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Books > Religion & Spirituality > Non-Christian sacred works & liturgy > Sacred texts > General
Millions of non-Muslims know the name of the Muslim scripture,
whether it is written as "Qur'an" or "Quran" or "Koran." But for
most, that is all they know. Many have fallen victim to the mass of
misinformation that circulates about the Qur'an. Others may have
tried to read the Qur'an, but the text itself is tough to decipher.
With no sense of context, chronology, or interpretive history, many
would-be readers of the Qur'an quickly give up the effort. As for
those trying to find out what the Qur'an says about any particular
subject or issue, they, too, soon discover that this is not a
simple or straightforward undertaking. A clear, concise
introduction to the holy book that guides the lives of 1.6 billion
people on our planet, this brief volume opens the world of the
Qur'an to interested readers who want to know where this scripture
came from and how it has achieved a profound influence in today's
world. Writing in an easy-to-read question-and-answer format, Jane
McAuliffe, one of the world's foremost scholars of the Qur'an,
introduces readers to this important text by discussing its
origins, structure, themes, interpretations, and what it has to say
about a host of critical contemporary issues. Where did the Qur'an
come from? Do Muslims believe that the Qur'an is God's own word?
How do Muslims study the Qur'an? What does the Qur'an say about
God? About family? About ethics? About violence? By answering the
questions that many people have about the Qur'an and its role in
Muslim faith, this book offers an invaluable resource for anyone
who is curious about one of the world's most important faiths.
Kabbalah: The Splendor of Judaism, by David M. Wexelman, explores
the inner meanings of the commandments of the Torah. Wexelman uses
Kabbalistic sources to give insights into the secrets of the Torah
from the works of the Arizal and Chasidic literature. The author
has included recommendations from Rabbinic authorities to give the
reader complete confidence of the authenticity of his literature.
Wexelman explains the Torah in a way that reveals its mystical
splendor.
Qur'an Quotations Preserved on Papyrus Documents, 7th-10th
Centuries is the first book on the Qur'an's Sitz im Leben, i.e. on
how the Qur'an was quoted in Arabic original letters, legal deeds,
and amulets. Qur'an Quotations also serves as an in-depth
exploration of the radiocarbon dating of documents and Qur'anic
manuscripts. Contributors: Ursula Bsees; Tobias J. Jocham; Andreas
Kaplony; Michael Josef Marx, Daniel Potthast; Leonora Sonego; Eva
Mira Youssef-Grob.
Walk the path of holiness, stir your faith in God, and break free
from the bonds of a sinful nature with Joyce Meyer's Galatians
commentary, featuring inspiring questions and space for your
reflections. Paul's letter to the church at Galatia speaks largely
to how important it was to Paul that the people embrace unity in
Christ, no matter their differences. Galatians teaches that we're
only justified by faith in Christ only and encourages us to pursue
a life of holiness, not in our own strength, but in the knowledge
of God's empowering grace in our lives. In this comprehensive study
tool, Joyce Meyer offers an in-depth look at Galatians and
emphasizes that we are not only saved by faith, we must learn to
live by faith as well.
This volume is offered as a tribute to George Brooke to mark his
sixty-fifth birthday. It has been conceived as a coherent
contribution to the question of textuality in the Dead Sea Scrolls
explored from a wide range of perspectives. These include material
aspects of the texts, performance, reception, classification,
scribal culture, composition, reworking, form and genre, and the
issue of the extent to which any of the texts relate (to) social
realities in the Second Temple period. Almost every contribution
engages with Brooke's own remarkably wide-ranging, incisive, and
innovative research on the Scrolls. The twenty-eight contributors
are colleagues and students of the honouree and include leading
scholars alongside promising new voices from across the field.
This book offers new translations of the Tiruppavai and Nacciyar
Tirumoli, composed by the ninth-century Tamil mystic and poetess
Kotai. Two of the most significant compositions by a female mystic,
the Tiruppavai and Nacciyar Tirumoli give expression to her
powerful experiences through the use of a vibrant and bold
sensuality, in which Visnu is her awesome, mesmerizing, and
sometimes cruel lover. Kotai's poetry is characterized by a
richness of language in which words are imbued with polyvalence and
even the most mundane experiences are infused with the spirit of
the divine. Her Tiruppavai and Nacciyar Tirumoli are garlands of
words, redolent with meanings waiting to be discovered. Today Kotai
is revered as a goddess, and as a testament to the enduring
relevance of her poetry, her Tiruppavai and Nacciyar Tirumoli
continue to be celebrated in South Indian ritual, music, dance, and
the visual arts.
This book aims to capture the lyricism, beauty, and power of
Kotai's original works. In addition, detailed notes based on
traditional commentaries, and discussions of the ritual and
performative lives of the Tiruppavai and Nacciyar Tirumoli
highlight the importance of this ninth-century poet and her two
poems over the past one thousand years.
Hadith is understood here in its broader meaning as the bulk of the
texts which contain information on the prophet Muhammad and his
Companions, having the form of transmissions from them. The
reliability of this material as a source for early Islam is still a
highly debated issue. This selection of articles presents the
different points of view in this debate and the varying
methodological approaches with which scholars trained in modern
secular sciences have tried to find a solution to the problem.
The untold story of how the Arabic Qur'an became the English Koran
For millions of Muslims, the Qur'an is sacred only in Arabic, the
original Arabic in which it was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in
the seventh century. To many Arab and non-Arab believers alike, the
book literally defies translation, yet English translations are
growing in both number and importance. Bruce Lawrence tells the
remarkable story of the centuries-long quest to translate the
Qur'an's lyrical verses-and to make English itself an Islamic
language. A translation saga like no other, this panoramic book
looks at cyber Korans, versions by feminist translators, and even a
graphic Qur'an by the acclaimed visual artist Sandow Birk.
Throughout history, the study of sacred texts has focused almost
exclusively on the content and meaning of these writings. Such a
focus obscures the fact that sacred texts are always embodied in
particular material forms-from ancient scrolls to contemporary
electronic devices. Using the digital turn as a starting point,
this volume highlights material dimensions of the sacred texts of
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The essays in this collection
investigate how material aspects have shaped the production and use
of these texts within and between the traditions of Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam, from antiquity to the present day.
Contributors also reflect on the implications of transitions
between varied material forms and media cultures. Taken together,
the essays suggests that materiality is significant for the
academic study of sacred texts, as well as for reflection on
developments within and between these religious traditions. This
volume offers insightful analysis on key issues related to the
materiality of sacred texts in the traditions of Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam, while also highlighting the significance
of transitions between various material forms, including the
current shift to digital culture.
The Septuagint is the term commonly used to refer to the corpus of
early Greek versions of Hebrew Scriptures. The collection is of
immense importance in the history of both Judaism and Christianity.
The renderings of individual books attest to the religious
interests of the substantial Jewish population of Egypt during the
Hellenistic and Roman periods, and to the development of the Greek
language in its Koine phase. The narrative ascribing the
Septuagint's origins to the work of seventy translators in
Alexandria attained legendary status among both Jews and
Christians. The Septuagint was the version of Scripture most
familiar to the writers of the New Testament, and became the
authoritative Old Testament of the Greek and Latin Churches. In the
early centuries of Christianity it was itself translated into
several other languages, and it has had a continuing influence on
the style and content of biblical translations. The Oxford Handbook
of the Septuagint features contributions from leading experts in
the field considering the history and manuscript transmission of
the version, and the study of translation technique and textual
criticism. The collection provides surveys of previous and current
research on individual books of the Septuagint corpus, on
alternative Jewish Greek versions, the Christian 'daughter'
translations, and reception in early Jewish and Christian writers.
The Handbook also includes several conversations with related
fields of interest such as New Testament studies, liturgy, and art
history.
With its promise of personal improvement, physical well-being and
spiritual enrichment, yoga is enjoying a resurgence in popularity
at the turn of the third millennium. To unravel the mystery of the
discipline, its philosophies and relevance in contemporary life,
the original text of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali must be explored.
This book offers the first accessible translation and commentary on
Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. An introductory section examines the
multidimensional aspects of yoga as philosophy, psychology,
science, and religion, as well as exploring popular versions of
yoga in the West. The core of the book offers a new translation of
the entire text of the Yoga Sutras, in a language that is clear and
comprehensible to students. Commentaries are presented to highlight
the meaning of various statements (sutras) and key themes are
outlined via sectional summaries. A full glossary of key words and
names is also provided. Concluding chapters look at yoga in
contemporary life, revealing the popularity of yoga in the 21st
century through Star Wars, and exploring yoga's connection to
health and science, contrasting yoga's holistic view of healing
with that of the limited view of present day medical science.
Sample physical, breathing and meditation exercises are provided.
An Introduction to Yoga Philosophy offers a comprehensive
introduction to the Yoga Sutras text of Patanjali to all students
and interested readers of Indian philosophy and religion, world
religions, east-west psychology, and mysticism.
This is a subset of the Sacred Books of the East Series which
includes translations of all the most important works of the seven
non-Christian religions which have exercised a profound influence
on the civilizations of the continent of Asia. The works have been
translated by leading authorities in their field.
This commentary on a selection of daily chants offers an important
perspective upon some of the core tenets of Buddhist thought and
teaching. The Venerable Myoko-ni surveys some of the key chants,
including The Repentance Sutra, The Heart Sutra, and The Four Great
Vows, assessing their origins, and the meaning that lies behind
their creation and interpretation. An invaluable guide to all
engaged in Buddhism and some of its key daily practices.
The melodious recitation of the Quran is a fundamental aesthetic
experience for Muslims, and the start of a compelling journey of
ideas. In this important new book, the prominent German writer and
Islamic scholar Navid Kermani considers the manner in which the
Quran has been perceived, apprehended and experienced by its
recipients from the time of the Prophet to the present day. Drawing
on a wide range of Muslim sources, from historians, theologians and
philosophers to mystics and literary scholars, Kermani provides a
close reading of the nature of this powerful text. He proceeds to
analyze ancient and modern testimonies about the impact of Quranic
language from a variety of angles. Although people have always
reflected on the reception of texts, images and sounds that they
find beautiful or moving, Kermani explains that Islam provides a
particularly striking example of the close correlation, grounded in
a common origin, between art and religion, revelation and poetry,
and religious and aesthetic experience. This major new book will
enhance the dialogue between Islam and the West and will appeal to
students and scholars of Islam and comparative religion, as well as
to a wider readership interested in Islam and the Quran.
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