Miraculous Journey of Mahomet
Miraculous Journey of Mahomet

Author: Marie Rose Seguy

Publisher: George Braziller Publishers

Published: 1977

Total Pages: 168

ISBN-13:

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"The Mirâj nâmeh is a mystical legend describing the marvelous or apocalyptical visions that marked the stages of that miraculous ascension in the course of which ... the founder of Islam reached the Throne of God ... fifteenth-century manuscript ... decorated with sixty-one ... illuminations"--Dustjacket.

The Prophet's Ascension
The Prophet's Ascension

Author: Christiane J. Gruber

Publisher: Indiana University Press

Published: 2010-02

Total Pages: 404

ISBN-13: 0253353610

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The tales of the mi'raj describe the prophet Muhammad's journey through the heavens, his encounters with prophets and angels, and his visit to heaven and hell. The tales are among Islam's most popular, appearing in Arabic, Persian, and Turkish literature, and in later adaptations throughout the Muslim world. Often serving as narratives designed to promote the worldview of particular Muslim groups, the tales were also a means for communities to construct rules of normative behavior and ritual practices, and were used to assert the superiority of Islam over other religions. The essays in this collection discuss the formation of this narrative, the mi'raj as a missionary text, its various adaptations, its application to esoteric thought, and its use in performance and ritual. -- Book jacket.

The Cambridge Companion to Muhammad
The Cambridge Companion to Muhammad

Author: Jonathan E. Brockopp

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2010-04-19

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 113982838X

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As the Messenger of God, Muhammad stands at the heart of the Islamic religion, revered by Muslims throughout the world. The Cambridge Companion to Muhammad comprises a collection of essays by some of the most accomplished scholars in the field exploring the life and legacy of the Prophet. The book is divided into three sections, the first charting his biography and the milieu into which he was born, the revelation of the Qur'ān, and his role within the early Muslim community. The second part assesses his legacy as a law-maker, philosopher, and politician and, finally, in the third part, chapters examine how Muhammad has been remembered across history in biography, prose, poetry, and, most recently, in film and fiction. Essays are written to engage and inform students, teachers, and readers coming to the subject for the first time. They will come away with a deeper appreciation of the breadth of the Islamic tradition, of the centrality of the role of the Prophet in that tradition, and, indeed, of what it means to be a Muslim today.

The Garden and the Fire
The Garden and the Fire

Author: Nerina Rustomji

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Published: 2013-10-01

Total Pages: 227

ISBN-13: 0231140851

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Islamic conceptions of heaven and hell began in the seventh century as an early doctrinal innovation, but by the twelfth century, these notions had evolved into a highly formalized ideal of perfection. In tracking this transformation, Nerina Rustomji reveals the distinct material culture and aesthetic vocabulary Muslims developed to understand heaven and hell and identifies the communities and strategies of defense that took shape around the promise of a future world. Ideas of the afterworld profoundly influenced daily behaviors in Islamic society and gave rise to a code of ethics that encouraged abstinence from sumptuous objects, such as silver vessels and silk, so they could be appreciated later in heaven. Rustomji conducts a meticulous study of texts and images and carefully connects the landscape and social dynamics of the afterworld with earthly models and expectations. Male servants and female companions become otherworldly objects in the afterlife, and stories of rewards and punishment helped preachers promote religious reform. By employing material culture as a method of historical inquiry, Rustomji points to the reflections, discussions, and constructions that actively influenced Muslims' picture of the afterworld, culminating in a distinct religious aesthetic.