The Blessed Model of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) and the Caricatures
The Blessed Model of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) and the Caricatures

Author: Mirza Masroor Ahmad

Publisher: Islam International

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 172

ISBN-13: 1853729132

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Shock waves of indignation ran across the Muslim world following the recent publication of offensive and crude caricatures of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in some parts of Europe. The un-informed, as ever, misled by the mullah gave in to public display of rage and rampant chaos ensued. Midst this confusion of an undeniably distressing time for all Muslims, spoke the voice of reason, calm and peace, precisely in line with the teachings of the 'prince of peace' himself, the Holy Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). This was the voice of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (may Allah be his Helper) that unfolded the reality of the Islamic ways and means to respond to injustice; calling for peace, reasoning, endeavour to enlighten the world with the power of the pen and ultimately to always put one's trust in sincere prayers. He delivered a series of five faith-inspiring and enlightening Friday Sermons on the subject that are a beckon of light for anyone in this often perplexing world that we live in. These Friday Sermons are being presented in this booklet.

A Message of Peace
A Message of Peace

Author: Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad

Publisher: Islam International Publications Ltd

Published: 2007-01-01

Total Pages: 59

ISBN-13: 1853729582

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In a world plagued with intolerance for cultural, racial and religious differences, A Message of Peace serves as a panacea to the ills of the society. Prophetic in foresight and universal in scope, this book lays out a path to the peaceful existence of all humans based on the central theme of worshipping the One God. It is not surprising therefore that A Message of Peace forms the last work of a man who was destined to lay the foundation for the establishment of peace in this day and age and whose advent was prophesied in all major religions of the world-the Promised Messiah and Reformer of the Latter Days. "My countrymen!" writes the Promised Messiah, "A religion which does not inculcate universal compassion is no religion at all. Similarly a human being without the faculty of compassion is no human at all."

Millennial Nuns
Millennial Nuns

Author: The Daughters of Saint Paul

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2021-07-06

Total Pages: 240

ISBN-13: 1982158026

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More and more people-- especially millennials-- are turning to religion as a source of comfort and solace in our increasingly chaotic world. Rather than live a cloistered life of seclusion, the Daughters of Saint Paul actively embrace social media to evangelize, collectively calling themselves the #MediaNuns. In this collective memoir, eight of these Sisters share their own discernment journeys, struggles and crises of faith that they have overcome, and episodes from their daily lives. They offer practical takeaways and tips for living a more spiritually-fulfilled life, no matter your religious affiliation. -- adapted from jacket

A Little History of Religion
A Little History of Religion

Author: Richard Holloway

Publisher: Yale University Press

Published: 2016-08-23

Total Pages: 253

ISBN-13: 0300222149

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For curious readers young and old, a rich and colorful history of religion from humanity’s earliest days to our own contentious times In an era of hardening religious attitudes and explosive religious violence, this book offers a welcome antidote. 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.

Religion for Atheists
Religion for Atheists

Author: Alain De Botton

Publisher: Signal

Published: 2012-03-06

Total Pages: 298

ISBN-13: 0771025998

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From the author of The Architecture of Happiness, a deeply moving meditation on how we can still benefit, without believing, from the wisdom, the beauty, and the consolatory power that religion has to offer. Alain de Botton was brought up in a committedly atheistic household, and though he was powerfully swayed by his parents' views, he underwent, in his mid-twenties, a crisis of faithlessness. His feelings of doubt about atheism had their origins in listening to Bach's cantatas, were further developed in the presence of certain Bellini Madonnas, and became overwhelming with an introduction to Zen architecture. However, it was not until his father's death -- buried under a Hebrew headstone in a Jewish cemetery because he had intriguingly omitted to make more secular arrangements -- that Alain began to face the full degree of his ambivalence regarding the views of religion that he had dutifully accepted. Why are we presented with the curious choice between either committing to peculiar concepts about immaterial deities or letting go entirely of a host of consoling, subtle and effective rituals and practices for which there is no equivalent in secular society? Why do we bristle at the mention of the word "morality"? Flee from the idea that art should be uplifting, or have an ethical purpose? Why don't we build temples? What mechanisms do we have for expressing gratitude? The challenge that de Botton addresses in his book: how to separate ideas and practices from the religious institutions that have laid claim to them. In Religion for Atheists is an argument to free our soul-related needs from the particular influence of religions, even if it is, paradoxically, the study of religion that will allow us to rediscover and rearticulate those needs.

Sociology of Religion
Sociology of Religion

Author: Abby Day

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2020-12-30

Total Pages: 400

ISBN-13: 0429619170

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The first sociology of religion textbook to begin the task of diversifying and decolonizing the study of religion, Sociology of Religion develops a sociological frame that draws together the personal, political and public, showing how religion – its origins, development and changes – is understood as a social institution, influenced by and influencing wider social structures. Organized along sociological structures and themes, the book works with examples from a variety of religious traditions and regions rather than focusing in depth on a selection, and foregrounds cultural practice-based understandings of religion. It is therefore a book about ‘religion’, not ‘religions’, that explores the relationship of religion with gender and sexuality, crime and violence, generations, politics and media, ‘race’, ethnicity and social class, disease and disability – highlighting the position of religion in social justice and equality. Each chapter of this book is framed around concrete case studies from a variety of Western and non-Western religious traditions. Students will benefit from thinking about the discipline across a range of geographical and religious contexts. The book includes features designed to engage and inspire students: Up-to-date and comprehensive analysis of engaging and accessible material ‘Case Examples’: short summaries of empirical examples relating to the chapter themes Visually distinct boxes with bullet points, key words and phrases focusing on the context Questions suitable for private or seminar study Suggested class exercises for instructors to use Suggested readings and further readings/online resources at the end of each chapter Following a review and critique of early sociology of religion, the book engages with more contemporary issues, such as dissolving the secular/sacred binary and paying close attention to issues of epistemology, negotiations, marginalities, feminisms, identities, power, nuances, globalization, (post) (multiple) modernity (ies), emotion, structuration, reflexivity, intersectionality and urbanization. This book is essential reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students exploring the sociology of religion, religion and society, religious studies, theology, globalization and human geography.

A Secular Age
A Secular Age

Author: Charles Taylor

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2018-09-17

Total Pages: 889

ISBN-13: 0674986911

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The place of religion in society has changed profoundly in the last few centuries, particularly in the West. In what will be a defining book for our time, Taylor takes up the question of what these changes mean, and what, precisely, happens when a society becomes one in which faith is only one human possibility among others.

Introduction to World Religions
Introduction to World Religions

Author: Christopher Partridge

Publisher: Fortress Press

Published: 2013-11-01

Total Pages: 538

ISBN-13: 080069970X

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A leading textbook for world religion, this new edition is designed to help students in their study and research of the world's religious traditions. Known and valued for its balanced approach and its respected board of consulting editors, this text addresses ways to study religion, provides broad coverage of diverse religions, and offers an arresting layout with rich illustrations. The second edition has new and extended primary source readings, a stronger section on the Religions of South Asia, additional maps, a new full-color, student-friendly format, and more.

Fields of Blood
Fields of Blood

Author: Karen Armstrong

Publisher: Anchor

Published: 2014-10-28

Total Pages: 458

ISBN-13: 0385353103

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A sweeping exploration of religion and the history of human violence—from the New York Times bestselling author of The History of God • “Elegant and powerful.... Both erudite and accurate, dazzling in its breadth of knowledge and historical detail.” —The Washington Post In these times of rising geopolitical chaos, the need for mutual understanding between cultures has never been more urgent. Religious differences are seen as fuel for violence and warfare. In these pages, one of our greatest writers on religion, Karen Armstrong, amasses a sweeping history of humankind to explore the perceived connection between war and the world’s great creeds—and to issue a passionate defense of the peaceful nature of faith. With unprecedented scope, Armstrong looks at the whole history of each tradition—not only Christianity and Islam, but also Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Daoism, and Judaism. Religions, in their earliest days, endowed every aspect of life with meaning, and warfare became bound up with observances of the sacred. Modernity has ushered in an epoch of spectacular violence, although, as Armstrong shows, little of it can be ascribed directly to religion. Nevertheless, she shows us how and in what measure religions came to absorb modern belligerence—and what hope there might be for peace among believers of different faiths in our time.