, says Darwish, they begin making demands of the larger community, such as foot-level faucets for washing before praying in public schools, businesses, and airports. "Airports in Kansas City, Phoenix, and Indianapolis are among those who have already installed foot baths for Muslim cab drivers," writes Darwish. These demands test how far Westerners will go in accommodating the Muslim minority. How far will they push? The Organization of the Islamic Conference works to Islamize international human rights laws and apply Sharia "standards" for blasphemy to all nations. The penalty for blasphemy? Death.Weaving personal experience together with extensive documentation and research, Darwish exposes the facts and reveals the global threat posed by Sharia law. Anyone concerned about Western rights and liberties ignores her warning and analysis at their peril.

    He, therefore, needs to free himself from his own sins in order to attain salvation. In this article, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah(as) answers the all-important question, why does man commits sin, and how can he free himself from it.The Promised Messiah(as) also argues that a true religion must be judged by its ability to lead its followers to certainty about the existence of God. The holy author makes a detailed comparison between Islam and other major religions, and concludes that Islam alone can lead man to perfect awareness and, consequently, to freedom from sin.The first English translation of this article was published under the title How to get rid of the Bondage of Sin, in the English edition of The Review of Religions, January 1902. The current translation has been prepared by Wakalat Tasnif, Rabwah.

    Single Volume 2nd Editon

    

    However, in today's society, sexual boundaries are being pushed further and further, and often, sexual deviance is openly practised. In such circumstances, there is a need to identify which sexual activities are permissible in Shari'ah. Islamic Guide to Sexual Relations is a serious endeavour to tackle these sensitive matters in a clear and concise manner. While being respectful and dignified in the language he employs, the author does not shy away from discussing sensitive issues. He records, in thorough detail, the guidance Islam provides regarding sexual encounters with one's spouse. The book covers a wide range of issues, and thus, answers many frequently asked questions on the topic of sexual relations. It concludes with a short chapter addressing Islamic etiquettes and practises pertaining to newlyweds on their first night.

    . . any number of episodes could inspire novels . . . impossible to read without thinking of more current events."—The New York Times"A valuable and timely reminder . . . of that rare figure: a bridge between East and West."—Times Literary SupplementThis well-researched and compelling biography of the Muslim warrior-saint who led the Algerian resistance to French colonization in the mid-nineteenth century sheds light on current US involvement with a global Islam. The most famous "jihadist" of his time, Abd el-Kader was known equally for his military brilliance and his moral authority. His New York Times obituary called him "one of the few great men of the century."

    Despite the obvious heartbreak this causes Asabe, Adam marries a second wife, the very young and beautiful Fatima. Double tragedy prevents the realization of Adam's hope and Asabe stands firm with her husband to gather the broken pieces of their life. But, Adam isn't prepared to count his loses. He compounds their difficulties by marrying the cunning and deceptive divorcee, Sauda. This choice yields anguish and confusion, and Adam loses more than hope, but a piece of his spirit.Neglected and living in the shadow of Adam's desires, Asabe yet again proves her worth as the true bedrock in his life. Asabe becomes the catalyst that brings Adam's life full circle.Read An Unproductive Woman to learn what secrets Adam has withheld that would explain his unreasonable longing and pursuit of a son at all costs.

    His teachings and insights inspired much of Rumi’s poetry and are still celebrated today by all Sufi. Translated by two noted students of Sufi, Shams’ timeless teachings are presented here in their traditional order. Through the book, readers discover the teachings that made Rumi dance and gain access into Sufi traditions and the power of mystical love.

    On December 2008, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf presented “Climbing Mount Purgatorio: Reflections from the Seventh Cornice” at The Social Costs of Pornography, an event organized by the Witherspoon Institute at Princeton University.Zaytuna College still has the paper available for download if students want to look into this problem, part of a major disease of the heart.A recording of the lecture is also available here .

    To understand this one must appreciate that throughout history erroneous beliefs about Imam Muhammad Mahdi have taken shape and accumulated into a body of fitan. This book rejects the notion that Imam Mahdi has already arrived through various Quranic and Hadith evidences. The author proves that the Awaited Imam Mahdi has not arrived yet and gives an estimated date of his arrival based on the Hadith. The author identifies various Quranic verses and Hadith to support his argument. He discusses various incidents and major signs which will appear at the time of the arrival of Imam Mahdi. This book also provides an insight into the events which take place after the appearance of Imam Mahdi and Prophet Jesus who will join him to fight Dajjal (anti-christ). The book also discusses how the world will end after Dajjal has been defeated.

    And what better guidebook than one based on the character of the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace), authored by an exemplary scholar like Shaykh Ibn al-'Uthaymeen, known for his outstanding manners!

    Explaining that submission, faith, and beautification complement and complete each other, the study reveals that embodying all three attributes simultaneously is what Muslims strive to achieve in order to meet the Qur'an's definition of fitrah, or true nature. This drastic contrast to many issues and concerns about Muslims—especially the stereotypical attitudes that have arisen since 9/11—is fully explored in the account's quest to foster mutual understanding between cultures. Using a famous encounter between the prophet Muhammad and the angel Gabriel as its outline, this analysis presents a fully holistic view of a world religion that has thrived for more than 1,000 years.

    This volume presents a picture of its spiritual dimensions by focusing on the ideas of its founder, Turkish theologian Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (1877-1960). Prominent scholars in contemporary Islamic studies and comparative spirituality examine the various facets of Nursi's spirituality as revealed in his magnum opus, Risale-i Nur, which began to take shape in the 1920s and is considered Nursi's deep reflection on the Quran in light of rapidly changing conditions in Turkey. Nursi argued that Islam must be organically linked to empire in order to preserve its identity in the modern era, fostering a spiritual tradition that has steadfastly survived the secular project of Kemalism.

    

    In this probing investigation of the origins of suicidal terrorism, Abdal Hakim Murad finds not "Jihad versus MacWorld" but "MacJihad versus MacWorld." In this concise essay, the author contents that today's terrorist movements have their roots in a very western and very relativistic worldview, adopted by self-proclaimed Islamists whose mindset is as westernized as the societies they strike.

    

    Devoted to the concept of deterrence of terrorism in the Indian concept, a concept held to be under finable, this book defines such a concept for India.

    Compiled and Translated with an Introduction by Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf"A Perfect Companion Book to Prayers for Forgiveness"The greatest source of blessings and mercy for the Muslim and for all of mankind is Muhammad, the Beloved Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), sent as a Mercy to the Worlds. Muslims, as the most privileged recipients of this mercy, are required to invoke blessings (salat) upon him, and doing so holds great reward; the Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, Whoever sends one blessing upon me, Allah will send ten blessings upon him (Muslim). Abu Muhammad al-Marjani says, Your invoking blessings upon him is in reality praying for yourself since the benefits of it are returning to you.According to the hadith master, Shams al-Din al-Sakhawi, the benefits of sending blessings on Allahs Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) are numerous: Allah, His angels, and His Messenger send mercy upon the one who invokes blessings. Such a persons wrongdoings are expiated, his good deeds increased and purified, and his status elevated. Whoever makes it his complete regimen by day and night, both his worldly and otherworldly matters are taken care of. He is shown his abode in Paradise before his death, his wealth is increased, and more than one hundred needs of his are fulfilled . . .This short manual consists of fifty invocations of blessings upon the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), most transmitted from the Messenger s himself. Set out in vowelled Arabic script, with facing English translation, this handy edition also includes transliteration for ease of use.

    But good advice from a sheikh, support from her friends and a strong plan, she's certainly on the right track to getting what she wants out of the Holy month.Ameena's ramadan Diary starts in late Rajab as Ameena begins her preparation for Ramadan. Every day before, during and after Ramadan, Ameena writes her diary entries taking you through everything from family related matters to do's and don'ts of worship.Packed full of practical hints and tips and inspiring quotes from the Qur'an and hadith, Ameena's Ramadan Diary is the perfect companion for anybody who is looking to make the most out of Ramadan

    The interest of managers has expanded beyond contemporary management schools to include even ancient ones. Nevertheless, little attention is currently paid to the Islamic management approach, one that has far outperformed its contemporaries and left indelible marks on the minds of innumerable researchers, leaders, and managers that have followed. Islam and Management will shed light on the Islamic approach to management and delineate important lessons from the teachings of Islam and the experiences of Muslims. People who should read this book include all managers seeking to enhance the effectiveness of their organizations. This book is particularly important for Muslim managers who will find its approach to be coherent with their cultural values.Topics covered in this book include organizational culture, planning, organizing, leading, motivating, controlling, competition, conflict management, and human resource management. This book also includes a chapter on the enriching leadership of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattâb, the second caliph of Islam.

    Additional sections include the most beatiful names of God, prayer for help and victory, and other prayers to be read at any time.

    She also considers how their near-invisibility except as victims has underpinned the construction of the ideal citizen-subject in late colonial India. Through critical engagements with significant feminist and postcolonial scholarship, Sarkar maps out when and where Muslim women enter into the written history of colonial Bengal. She argues that the nation-centeredness of history as a discipline and the intellectual politics of liberal feminism have together contributed to the production of Muslim women as the oppressed, mute, and invisible “other” of the normative modern Indian subject.Drawing on extensive archival research and oral histories of Muslim women who lived in Calcutta and Dhaka in the first half of the twentieth century, Sarkar traces Muslim women as they surface and disappear in colonial, Hindu nationalist, and liberal Muslim writings, as well as in the memories of Muslim women themselves. The oral accounts provide both a rich source of information about the social fabric of urban Bengal during the final years of colonial rule and a glimpse of the kind of negotiations with stereotypes that even relatively privileged, middle-class Muslim women are still frequently obliged to make in India today. Sarkar concludes with some reflections on the complex links between past constructions of Muslim women, current representations, and the violence against them in contemporary India.

    Especially now, it's worth taking a look at the region's creativity. Young designers are just beginning to chart their own compelling course between local visual convention and a modern, international style. Arabesque investigates the creative potential of the Arab World and Iran. This book features examples of recent innovative and groundbreaking design work that is inspired by the richness of the region's visual culture. Given the important role of calligraphy in the Middle East, Arabesque focuses on typography. The book presents a wide range of Arabic fonts and typefaces inspired by traditional calligraphy; these are accompanied by a rich selection of applications. Further examples of design and graffiti serve as powerful demonstrations of how text can be used illustratively. This work is particularly relevant to those now creating street art and poster design. Arabesque also features graphic design, logos and illustration by young designers and activists from Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which is complemented by selected projects by Western designers, who are strongly influenced by Arab culture. Regardless of the location and ancestry of their creators, all of the examples included in Arabesque combine modern design with the traditional, letter-based canon of Arab forms in striking ways. Supplemental texts describe the environments in which the featured designers and artists work. Arabesque also includes a CD-ROM that features a typeface created by the book's editors, Ben Wittner and Sascha Thoma.

    Verses of the Quran are hung in high places on the walls, touched and treated with utmost reverence, yet the so-called Muslims rarely refer to them for their guidance. They are too confused by the contradictory and tangled maze of thousands of hearsay reports falsely attributed to Muhammad and lost among the trivial details of sectarian books. When they occasionally refer to the Quran, it is most likely to be in an abusive manner, abusing the verses by taking them out of context and using them as slogans to declare holy wars or to justify aggression. The Quran that liberated people from the darkness of ignorance was transformed, soon after Muhammad's departure, to a book whose verses were recited for the dead, an amulet carried by the mentally and physically sick, and a paper idol to be revered and feared. Unfortunately, ignorance, intolerance, misogynist teachings, superstitions, and outdated practices have accumulated over the centuries in interpreting and translating the holy book of Islam. It is time to re-introduce the actual message of the Quran. It is time to remove the accumulated layers of man-made dogmas and traditions that have attached themselves to the text (6:21; 7:29; 9:31; 16:52; 39:2,11,14; 40:14,65; 42:21; 45.17; 74:1-56; 98:5).

    Suitable for children of ages 9 to 12 years, this collection of illustrated stories offers an Islamic take on the lives and missions of familiar prophets.

    Siljander takes us on an eye-opening journey of personal, religious, and political discovery. In the 1980s, Siljander was a newly minted Reagan Republican from Michigan who joined Congress in the same generation as Newt Gingrich and Tom DeLay, ready to remake the world. A staunch member of the Religious Right, he once walked out of the National Prayer Breakfast when a speaker quoted from the Qur'an.But after losing reelection, Siljander dove into the Bible to look for the passage in which the Bible says it is our job as Christians to convert others in order to save them from eternal damnation. He couldn't find it; in fact, he couldn't even find a passage saying that Jesus set out to form a new religion. This discovery was the first step on a spiritual and political journey that started with an in-depth linguistic study of the Bible and led to the discovery that Christianity and Islam share many base words and concepts. In his role as ambassador to the United Nations Siljander began sharing his insights on the connections between Islam and Christianity, with surprising results. A Deadly Misunderstanding recounts Siljander's amazing discoveries as he travels to some of the most remote and hostile places in the world—deep into Libya, Sudan, Pakistan, and India—forging deep ties with both heads of state and religious leaders. What he has learned could radically shift the contemporary religious landscape and help heal the rift between Islam and the West. No Christian or Muslim will be unaffected after reading this book.

    By the mid-fifteenth century, Timbuktu had become a major center of Islamic literary culture and scholarship. The city's libraries were repositories of all the world's learning, housing not only works by Arab and Islamic writers but also volumes from the classical Greek and Roman worlds and studies by contemporary scholars.The astonishing manuscripts of Timbuktu form the lavish visual heart of this book. Beautifully graphic, occasionally decorated, these exquisite artifacts reveal great craftsmanship as well as learning. All were written in the Arabic script, but not all are in Arabic, for they also feature a range of local African languages.Aside from scholarly works, the surviving manuscripts include a wealth of correspondence between rulers, advisers, and merchants on subjects as various as taxation, commerce, marriage, divorce, adoption, breastfeeding, and prostitution, providing a vivid insight into the ordinary life and values of the day.

    Topics include the importance of money as a test for Muslims, the necessity that money be rightfully earned and properly spent, the virtue to be found in labor, and the complexities of using money for earthly power. Some examples of zuhd, or 'doing without,' by the Prophet Muhammad and his companions are used to clarify the law and provide practical models.

    She focuses on three key countries in the gulf: Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia, whose Shia Islamic groups are the offspring of various Iraqi movements that have surfaced over recent decades. Lou?r explains how these groups first penetrated local societies by espousing the networks of Shiite clergymen. She then describes the role of factional quarrels and the Iranian revolution of 1979 in defining the present landscape of Shiite Islamic activism in the Gulf monarchies. The reshaping of geopolitics after the Gulf War and the fall of Saddam Hussein in April 2003 had a profound impact on transnational Shiite networks. New political opportunities encouraged these groups to concentrate on national issues, such as becoming fierce opponents of the Saudi monarchy. Yet the question still remains: How deeply have these new beliefs taken root in Islamic society? Are Shiites Saudi or Bahraini patriots? Lou?r's book also considers the transformation of Shia movements in relation to central religious authority. While they strive to formulate independent political agendas, Shia networks remain linked to religious authorities ( "marja'") who reside either in Iraq or Iran. This connection becomes all the more problematic should the "marja'" also be the head of a state, as with Iran's Ali Khamenei. In conclusion, Lou?r argues that the Shia will one day achieve political autonomy, especially as the "marja'," in order to retain transnational religious authority, begin to meddle less and less in the political affairs of other countries.

    Sweeping out from its origin in Saudi Arabia, Islam has expanded through violent conquest into North Africa, the Middle and Near East and very nearly into Europe itself, attacking through Spain, Italy, and the Balkans. Each time, the Islamic hordes were turned back by a united European military effort. Today, the Islamic invasion is not being carried out with sieges, scimitars, or cannon, but rather by immigration, birth rates, and demographics. Given current trends, Europe is set to be overrun before the end of this century. Finally, this book dares to say what must be done if Europe is to avoid succumbing to the new invasion. The choice is hard, but is one which will determine whether Western Civilisation lives or dies.

    Their initial insights were refined by a broad group of workers in a consultation in the spring of 2007, further analyzed in subsequent months, and compiled in this volume. From Seed to Fruit presents the most recent worldwide research on witness to Christ among Muslim peoples, using biblical images from nature to show the interaction between God's activity and human responsibility in blessing these peoples.

    Narrated from the Prophet Muḥammad as well as the Shiʿa Imams, these hadith span theology, ethics, history, and social issues. The introduction outlines the development of Shiʿa hadith literature from the time of the Prophet to modern times. Although over a thousand pages long, this parallel Arabic-English edition has been carefully printed on fine paper to make it a portable reference book for the scholar, student, researcher, or enthusiast. A valuable reference work for personal, public, or university libraries.

    Of late, increasing attempts are being made to promote Islamic music, and the distinction between what is allowed and what is not has become hazy and unclear for many. This book demystifies the issue of music in Islam by going to original source books in Arabic, many of them brought to light for the first time in the English language. It traces the attitudes of the Muslim society about music and the musician throughout its history and quotes extensively from the deliberations of the Qur an and Hadith scholars and jurists from all schools of Islamic Law, both Sunni and Shi'ah. Separate chapters are devoted to a discussion of the views of Sufi masters as well as the arguments of Ibn Hazm. It examines in considerable depth the impact of colonialism and the media revolution (beginning with the gramophone) on the attitudes of Muslim societies regarding music. It also subjects the works of Orientalists to a scrutiny that was overdue. By referring to it as a slippery stone, Sufis vividly pointed out the dangers associated with this enterprise and emphasized the need for caution. History is filled with the corpses of those who fell off the slippery stone by ignoring this advice. Combining historic, cultural, and jurisprudential perspectives this book brings the truth of that metaphor into sharp relief. More than six hundred references and more than a hundred twenty biographical notes on the authorities quoted add to the value of a discussion that is comprehensive without being boring, and detailed without being confusing. This book has left no stone unturned in its examination of the slippery stone. Foreword by Syed Salman Nadvi

    The author Imam ‘Izz ibn ‘Abd al-Salam, nicknamed the Sultan of Scholars, produced a number of brilliant works in Shafi’i jurisprudence, Quraanic exegesis, methodological fundamentals of Sacred Law, formal legal opinion, government, and Sufism, and a masterpiece on Islamic legal principles, Qawa’id al-ahkam fi masalih al-anam [The Bases of Legal Rulings in the Interests of Mankind].

    There are also rulings on more practical questions about the respective merits of fame and obscurity, the correct way to worship the spirits of the dead, and the causes of civil war. The book is also notable for a fascinating stylistic technique: the curt and pitiless dismissals of all questions not on the traveler's path.

    Sources were used that date back to the fourteenth century and earlier. Although the study is embedded in the Arab-Islamic culture of North Africa and the Middle East, its implications are universal particularly in light of scientific discoveries of natural processes and the underlying principles of complexity theory and the processes that bring about emergence. Generative processes that shaped urban form are clearly demonstrated in the book. The study also sheds light on the implications of responsibility allocation to the various parties who are involved in the development process and the resulting patterns of decision-making that affect change and growth in the built environment. All of these issues are of significance when trying to understand the concepts that relate to various aspects of sustainability, the future potential of eco-cities, and the nature of policies and programs that are required for the immediate present and for the future. This work is a major contribution for enhancing the theories and practice of urban planning and design.

    From the religious tome's purpose and objectives to its' rhetoric and eloquence, various aspects of the Qur'an are examined while new insights are provided on the existence and oneness of God, prophethood, and bodily resurrection.

    As a young man, he studied the major hadith collections with his father and then traveled to the Hijaz, where he continued his studies with various eminent teachers, including Shaykh Abu Tāhir al-Kurdī al-Madani, through whom he transmits the hadiths in this collection. Shah Wali Allah composed some fifty works in total, including the Hujjat Allah al-Baligha or The Conclusive Argument from God—which is considered his prime achievement—and an early Persian translation of the Qur an, as well as a number of works treating Islamic legal methodologies and Sufi metaphysics.

    It is the result of over 22 years of collaboration by an American Rumi scholar and an Afghan scholar of Persian literature. It should appeal to a wide variety of lovers of Mawlana Rumi's poetry, not just specialists: general readers who seek a deeper understanding of his spiritual teachings than popularized books (often interpretive versions claimed as translations) can provide, as well as those interested in religious mysticism in general and Islamic mysticism (sufism) in particular. The quatrains are ordered according to stages and themes of the 'lover and beloved' (spiritual disciple and sufi master). Most of the translations are followed by explanatory notes: those intended for the general reader have asterisks and often refer to the Notes, an appended glossary. Readers who have access to previously published translations and versions of the quatrains can use the appended Concordance to make comparisons. Quatrains in the earliest manuscripts that have been found to be composed by earlier poets have been identified and placed in another appendix. Few of the quatrains have been previously translated by scholars; the quatrains in popularized books are often distorted versions, mostly rendered by authors who do not know Persian; those who do often tend to omit, change, or add. Here, the poems are presented in the context of the Islamic sufi poetry in the Persian language 800 years ago: 'wine' and 'drunkenness' do not involve alcoholic intoxication, but are metaphors for the 'mystical taste' of spiritual grace and ecstasy. The lover's longing and self-effacing love is not 'romantic', but spiritual love of the seeker for his sufi guide. This love is a means to the goal of pure worship of God Most High, the 'only Beloved', that necessitates self-effacement and mystical 'drowning' in the reality described in the Qur'an: 'Everything perishes except His Face.'

    This volume is not only the classic introduction to tafsir but also the standard reference work for the language of the Qur'an in its literal meaning.

    He was the founder of what is arguably Turkey's most important popular religious grouping, the Nur Movement ('Nurculuk'), which sought--and seeks--to foster Islamic sensibilities through a system of education based on Nursi's ideas. But for many of his disciples, who number now in their millions, Said Nursi represents a great deal more than just a religious instructor. As they see it, he was also the prophesied "renewer," the "mujaddid," who--according to Muslim tradition--would appear at the beginning of each century to revive Islam and reinterpret the tenets of the Qur'an according to the needs of the day. Yet for all who revere him, Nursi has as many detractors. To some, he was a hypocrite and a liar: a man whose life was full of contradictions. To others, a Kurd in the pay of the Communists and an overt proponent of anarchy. In so many ways his life and what he stood for echo the increasingly dangerous polarization in Turkey between Islamic traditionalism and the secularism established by Ataturk. This short book offers a sure guide to the fierce debates surrounding Said Nursi's life, thought and major writings. It will be indispensable reading for all those interested in Turkey, and in the bitter power struggles within the country between "religionists" and "secularists."

    2- to an extreme degree (superabundant). 3- extra good or large of its kind (supertanker). 4- of a higher kind.”

    The Fatimids are most famous for founding the city of al-Qahira (Cairo) in 969, and their art—particularly textiles and luster ceramics, but also metalwork and carved rock-crystal, ivory and woodwork—has been admired for nearly a millennium. In this engaging and accessible book, Jonathan M. Bloom concentrates on securely dated and localized examples of Fatimid art and architecture. His discussions focus on significant examples and are illustrated with over 100 photographs, many in color, and extensive notes and bibliography provide guidance for further reading and research.

    This book deals with the issues of metaphysics, encompassing ontology, cosmology, epistemology, psychology and spiritual wayfaring, the attributes of the pious, and some homiletic advice.

    The significance of Islamic theology reflects the immense importance of Islam in the history of monotheism, to which it has brought a unique approach and style, and a range of solutions which are of abiding interest. Devoting especial attention to questions of rationality, scriptural fidelity, and the construction of 'orthodoxy', this volume introduces key Muslim theories of revelation, creation, ethics, scriptural interpretation, law, mysticism, and eschatology. Throughout the treatment is firmly set in the historical, social and political context in which Islam's distinctive understanding of God evolved. Despite its importance, Islamic theology has been neglected in recent scholarship, and this book provides a unique, scholarly but accessible introduction.

    The group uses terror tactics against Israel's civilians and military, yet runs on a law and order ticket in Palestinian elections; it pursues an Islamic state, yet holds internal elections; it campaigns for shari'ah law, yet its leaders are predominantly secular professionals; and it calls for the destruction of Israel, yet has reluctantly agreed to honor previously established peace agreements. In Hamas in Politics, Jeroen Gunning launches a probing study of the movement's success in the political arena, showing that religion, violence, and democracy are not necessarily incompatible. Many of Hamas's apparent contradictions flow from the relationship between the organization's ideology, local constituency, and the nature of politics in Israel and Palestine. Gunning conducts interviews with members of Hamas as well as the group's critics and draws on a decade of close observation of the organization. He illuminates Hamas's understanding of its ideology and explores the tension between its dual commitment to God and the people. Examining the group's political practice and what it says about the group's attitude towards democracy, religion, and violence, Gunning provides a unique window into Hamas's internal structure, revealing its process of choosing leaders and determining policy.

    To the militant, victimized Muslims are more than just symbols of ethnic and religious persecution--they represent humanity's centuries-long struggle for legitimacy and agency. Acts of terror, therefore, are fueled by the militant's desire to become a historical actor on the global stage. Though they have yet to build concrete political institutions, militant movements have formed a kind of global society, and as Devji makes clear, this society pursues the same humanitarian objectives that drive more benevolent groups.

    

    Here Behrooz Ghamari-Tabrizi takes us on an enlightening journey, showing that the revolution unintentionally opened up the public sphere to competing interpretations of Islam. Far from being the exclusive preserve of high-ranking seminarians as before, in contemporary Iran lay theologians, intellectuals, lawyers and social activists are active and influential interlocutors in debates on the meaning of Islam. A key figure is philosopher Abdolkarim Soroush, a leading force behind Iran’s pro-democracy movement and vocal critic of the state. Through a close reading of Soroush’s writings, and by tracing the links between Muslim intellectual critique and the realpolitik of postrevolutionary power struggles, Ghamari-Tabrizi offers nothing less than a pathbreaking reassessment of the Iranian revolution. With powerful insights, Islam and Dissent is essential for an understanding of the Muslim world today, as of the new relationships between religion, politics and democracy visible across the globe.

    It addresses a phenomenon which has been witnessed and recorded in virtually every civilization know to man. This work is based on a fully documented true story, which occurred in Sri Lanka in the early 90’s and which electrified the attention of that nation. Even the president at the time of the incident, Premadas, made national statements commenting on the story’s implications to their multi-cultural society. Details of the story which were meticulously collected in field research by Dr Bilal, have been intricately woven into and exciting story by his co-author, Haleemah Jordan. It is a book well worth reading by all, young and old.

    Anthony Milner develops a sustained argument about ethnicity and identity in an historical, 'Malay' context. The Malays is a comprehensive examination of the origins and development of Malay identity, ethnicity, and consciousness over the past five centuries. Covers the political, economic, and cultural development of the Malays Explores the Malay presence in Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and South Africa, as well as the modern Malay show-state of Malaysia Offers diplomatic speculation about ways Malay ethnicity will develop and be challenged in the future

    Translated by Rabbi Moshe Wisnefsky.Long awaited and finally in English, the masterful kabbalistic work of Rabbi Luria on the weekly Torah portion.Rabbi Yitzchak Luria (1534-1572), known as the Arizal, is the central figure of Kabbalah as it is studied today. The vast body of his teachings revolutionized the study of Kabbalah and is the basis for all Kabbalistic and Chassidic thought since his time, as well as the prism through which we view today all the prior works of Kabbalah - including the Zohar. The Arizal's thought has had an indelible influence on Jewish philosophy, liturgy, and even Jewish law.Among the most fascinating of the Arizal's teachings are his expositions on the Torah itself. Using the classic methods of rabbinic interpretation (with a marked emphasis on gematria), the Arizal unfolds before us a hidden dimension of the stories and laws of the Torah, showing how they reflect the inner dynamics of reality and how our knowledge and observance of the Torah is crucial to the proper functioning of creation.In this book, the reader is offered a selection of these teachings. They are presented with interpolated explanations that clarify the original text's terse prose and a commentary that shows how these sometimes obscure teachings can be applied to everyday life.Rabbi Moshe Wisnefsky studied science and music at UCLA and USC, and Torah at yeshivas in Los Angeles, Kefar Chabad, and Tzefat. He is one of the founders of Ascent Institute of Tzefat and has translated and edited a number of works in the field of Jewish mysticism. He is presently continuing his studies in Jerusalem, where he lives with his family.

    In about 1118 these warrior-monks were appointed custodians of Temple Mount, and defenders of Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land. Endorsed by the Catholic Church in 1129, the Order became a favoured cause across Europe. Templar knights, distinguished by their white mantles with red crosses, constituted some of the most disciplined and efficient fighting units in successive crusades. The expanding Order acquired extensive estates in the West, and served as financers and advisors to the great and good. In the East the Templars garrisoned cities and castles, helping to sustain the Frankish presence in the Orient for almost two centuries.Support for the Order faded after the final loss of the Holy Land. King Philip IV of France, seizing on the Templar's habitual secrecy, plotted their destruction and confiscation of their assets. Bending the Papacy to his will, he secured the arrest and trial of Templars throughout Christendom, on grounds of heresy and diabolical corruption. In France the Inquisition extracted damning confessions from the arrested brethren. In 1312, under continuing pressure from the Philip, Pope Clement V formally disbanded the Order. Two years later the last Grand Master was burned alive in Paris after renouncing his confession. The Order's suppression amid such sinister circumstances gace rise to myth and speculation which keeps the Templar name alive to this day.This highly readable and informative A-Z guide is an invaluable reference to the places, people, and themes of the Crusades, the Knights Templars and their legacy.

    The book contains large and clear Arabic text, transliteration in English and translation in three-column format. Each surah starts with a short introduction. The surah is followed by explanation of the verses based on authentic commentary. A "word to know" section provides root and derivatives of several key words used in the surah. This is further elaborated in to a word-to-word meaning of the entire surah. Each chapter ends with some teachings in the surah that the children can apply in their everyday life. A short question section reinforces the materials learned.

    Al-Qaeda’s declaration of Jihad does not meet the Islamic legal test. Similarly, the invasion of Iraq does not meet the international legal test. Dr Shah examines those causes attributed to Islam and non-Islamic causes of terrorism and argues that the theory of ‘reactive terror’ provides the most plausible explanation for so-called Islamic terrorism. The nature of conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq is changing and Muslim leaders (not including Al-Qaeda or pro Anglo-American governments) may, by consensus, declare Jihad if the occupying forces do not withdraw. Such declaration would be according to Islamic and international law.

    The Mu'tazilites developed a view of ethics whose distinguishing features were its austere moral objectivism and the crucial role it assigned to reason in the knowledge of moral truths. Central to this ethical vision was the notion of moral desert, and of the good and evil consequences--reward or punishment--deserved through a person's acts. Moral Agents and Their Deserts is the first book-length study of this central theme in Mu'tazilite ethics, and an attempt to grapple with the philosophical questions it raises. At the same time, it is a bid to question the ways in which modern readers, coming to medieval Islamic thought with a philosophical interest, seek to read and converse with Mu'tazilite theology. Moral Agents and Their Deserts tracks the challenges and rewards involved in the pursuit of the right conversation at the seams between modern and medieval concerns.

    Largely debated between specualative theologians (mutakallimun) and traditionalists (ahl al-hadith) for centuries, speculative theology (kalam) and figurative interpretation (ta'wil) remain a lively source of contention amongst Muslims today. Traditionalists have remained loyal in their opposition to rational pursuits in theology and claim the mantle of orthodoxy in creed. The speculative theologians, while having strong rational and scriptual support for their views, still struggle to convince a considerable sector of the Muslim populace that their understanding is not a departure from the creed of the pious forebears (Salaf). This book is an attempt by Imam al-Ghazali to reconcile them both and lay the age old debate to rest.

    The articles in this volume introduce readers to the writings of four scholars who study the subject of temple desecration in interesting and different ways. They focus on the ways in which historians study the political culture, events, historical narratives, material remains and aesthetic norms of a time very distant from us. Through their focus on the theme of temple desecration, a subject of considerable import in political rhetoric today, these essays also underline how easily history can be subverted to serve narrow, cynical ends. At a time when history has become so important in the making of the nation's identity, the articles in this book invite the readers to pause and reflect on the craft of history, the exciting and engaging conclusions to which it can lead and the worrying ends to which it can also be nudged. Contents: Introduction— Sunil Kumar Indian Art Objects as Loot—Richard H. Davis Narratives of a History—Romila Thapar Temple Desecration in Pre-Modern India—Richard Eaton Islam, Iconoclasm and the Early Indian Mosque—Finbarr B. Flood Appendix: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Address to the Public Meeting at Somnath on October 31, 2001

    First, it opens the door towards the integration of contemporary values and worldview into the maqasid terminology. This is carried out via the sections on the role of reason and experience in identifying maqasid. Secondly, the book gives answers to the complex theoretical questions on the role of maqasid in ijtihad, juristic theorization (usul), and the islamization of the human, social, and physical sciences. Last, but not least, the book highlights the role and the necessity of a maqasid-informed mindset on the intellectual and communal levels, and takes a pioneering futuristic look into this very important branch of Islamic knowledge. Maqasid al-Shariah (Higher Intents of the Islamic Law) is the most promising tool for the contemporization of Islamic law and its philosophical foundations. It is also as this book reveals a promising tool for the realization of Islamic values and principles in the realms of judiciary, society, and even science.

    The articles debate the causes for the conquest movement or expansion, the reasons for its success, the nature of the movement itself, the impact the expansion had on the countries affected by it, and the complex questions surrounding the sources on which historians have constructed their views of the expansion, and the reliability (or lack of it) of those sources. No articles devoted to the actual conquest of a given locality are included-hundreds exist-but a fairly extensive bibliography lists many of the more important contributions in this genre. The editor's introduction addresses the phenomenon of the expansion and how scholars have approached and grappled with it.

    Professor Watson discusses eighteen crops - from sorghum and rye to the watermelon - which spread through the Near East and North Africa during this period. Their origins, diffusion and uses are reviewed. The book investigates the mechanics of diffusion, the routes by which plants spread, and the processes by which they were acclimatized in their new environment. The social and economic history of agriculture in the medieval Islamic world is assessed in a review of wide importance. Professor Watson sets out to refute the view that the early Islamic period was one of agricultural decline in the Near East. He shows that, in contrast to the late Roman and Sasanian periods, it was a time of agricultural and demographic expansion. Agricultural innovation in the early Islamic world will be of interest to economic, social and agricultural historians and to those concerned with Islam and its effect on Africa and Asia.

     Let's face it, no matter how many T.V. episodes of The Bachelor or Sex and the City air, singlehood for the average person is a difficult life period. Most singles want to be in a loving, romantic, long-term relationship. They want to be married. Unfortunately, in the American Muslim community, there are Muslim single men available, and Muslim single women available, but there is a huge disconnect and a serious lack of marriage. Why? El-Amin Naeem says, "My research shows there are a number of factors including the practice of strict gender separation and marital endogamy that affect and delay the transition from singlehood to marriage for many American Muslims. The Muslim community has serious issues it needs to face, but unfortunately seems to be in denial." The only book on the subject, Jihad of the Soul is an anthropological exploration into the attitudes, experiences and emotions of single Muslim young adults between the ages of 18-40.

    Their works are examined primarily through the prism of two conceptual questions: the idea of the modern and the formation of a Muslim subject. Approaching Islam through the works of these two Muslims, she illuminates aspects of Islamic modernity that have been obscured and problematizes assumptions founded on the oppositional dichotomies of modern/traditional, secular/sacred, and liberal/fundamentalist. The book explores the notions of the community-society and the subject's location within it to demonstrate how Muslims in different historical contexts responded differently to theological and practical questions. This knowledge will help us better understand the conflicts currently unfolding in parts of the Arab world.

    

    The way to achieve this is mentioned in the Qur'aan.Allah says, "And if they believe as you (i.e., the Sahabah) believe then they are rightly guided, but if they turn away, then they are only in opposition." [Soorah al-Baqarah (2): 137]In light of this verse, the correct understanding is what emulates the beliefs and understandings of the Sahabah (the Prophet's Companions).The Sahabah were the fortunate people who accompanied the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) and learned the religion directly from him (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam). They witnessed the revelation of the Qur'aan and the Sunnah and experienced the circumstances in which they were revealed. The Sahabah's understanding of the religion is therefore, the most pure and perfect, and they are a group that has definitely succeeded in achieving what Faith is meant to achieve, i.e. Allah's Pleasure. “And the first to embrace Islam of the Muhajirun (those who migrated from Makkah to al-Medina) and the Ansar (the people of al-Medina who helped the Muhajirun) and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success.” [Soorah at-Tawbah (9):100]Apathy towards the understanding of the Sahabah as well as free interpretation of Islamic texts are the primary causes of misconceptions and confusion; and consequently straying from the path of the 'the rightly guided'. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said, "This Ummah (nation) will split into seventy-three sects, all of them in the Fire except one." They asked, "What is that sect?” He (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said, "That which I and my Companions are upon today." [at-Tabaraanee]Ilmul-Kalaam (argumentation based on Greek philosophy) is among such innovations in the religion that created intellectual schisms in the Muslim nation and initiated deviant trends. One of the sects that indulged in Ilmul-Kalaam were the Mu'tazilah. They gave precedence to intellect over the revealed texts of the Qur'aan and the Sunnah - when they perceived the two conflicted. This attitude set an evil precedent for all later groups who sought to make intellect and desire decisive over the Qur'aan and the Sunnah. In this book, we shall critique such modernist groups that attempt to impose novel interpretations upon Islamic teachings.It is important to clarify from the onset that condemning 'modernism' is rejecting illegitimate interpretations in religious matters and not about opposing science and technology, or about rejecting benefit from information and awareness that mankind constantly improves with time. What is eternal and ever-relevant according to Islam are the teachings revealed by Allah – the Most High and since Prophethood ends with Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam), his teachings will be preserved and applicable until the time people need Guidance.The Two Modernist TrendsOne trend of Modernists are the self-proclaimed 'Islam-experts' and 'Muslim-reformers' that we see all to often paraded on major media outlets. They openly demand reformation in Islam and call for a 'progressive' interpretation of Islamic values. Their catch phrases are “humane Islam”, “gender-friendly Islam”, “Islam 2.0”, “Progressive Islam” and the like.Their newly-found activity gained momentum with the emergence of violent extremist elements that misinterpret Islam to create chaos and cause hardship for Muslims. This began a search for an alternate, sensible and moderate voice - a voice that can expect state funding and favors.The lucrative opportunity thus created has attracted an assembly-line of individuals with a history of apathy for Islam and Muslims, to masquerade as champions of the 'oppressed Muslim woman', good-governance for Muslim nations, human rights, etc. They claim to be the moderate voice and speak in a language that the media, especially the western media, likes to hear. They persist in this even if it alienates Muslims and reinforces biased stereotypes about Islam. In the name of 'progressive thinking', they organize campaigns against the head-covering for women, for women to pray in mosques alongside men, for the acceptance of lewdness, and other similar issues. They seek to misinterpret Islamic texts in light of rational thought, modern values and even feelings and desires for, they consider the rational (Aql) and desires decisive over the revealed texts (Naql).Another group that is an equally staunch patron of free-thinking and modernist interpretations is that of the so-called 'Islamic-thinkers' and activists. Their primary goal is political power and thus, their novel interpretations are aimed at supporting their revolutionary goals and undermining genuine priorities of Islamic Dawah that they see as a hurdle or a distraction from their primary goal.Politically, the two modernist groups are poles apart. The 'progressive thinkers' are extreme secularist while the 'Islamic-thinkers' are ardent callers to the Khilafah - however distorted their views may be about it. But the two are similar in making Aql decisive over Naql, in their apathy towards Hadeeth, in their emphasis on modernistic interpretations of the Qur'aan, and in their unjustified toughening or lightening of Islamic regulations for the achievement of political/organizational goals.The vocal participation of these media-savvy modernist groups in speaking about Islam and affairs of the Muslims has resulted in the spread of a lot of confusion and misinformation. In this book, Insha'Allah, we shall critically analyze the Modernists, beginning by understanding the deviations of the Mu'tazilah sect. We shall see with examples;a) the rejection of Kalaam by the scholars and Imams of the Muslims,b) the turmoil that the Mutazilah brought upon the Islamic world as a result of their Kalaam and,c) the ill-effects of philosophy on pious and knowledgeable scholars who indulged in it and later abandoned it.We shall study the views of the 'Muslim' rationalists (al-Aqlaniyah), a group that emerged towards the end of the colonial era and found intellectual nourishment in the views of the Mutazilah. Impressed by Western advances in science and technology, they sought inspiration from the west for the advancement of Muslim societies, assimilating along the way 'Modernist' attitudes towards religion that had gained popularity amongst European Christians and Jews.The European Modernist agenda was primarily aimed at settling the conflict between religion and rationality with the help of philosophy. On their part, 'Muslim' Modernists attempted to reject or alter those teachings of the Qur'aan and Sunnah that they saw as hindrances, and turned to the Mu'tazilah and 'Muslim' philosophers for guidance.We shall see in this booklet the close resemblance between Christian and Jewish Modernists on one hand, and the 'Muslim' modernist and progressives on the other. We shall analyze the views that have become the hallmark of the Modernist call and expose their remoteness from Islam.Lastly, we shall comment on the most outrageous antics of present-day 'progressives', expose their hatred for Islamic teachings and report on the complete failure of their call.The second section of this booklet deals with the misguidance of rejecting Hadeeth as this is another malady afflicting all Mu'tazili influenced groups whether the Modernists, the Progressives, the Secularists or the pseudo-Islamists. The refutation focuses upon analyzing the views of three prominent rejecters of Hadeeth; Rashad Khalifah, Ghulam Parvez and Amin Ahsan Islahi.The two sections of the book greatly complement each other as the modernists and the hadeeth rejecters are two sides of the same coin.All in all, this booklet should provide a good overview towards understanding the many misguided views that emanate from varied groups influenced by the Mu'tazilah.May Allah make us amongst “Those who listen to the Word (good advice La ilaha ill-Allah) and follow the best thereof." [Soorah Az-Zumar (39): 18]Sajid A. Kayumhttp://www.qsep.com/books/modernists....