A Thinking Person’s Guide to Islam


Ghazi bin Muhammad - 2017
    A tiny minority of Muslims seems to be bent on hijacking the religion of Islam and bringing it into perpetual conflict with the rest of the world. Because of their actions, very few non-Muslims understand the real difference between Islam as it has always been, and the distorted perversions of Islam today. This book is an attempt to positively say what Islam actually is—and always was—as well as what it is not.

The Lazarus Life: Spiritual Transformation for Ordinary People


Stephen W. Smith - 2008
    The chronicle of an ordinary man who found himself at the center of an astounding miracle. A divine process that fully revealed Christ's transforming power, through a resurrection that preceded His very own. But what if the story of Lazarus holds powerful parallels for us today? What if his story of hope and heartbreak, expectancy and disappointment, death and life, is our story too? What if the transformation Lazarus experienced is available to you and me? Stephen W. Smith presents a remarkable journey through the life of Lazarus. Smith offers eye-opening insights into the Christian life, as we encounter A lingering Jesus A life trapped in the tomb The smell of the grave clothes The need for others to help us And the Voice of Love that calls your name Come explore the life and legacy of Lazarus. Discover a story all your own.  And hear the voice of the One who loves you. Find free study resources for The Lazarus Life at www.lazaruslife.com.

Psychology from the Islamic Perspective


Aisha Utz - 2011
    Ironically, there are a multitude of theories and explanations that mislead and confuse the very same creatures that they are meant to describe. Allah has blessed us with guidance in all facets of our lives, including that of our own souls and psyches. Islam offers an uncomplicated, comprehensive, and precise theory of our spiritual nature, our purpose and priorities in life, and how we can attain serenity and happiness in this life and the next.This book is a humble effort to expound upon the true conceptualization of human psychology based upon the Qur'an and Sunnah. Moreover, Dr. Utz includes specific references to scientific research that corresponds to, and builds upon, what is already known from revelation.

Hard Questions, Prophetic Answers


Daniel K. Judd - 2004
    Judd writes: 'The issues I have selected for inclusion in this book are representative of the difficult questions I have grappled with over the last several years in my work as a professor, a therapist, a bishop, a stake president, and a father.' Those 'hard questions' included: Is divorce the answer to a faltering marriage? Is anger a sin? What justifies and individual or nation to engage in armed conflict? How can I best understand those who are sexually attracted to the same sex? The author shows that the most meaningful answers to all our questions lie in the counsel of prophets and the miracles of the Atonement.Published: April 2004

Radical: My Journey out of Islamist Extremism


Maajid Nawaz - 2012
    At 16, he was already a ranking member in Hizb ut-Tahrir, a London-based Islamist group. He quickly rose through the ranks to become a top recruiter, a charismatic spokesman for the cause of uniting Islam’s political power across the world. Nawaz was setting up satellite groups in Pakistan, Denmark, and Egypt when he was rounded up in the aftermath of 9/11 along with many other radical Muslims. He was sent to an Egyptian prison where he was, fortuitously, jailed along with the assassins of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. The 20 years in prison had changed the assassins’ views on Islam and violence; Maajid went into prison preaching to them about the Islamist cause, but the lessons ended up going the other way. He came out of prison four years later completely changed, convinced that his entire belief system had been wrong, and determined to do something about it.He met with activists and heads of state, built a network, and started a foundation, Quilliam, to combat the rising Islamist tide in Europe and elsewhere, using his intimate knowledge of recruitment tactics in order to reverse extremism and persuade Muslims that the ‘narrative’ used to recruit them (that the West is evil and the cause of all of Muslim suffering), is false. Radical, first published in the UK, is a fascinating and important look into one man's journey out of extremism and into something else entirely.This U.S. edition contains a "Preface for US readers" and a new, updated epilogue.

Science and Islam: A History


Ehsan Masood - 2006
    The author provides an enlightening and in-depth exploration into an empire's golden age, its downfall and the numerous debates that now surround it.

In the Shadow of the Sword: The Birth of Islam and the Rise of the Global Arab Empire


Tom Holland - 2012
      No less significant than the collapse of the Roman Republic or the Persian invasion of Greece, the evolution of the Arab empire is one of the supreme narratives of ancient history, a story dazzlingly rich in drama, character, and achievement.  Just like the Romans, the Arabs came from nowhere to carve out a stupefyingly vast dominion—except that they achieved their conquests not over the course of centuries as the Romans did but in a matter of decades. Just like the Greeks during the Persian wars, they overcame seemingly insuperable odds to emerge triumphant against the greatest empire of the day—not by standing on the defensive, however, but by hurling themselves against all who lay in their path.

The Modern Mind: An Intellectual History of the 20th Century


Peter Watson - 2000
    Peter Watson has produced a fluent and engaging narrative of the intellectual tradition of the twentieth century, and the men and women who created it.

The Spirit of Islam


Syed Ameer Ali - 1890
    A history of the evolution and ideals of Islam, with a life of the prophecy. Contents: Life and Ministry of the Prophet: Mohammed the prophet; Hegira; prophet at Medina; hostility of the Koreish and the Jews; invasion of Medina; prophets clemency; diffusion of the faith; year of deputations; fulfillment of the prophet's work; apostolical succession; Spirit of Islam: ideal of Islam; religious spirit of Islam; idea of future life in Islam; church militant of Islam; status of women in Islam; bondage in Islam; political spirit of Islam; political divisions and schisms of Islam; literary and scientific sprit of Islam; rationalistic and philosophical spirit of Islam; idealistic and mystical spirit in Islam.

2500 حكمة للإمام علي


علي بن أبي طالب - 2001
    To the one who filled life with his wisdom, and hugged the minds, the minds of his companions, and delivered them to the wider upper fields, I mean knowledge. To the one who enriched the Arabic language with his eloquent speech. To the master of eloquent ones and the prince of the wise men. To the prince of believers To him... I raise this little of what was collected from the pearls of his wisdom and the magnificent of his sermons.

What Do We Do with the Bible?


Richard Rohr - 2018
    . . the list goes on. Still, we believe the Bible has something important to say. How can we read it in a contemplative and intelligent way?

الفوائد


Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya - 1979
    This blessed book is not like others that simply contain sections, chapters and themes, but it consists of the elevated thoughts that Allah, Exalted be He, bestows upon some of His servants as He wills. So whenever any of these scattered pearls of wisdom occurred to the Imam, he would immediately record them. I am sure that he did not sit down and write this book in one or two weeks, but surely it was developed over a long period of time. Whenever something came to his mind, he would record it, and whenever he learnt a lesson or anything crucial in his life, he would illuminate the lines of his page with the ink of his pen.

A Little History of Religion


Richard Holloway - 2016
    Richard Holloway retells the entire history of religion—from the dawn of religious belief to the twenty-first century—with deepest respect and a keen commitment to accuracy. Writing for those with faith and those without, and especially for young readers, he encourages curiosity and tolerance, accentuates nuance and mystery, and calmly restores a sense of the value of faith. Ranging far beyond the major world religions of Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism, Holloway also examines where religious belief comes from, the search for meaning throughout history, today’s fascinations with Scientology and creationism, religiously motivated violence, hostilities between religious people and secularists, and more. Holloway proves an empathic yet discerning guide to the enduring significance of faith and its power from ancient times to our own.

Fighting for Dear Life: The Untold Story of Terri Schiavo and What It Means for All of Us


David Gibbs - 2006
    Lead attorney for Terri Schiavo, the author explains how Terri Schiavo's death changed his life, why it should never have happened, and why value of life issues are critical for Christians to understand.

A Battle for the Soul of Islam: An American Muslim Patriot's Fight to Save His Faith


M. Zuhdi Jasser - 2012
    Navy lieutenant commander provides an alternate voice to radical Islam.Among the unsettling social shifts in the wake of 9/11 was the global attention paid to Islam. Here in the United States, we became divided, often sadly along partisan lines, between those who believed every Muslim was a potential threat and those who believed no Muslim could do wrong. For conservative Wisconsin native and former U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, these radical times meant facing a new reality as a devout Muslim and a patriot—a certain betrayal within his faith, and a need to answer a question that crossed the minds of even the most sensitive and politically correct: “Can a good Muslim be a good American as well?” Jasser founded the American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD) to instill in young American Muslims an appreciation for the distinctively positive impact that this nation’s ideals of liberty have had upon the world. As a nationally recognized expert on Muslim radicalization, he offers non-Muslims a definitive comprehension of the difference between Islam and the spiritual cancer known as Islamism, or political Islam, and how violence and extremism run counter to Islam’s true teachings. As he persuasively argues, until we acknowledge the threat of Islamism in all its forms, the majority of Americans will be gulled into recognizing only the most obvious: terrorism. In A Battle for the Soul of Islam, Jasser embraces both his faith and his country while asking hard questions: * Are American Muslim children learning entitlement as victims, or are they being taught individual responsibility and critical thinking? * Are poisonous conspiracy theories dividing their American identity, or are they gaining exposure to reason, nationalism, and patriotism? * Are Muslims publicly critical of the Islamist movements of the Middle East, or do they remain silent on aspects of religious doctrine that conflict with modernity and universal equality? * Is the American press downplaying the seditious threat of homegrown Islamist radicalism and the influence of Islamists’ propaganda arm on our governmental policies? * Is our culture of political correctness a major obstacle toward long-overdue Muslim reform against Islamism? All these years after 9/11, it’s time for us to understand the true threat of Islamism. It is a Muslim problem that needs a Muslim solution, and A Battle for the Soul of Islam builds a solid, balanced, and imperative must-read foundation for the fight.