But when he realized he was gay, those hopes were called into question. The Bible, he’d been taught, condemned gay relationships. Feeling the tension between his understanding of the Bible and the reality of his same-sex orientation, Vines devoted years of intensive research into what the Bible says about homosexuality. With care and precision, Vines asked questions such as: • Do biblical teachings on the marriage covenant preclude same-sex marriage or not? • How should we apply the teachings of Jesus to the gay debate? • What does the story of Sodom and Gomorrah really say about human relationships? • Can celibacy be a calling when it is mandated, not chosen? • What did Paul have in mind when he warned against same-sex relations? Unique in its affirmation of both an orthodox faith and sexual diversity, God and the Gay Christian is likely to spark heated debate, sincere soul searching, even widespread cultural change. Not only is it a compelling interpretation of key biblical texts about same-sex relations, it is also the story of a young man navigating relationships with his family, his hometown church, and the Christian church at large as he expresses what it means to be a faithful gay Christian.

    It contains : - Biography of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.), his companions, his wives and children. - Belief. - Pillars of Islam. - Political, economic, ethical and legal system of Islam in brief. - Sources of law. - Fiqh. - Translation of selected Suras, Verses and Ahadith.

    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.

    The original Arabic text of the litanies and English translation are presented in accessible format. In addition, a transliteration of the supplications is provided for easy use. A commentary rounds off the volume. "The Prophetic Invocations" is a solid glimpse at the practice of meditative Remembrance of God that has been the staple of spiritual growth throughout the history of Islam.Author Biography: Imam Abdullah ibn Alawi al-Haddad was a late 17th- and early-18th-century Islamic scholar and spiritual master who lived in Yemen. To this day, he has a large following of admirers and is widely known for the breadth of his knowledge and the profundity of insight. Imam al-Haddad died in 1720.

    These wise sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, collected here, are designed to do just that – to guide us to the very best in ourselves. Compiled by renowned East African scholar, Al-Amin ‘Ali Mazru’i, this collection brings together sayings that encourage good character, speaks to our conscience and our heart, and moves us to become better human beings.As a scholar, Shaykh Al-Amin Mazrui attempted to be a bridge between Islam and modernity. He argued that while Christianity became the vanguard of progress when it became more secular and less Christian, Islam was the vanguard of progress when it was more Islamic and less secular. According to Shaykh Al-Amin, progress among Muslims required not the abandonment of Islam but the recovery of the original spirit of Islamic enlightenment. Shaykh Al-Amin's choice of these favored sayings of the Prophet (pbuh) in "The Content of Character" --translated and introduced here by the well-known American Muslim scholar Hamza Yusuf -- was influenced by his effort to be a bridge--builder, especially between the values of tradition and the norms of modernity, between the wisdom of religion and the compassion of humanity.Contains original Arabic text of hadiths as well.

    Western psychotherapy aims largely to help us eliminate neurotic traits formed in childhood and adapt to society. In contrast, the Sufi goal is ultimately spiritual: Yes, we need to transform our negativity and be effective in the world; but beyond that, we need to reach a state of harmony with the Divine. Full of stories, poetry, meditations, journaling exercises, and colorful everyday examples, this book will open the heart, nourish the self, and quicken the soul.

    As in other areas of social sciences, some Muslim thinkers and scholars have developed an amazing skill for the unthinking repetition and blind copying of Western, non-Islamic ideas and practices. “In the Lizard’s Hole” is a Prophetic epitaph that describes this activity very well. Some Muslim psychologists insist dogmatically on prying even into lizard’s holes that have been partly or totally abandoned by their Western counterparts. But do Muslims really need modern psychology at all? Is modern psychology wholly Western? Is there a way in which it could be reconciled with Islam? These burning questions lie lurking behind the dilemma of Muslim psychologists.

    This book seeks to spiritually unite by highlighting similarities in the texts. It sheds new light and dispels many preconceived ideas in separating what belongs to Revelation from what is the product of error or human interpretation

    The real threat is Islamism, whose sophisticated forces have collaborated with the American Left not only to undermine U.S. national security but also to shred the fabric of American constitutional democracy—freedom and individual liberty. In The Grand Jihad: How Islam and the Left Sabotage America , bestselling author Andrew C. McCarthy offers a harrowing account of how the global Islamist movement’s jihad involves far more than terrorist attacks, and how it has found the ideal partner in President Barack Obama, whose Islamist sympathies run deep.For years, McCarthy warned of America’s blindness to the Islamist threat, but in The Grand Jihad McCarthy exposes a new, more insidious peril: the government’s active appeasement of the Islamist ideology. With the help of witting and unwitting accomplices in and out of government, Islamism doesn’t merely fuel terrorism but spawns America-hating Islamic enclaves in our very midst, gradually foisting Islam’s repressive law, sharia, on American life. The revolutionary doctrine has made common cause with an ascendant Left that also seeks radical transformation of our constitutional order. The prognosis for liberty could not be more dire.

    Combine this with the exponential advances in technology, and the result is an increasing number of ways to amuse ourselves.As a result of such advances, Muslim react in a variety of manners towards entertainment. Some label entertainment as completely forbidden. This sometimes includes parents who say no to almost everything that their young ones deem to be ‘fun’, without providing them with suitable alternatives. Others, who do not want to take this extreme approach, fall into the trap of excessive use of – and even addiction to – various sources of entertainment, without any limits.In Having Fun the Halal Way, Ismail Kamdar explores the teachings of Islam regarding entertainment. Drawing upon the Quran, the Sunnah and the understanding of the righteous scholars of Islam, he provides a detailed and balanced analysis of the topic. He not only explains the detriments of the current entertainment industry, but also suggests alternative means to have a good time with friends and family members.

    Confronting issues such as racism, justice, sexuality and gender, this book reveals the real challenges faced by Muslims of both sexes in contemporary Western society. A probing, frank, and intellectually refreshing testament to the capacity of Islam for renewal, change, and growth, these articles from fifteen Muslim scholars and activists address the challenging and complex issues that confront Muslims today. Avoiding fundamentalist and apologetic approaches, the book concentrates on the key areas of debate in progressive Islamic thought: "Contemporary Islam," "Gender Justice," and "Pluralism." With further contributions on subjects as diverse and controversial as the alienation of Muslim youth; Islamic law, marriage, and feminism; and the role of democracy in Islam, this volume will prove thought-provoking for all those interested in the challenges of justice and pluralism facing the Muslim world as it confronts the twenty-first century.

    Their insights shook our perception of who we are and where we stand in the world, and in their wake have left an uneasy coexistence: science vs. religion, faith vs. empirical inquiry. Which is the keeper of truth? Which is the true path to understanding reality?After forty years of study with some of the greatest scientific minds, as well as a lifetime of meditative, spiritual, and philosophic study, the Dalai Lama presents a brilliant analysis of why all avenues of inquiry—scientific as well as spiritual—must be pursued in order to arrive at a complete picture of the truth. Through an examination of Darwinism and karma, quantum mechanics and philosophical insight into the nature of reality, neurobiology and the study of consciousness, the Dalai Lama draws significant parallels between contemplative and scientific examinations of reality.This breathtakingly personal examination is a tribute to the Dalai Lama’s teachers—both of science and spirituality. The legacy of this book is a vision of the world in which our different approaches to understanding ourselves, our universe, and one another can be brought together in the service of humanity.

    What is mindfulness? It is awareness. It is perfect awareness.In Mindfulness in the Modern World, Osho helps us explore both the inner and the outer obstacles that prevent us from bringing more awareness to all our daily activities. He emphasizes that while techniques can be useful in pointing the way, in themselves they are not meditation. Rather, meditation – or mindfulness – is ultimately a state of being in which we are capable of both action and stillness, work and play, and able to be fully present to each moment of life as it comes. Osho's insights into the nature of the modern mind, with its tendency to judge and compare, provides a helpful entry point for longtime meditators as well as beginners. Mindfulness in the Modern World covers a wide range of topics, including five experiential techniques that will help you bring awareness to your everyday life.The Osho Life Essentials series focuses on the most important questions in the life of the individual. Each volume contains timeless and always-contemporary investigations into and discussions of questions vital to our personal search for meaning and purpose, focusing on questions specific to our inner life and quality of existence.

    It’s long, complicated, and can be extremely difficult to understand. The good news is that you CAN absorb every life lesson that lies within, quickly and easily! Bhagavad Gita Made Very Easy is different from anything else on the market, and all 18 chapters and 700 scriptures can be completed in no time at all! Are you ready to unlock permanent happiness? Mind control? Freedom? Direction? Motivation? Faith? Peace of mind? This is just the beginning! Remember – it’s important to read the whole book from start to finish for uncompromised insight. Each chapter has its own gift to give. The thing is, The Bhagavad Gita is NOT just a book. It’s a life-changing conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjun before the battle unfolds. Are you ready to uncover this secret knowledge - with incredible speed and ease? Discover what your goals in life should be, and change your outlook on life like never before, with Bhagavad Gita Made Very Easy! Cordially Yours, Kishan Barai (Author)

    Drawing on Islamic sources of the Qur'an and Sunnah the author discusses the main emotional, social and sexual problems that can afflict relationships, suggesting many practical ways in which they can be resolved.