In a multi-faith world, Islam is widely regarded as dogmatic and exclusivist. Yet in the Qur’an we have a great and worthy example of how to live in diversity, of powerful scriptural tenets that lend themselves precisely to engagement with those of other faiths. As such Islam has much to add to the debate on Religious Pluralism. For Muslims the issue is a delicate one. Aside from being tolerant and respectful of other faiths, advocating freedom of faith, and peaceful coexistence for all humanity, Muslims have to intellectually engage on matters of religious truth whilst defending the validity of their own Islamic tenets. This study is focused on the Qur’anic text. It explores the Qur’anic conception of normative religious pluralism with a view to providing answers to questions such as whether the Qur’an itself regards normative religious pluralism as a value system or simply a method through which the Qur’anic world view can be actualized. In doing so the author corrects some highly controversial misquoted, mistranslated, and/or quoted out of context verses of the Qur’an, including the so-called verse of the sword and the perception of not taking non-Muslims as friends. In reality, the Qur’an calls for freedom of faith and peaceful coexistence, but condemns oppression, religious persecution, and those who initiate hostilities. In this way it not only invokes human dignity, but restores it when it is violated.
Al-Ghazali was one of the great Muslim theologians. In this book the author provides a translation of some of his works, including his spiritual autobiography. Al-Ghazali's description of his own emergence from scepticism anticipates the philosophical method of systematic doubt employed by Descartes. Another work translated here sets out Al-Ghazali's ideal of how a religious person should order his life from hour to hour and day to day.
Muslims are enjoined, along with the rest of humanity, to “read” the two great Books of Revelation and Creation, i.e. the Qur’an and the natural world. Reading one without the other will result in an imbalance detrimental to the existence (and prosperity) of humankind on earth, indeed to the divine purpose in the cosmos.
Many books have been written about the life of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). In writing this book, the author had a specific objective. He used the life of the Prophet (SAW) to go onto depth about the Prophet (SAW) many historians only touched on the various aspects of his life. This book goes into detail and provides reasons and explanations for whatever took place. It is a blend of modern analysis and ancient detail. Its objective is to nurture faith, purify characters and fan the struggle to embrace the truth and be faithful to it. Indeed, the life of the Prophet (SAW) has been documented as a message for practical implementation, not intellectual entertainment 'You may think that you have studied the life of Muhammad by following his history from birth to death but this is a grave mistake. You will never really understand the Sirah unless you study the noble Qur'an and the purified Sunnah. The amount that you derive from these will tell the strength of your connection with the prophet of Islam, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam' From the Epilogue An important work of the Egyptian scholar Sheikh Muhammad al-Ghazali. Drawing upon his profound classical Islamic learning and an extensive knowledge of modern science, Sheikh al-Ghazali has broken new ground in the study of Seerah, bringing to bear a fresh but wholly authentic approach. This is a work which all serious students should have, to complement the Seerah of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) Sheikh Muhammad al-Ghazali was one of the most influential Islamic scholars of the twentieth century, both as an author and in the field of Da'wa. Born at Buhayra, Egypt in 1335/1917, he received his schooling at the Alexandria Religious Institute before entering the Faculty of Usul al-Din at the University of al-Azhar.
Originally written as a manual of spiritual instruction, these writings examine Sufi and mystical influences within the Muslim tradition. A crucial work of medieval Islamic thought, this portion of Revival of the Religious Sciences provides insight into the intellectual and religious history of the Muslim world. The virtues of patience and thankfulness are defined and their place in the Islamic worldview is elucidated, with particular attention paid to their attainment and the influences that divert people from these virtues. Al-Ghazali on Patience and Thankfulness is a translation of the thirty-second chapter of The Revival of the Religions Sciences (Ihya' 'Ulum al-Din). This chapter fills in the last of the four sections of the Ihya', the section dealing with the virtues or what is conducive to salvation. Ghazali here presents definitions for patience and its different forms; the need for patience; the degrees of patience; and why patience is considered to be half of faith. The second part of this chapter deals with thankfulness and again Ghazali gives us definitions for thankfulness, its nature and its blessings. In addition to the translation, Dr Henry Littlejohn provides an extensive introduction which illustrates the importance of the topics of patience and thankfulness in Islam throughout the centuries.
Muslims are enjoined, along with the rest of humanity, to "read" the two great Books of Revelation and Creation, i.e. the Qur'an and the natural world. Reading one without the other will result in an imbalance detrimental to the existence (and prosperity) of humankind on earth, indeed to the divine purpose in the cosmos.A Thematic Commentary by the late Shaykh al-Ghazali is a significant contribution to the first reading, i.e. that of the Qur'an- the repository of divine truth and enlightenment. Already of course there is a wealth, an abundance, of exegetical work on the Qur'an. But while early scholars endeavored to elucidate many linguistic, historical, and miraculous aspects of the sacred and challenging text, al-Ghazali's contribution is somewhat unique (and modern) in the sense that it focuses on the organic unity of each surah (chapter) highlighting the logic or inherent reasoning that courses through the surah and unifies its various components and images.
One of the great works of mystical religious literature, the Kimiya-i-Sa'adaat strove to bring man closer to understanding God by helping him understand himself. These excerpts from that work, by a strikingly original thinker on Islam who lived and wrote in the 11th century, were first published in 1910, and serve as a potent reminder of how powerful an influence Al-Ghazzali had upon religious philosophers of the Middle Ages, both Christian and Islamic. With its wise and warmly humanistic outlook, this little book may well foster a new measure of understanding in the current philosophical battle between the religious traditions of East and West. Also available from Cosimo Classics: Field's Shadows Cast Before and Jewish Legends of the Middle Ages. Iranian theologian AL-GHAZALI (1058-1111) was medieval Islam's most prominent scholar and philosopher. CLAUD FIELD is also author of Mystics and Saints of Islam, Heroes of Missionary Enterprise, and Persian Literature.
The Path of Worshippers to the Paradise of the Lord of the Universe is an authoritative book and a guideline on practical Sufism ('irfan-i 'amali). It is also a mirror to the soul of its author. In this book Ghazzali speaks not only as a scholar but also as a master and sincerely shares his spiritual experiences with his readers in a simple language and an intimate tone. These qualities of the book penetrate into the depth of the heart of the reader. The importance of the book lies in the fact that its author was the most prominent theologian and jurist of his time and its teachings are as valid today as they were when the author wrote the book just before his death in 505/1111.
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