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Books > Religion & Spirituality > Aspects of religions (non-Christian) > Religious experience > Mysticism
"Al-Ghazali on Conduct in Travel" is a translation of the
seventeenth book of the "Revival of the Religious Sciences" (Ihya
Ulum al-Din), which is widely regarded as the greatest work of
Muslim spirituality. In "Al-Ghazali on Conduct in Travel", Abu
Hamid al-Ghazali uncovers, as elsewhere in the "Revival", the
mystical and religious dimension of one of humanity's most basic
needs: in this instance, travel.---In Chapter One, Ghazali begins
by providing the reader with the four reasons for travel, which
include for the quest for knowledge and to flee from harm and
danger. The advantages gained from travelling are also described by
Ghazali-for example, the disciplining of the soul through exposure
to the harsh conditions of travel as well as the acquisition of
virtue and self-knowledge. Ghazali then explains what the seven
proper conducts of travels-both outward conduct and inward
conduct-consist of. In Chapter Two, Ghazali provides a practical
chapter on the use of religious concessions while travelling, and
concludes with a final chapter on how the traveller is to establish
the proper direction and times for prayer. "Al-Ghazali on Conduct
in Travel" will be of interest to all those wishing to explore the
disciplining qualities of everyday activities applied here to the
spiritual dimension of travelling.---In this new edition, the
Islamic Texts Society has included the translation of Abu Hamid
al-Ghazali's own Introduction to the "Revival of the Religious
Sciences" which gives the reasons that caused him to write the
work, the structure of the whole of the Revival and places each of
the chapters in the context of the others.
The Book of Mirdad, the timeless allegorical story which has
touched the hearts of so many readers, continues to show new
generations how it is possible to expand one's consciousness, to
uncover God in man by dissolving man's sense of duality. Mikhail
Naimy, in a similar style to Gibran, unravels one layer after
another, showing that the words of his message have descended from
some mysterious source. The book is essentially a set of question
and answer between Mirdad and his disciples, especially his chief
disciple, Naronda. These dialogues occurred during the time he was
admitted as a servant in the monastery of Altar Peak, built where
Noah's Ark came to rest after the flood waters subsided. Mirdad's
teachings cover all the important life issues such as love, the
master-servant relationship, creative silence, money, the
moneylender and the debtor, the cycle of time and death,
repentance, old age, and so on. The culmination, and indeed the
message, is that Mirdad's own Ark is the Ark of Holy Understanding,
which will bring humankind through another deluge, greater than
Noah's, when Heaven will be revealed on Earth. Mirdad's words are
the words of an enlightened Sufi master.
"Kabbalah For Dummies" presents a balanced perspective of Kabbalah
as an "umbrella" for a complex assemblage of mystical Jewish
teachings and codification techniques. "Kabbalah For Dummies" also
shows how Kabbalah simultaneously presents an approach to the study
of text, the performance of ritual and the experience of worship,
as well as how the reader can apply its teaching to everyday life.
This new approach introduces Kabbalah as a spiritual Jewish way of living, a practical wisdom for living, creativity and well being, and not merely a religious phenomenon or esoteric theology. Professor Shokek suggests that the Kabbalistic theme of Creation is the central ingredient in the spiritual teachings of Jewish mysticism. He skilfully reveals the core questions that emerge from the wisdom of the Jewish sages, opening up a lively avenue of debate in this increasingly popular area of study.
God hides behind the simplest of daily activities; finding Him is a
matter of total surrender to His will. That's the message of this
18th-century inspirational classic. Its encouragement to "live in
the moment," accepting everyday obstacles with humility and love,
has guided generations of seekers to spiritual peace.
Aisha al-Ba uniyya (c.1456 1517) was one of the greatest women mystics in Islamic history. A Sufi master and an Arab poet, her religious writings were extensive by any standard and extraordinary for her time. In medieval Islam a number of women were respected scholars and teachers, but they rarely composed works of their own. Aisha al-Ba uniyya, however, was prolific. She composed over twenty works, and likely wrote more Arabic prose and poetry than any other Muslim woman prior to the twentieth century.
The first full-scale biography of al-Ba uniyya in the English language, this volume provides a rare glimpse into the life and writings of a medieval Muslim woman in her own words. Homerin presents her work in the wider context of late-medieval Islamic spirituality, examining the influence of figures such as Ibn al- Arabi, al-Busiri and Ibn al-Farid, and emphasising the role of the person of the Prophet Muhammad in her spirituality. Clearly and beautifully written, Aisha al-Ba uniyya is a fascinating introduction to a figure described by a sixteenth-century biographer as one of the marvels of her age.
What is Sufism? Contemporary views vary tremendously, even among
Sufis themselves. Contemporary Sufism: Piety, Politics, and Popular
Culture brings to light the religious frameworks that shape the
views of Sufism's friends, adversaries, admirers, and detractors
and, in the process, helps readers better understand the diversity
of contemporary Sufism, the pressures and cultural openings to
which it responds, and the many divergent opinions about
contemporary Sufism's relationship to Islam. The three main themes:
piety, politics, and popular culture are explored in relation to
the Islamic and Western contexts that shape them, as well as to the
historical conditions that frame contemporary debates. This book is
split into three parts: * Sufism and anti-Sufism in contemporary
contexts; * Contemporary Sufism in the West: Poetic influences and
popular manifestations; * Gendering Sufism: Tradition and
transformation. This book will fascinate anyone interested in the
challenges of contemporary Sufism as well as its relationship to
Islam, gender, and the West. It offers an ideal starting point from
which undergraduate and postgraduate students, teachers and
lecturers can explore Sufism today.
The world faces a crisis of meaning. The old stories - whether the
exclusive claims of rival religions or the grand schemes of
perennial philosophy - seem bankrupt to many. The editorial stance
of this book is that mysticism and science offer a way forward
here, but only if they abandon the idol of a single logical
synthesis and acknowledge the diversity of different ways of
knowing. The contributors, from disciplines as diverse as music,
psychology, mathematics and religion, build a vision that honours
diversity while pointing to an implicit unity.
The Kizilbash were at once key players in and the foremost victims
of the Ottoman-Safavid conflict that defined the early modern
Middle East. Today referred to as Alevis, they constitute the
second largest faith community in modern Turkey, with smaller
pockets of related groups in the Balkans. Yet several aspects of
their history remain little understood or explored. This first
comprehensive socio-political history of the Kizilbash/Alevi
communities uses a recently surfaced corpus of sources generated
within their milieu. It offers fresh answers to many questions
concerning their origins and evolution from a revolutionary
movement to an inward-looking religious order.
"Hasidism Incarnate" contends that much of modern Judaism in the
West developed in reaction to Christianity and in defense of
Judaism as a unique tradition. Ironically enough, this occurred
even as modern Judaism increasingly dovetailed with Christianity
with regard to its ethos, aesthetics, and attitude toward ritual
and faith. Shaul Magid argues that the Hasidic movement in Eastern
Europe constitutes an alternative "modernity," one that opens a new
window on Jewish theological history. Unlike Judaism in German
lands, Hasidism did not develop under a "Christian gaze" and had no
need to be apologetic of its positions. Unburdened by an apologetic
agenda (at least toward Christianity), it offered a particular
reading of medieval Jewish Kabbalah filtered through a focus on the
charismatic leader that resulted in a religious worldview that has
much in common with Christianity. It is not that Hasidic masters
knew about Christianity; rather, the basic tenets of Christianity
remained present, albeit often in veiled form, in much kabbalistic
teaching that Hasidism took up in its portrayal of the charismatic
figure of the "zaddik," whom it often described in supernatural
terms.
SUFISM THE WAY OF SUFI CHIVALRY A highly respected Sufi saint and
scholar of the 10th century, Ibn al-Husayn al-Sulami compiled this
book as a guide to enlightened behavior for the spiritual aspirant.
In its pages, he records the teachings of renowned spiritual
masters (available for the first time in English translation) as
well as tales and quotations from the Koran and Hadith. The
teachings reveal the true meaning of compassion, love, friendship,
generosity, and hospitality, as well as the right actions
associated with these virtues. According to the Sufis, Futuwwah is
a code of honorable behavior that follows the example of the
prophets, saints, and sages. By adhering to its precepts, the
student learns detachment from the ego. The Way of Sufi Chivalry
addresses the reader directly, providing the aspirant of today with
living guidance on the path of perfection and the way of Sufism.
Cover illustration: The Turkish calligraphy is an invocation for
the help and assistance of Hasan and Husayn, the two martyred
grandsons of the Prophet, and reads Madad ya Hasan Husayn.
Focusing on the Maijbhandari movement in Chittagong, south-eastern
Bangladesh, which claims the status of the only Sufi order
originated in Bengal and which has gained immense popularity in
recent years, this book provides a comprehensive picture of an
important aspect of contemporary Bengali Islam in the South Asian
context. Expertise in South Asian languages and literatures is
combined with ethnographic field work and theoretical formulations
from a range of disciplines, including cultural anthropology,
Islamic studies and religious studies. Analysing the Maijbhandaris
tradition of Bengali spiritual songs, one of the largest popular
song traditions in Bengal, the book presents an in-depth study of
Bengali Sufi theology, hagiography and Maijbhandari esoteric songs,
as well as a discussion of what Bengali Islam is. It is a useful
contribution to South Asia Studies, as well as Islamic Studies.
"Al-Ghazali on Love, Longing, Intimacy and Contentment" is the
thirty-sixth chapter of Abu Hamid al-Ghazali's "Revival of the
Religious Sciences" (Ihya Ulum al-Din), which is widely regarded as
the greatest work of Muslim spirituality. "Al-Ghazali on Love,
Longing, Intimacy and Contentment" is of fundamental importance in
the history of Islamic thought and in the development of Sufism,
being the first treatise to establish not merely the possibility
but the necessity for the love of God.---In "Al-Ghazali on Love,
Longing, Intimacy and Contentment", Ghazali argues that all the
virtues and spiritual stages that precede love, like repentance,
patience and thankfulness, lead to love; and all the spiritual
stages that follow on from love are a result of it. Using proof
texts from the Qur'an, the Traditions of the Prophet Muhammad and
Sufi precepts, Ghazali succeeds in marshalling forceful arguments
to make his case. Out of Ghazali's pioneering treatment would
emerge not only new trends in Sufi theory and practice, but an
entire body of mystical poetry including that of the great Persian
poets Rumi and Hafiz.---Professor Eric Ormsby's fully annotated
translation brings out all the beauty and lyricism of the text. The
translation is preceded by an extensive introduction which sets the
work in its historical and spiritual context.---In this new
edition, the Islamic Texts Society has included the translation of
Abu Hamid al-Ghazali's own Introduction to the "Revival of the
Religious Sciences" which gives the reasons that caused him to
write the work, the structure of the whole of the "Revival" and
places each of the chapters in the context of the others.
Isaac Luria (1534-1572) is one of the most extraordinary and
influential mystical figures in the history of Judaism, a visionary
teacher who helped shape the course of nearly all subsequent Jewish
mysticism. Given his importance, it is remarkable that this is the
first scholarly work on him in English. Most studies of Lurianic
Kabbalah focus on Luria’s mythic and speculative ideas or on the
ritual and contemplative practices he taught. The central premise
of this book is that Lurianic Kabbalah was first and foremost a
lived and living phenomenon in an actual social world. Thus the
book focuses on Luria the person and on his relationship to his
disciples. What attracted Luria’s students to him? How did they
react to his inspired and charismatic behavior? And what roles did
Luria and his students see themselves playing in their collective
quest for repair of the cosmos and messianic redemption?
A document of paramount historical importance, not only in terms of
Christianity but also with respect to the development of Western
religion. It chronicles the teachings of Jesus, who explains life's
mysteries to his disciples and Mary Magdalene. Their discussions
take place after Christ's resurrection and include accounts of his
ascension into heaven.
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