This book offers a comparative theological exploration of the challenges and opportunities presented by the Qur'ānic representation of Christianity as the People of the Book, ahl al-kitāb, in the Qur'ānic commentary tradition. It explores the use of the term in the context of our increasingly interconnected and pluralist societies.
There is a growing sense of concern today among consumers, Muslim and non-Muslim alike, about the healthfulness of what they eat. Health food stores have gained a prominent status in the US, and many consumers review every last ingredient listed in a food items nutritional facts list to ensure that they meet their dietary standards. Muslims must be even more conscientious of what they consume, as a Muslims diet must, above all, be lawful (halal) under Islamic law, as well as wholesome (tayyib). The Quran states, O people, eat from whatever is upon the earth that is lawful and wholesome (2:168).Of all types of food, one that has become the cause of controversy among Muslims the world over is slaughtered meat. Muslim sources without the guidance of scholars have spread inaccurate information about Islams rules and regulations for animal slaughter, leaving Muslims confused about the facts. Authored by a Muslim scholar recognized worldwide for his mastery of Islamic jurisprudence, The Islamic Laws of Animal Slaughter clears up the confusion. The author presents a brief, structured analysis of Islams laws for animal slaughter, as well an overview of their practical application in the modern world. A couple of articles, appended specially for this translation, round off the discussion by addressing matters particularly relevant to Muslims in the US and other Western nations.
Despite its reputation for religious intolerance, the Middle East has long sheltered many distinctive and strange faiths: one regards the Greek prophets as incarnations of God, another reveres Lucifer in the form of a peacock, and yet another believes that their followers are reincarnated beings who have existed in various forms for thousands of years. These religions represent the last vestiges of the magnificent civilizations in ancient history: Persia, Babylon, Egypt in the time of the Pharaohs. Their followers have learned how to survive foreign attacks and the perils of assimilation. But today, with the Middle East in turmoil, they face greater challenges than ever before. In Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms, former diplomat Gerard Russell ventures to the distant, nearly impassable regions where these mysterious religions still cling to survival. He lives alongside the Mandaeans and Ezidis of Iraq, the Zoroastrians of Iran, the Copts of Egypt, and others. He learns their histories, participates in their rituals, and comes to understand the threats to their communities. Historically a tolerant faith, Islam has, since the early 20th century, witnessed the rise of militant, extremist sects. This development, along with the rippling effects of Western invasion, now pose existential threats to these minority faiths. And as more and more of their youth flee to the West in search of greater freedoms and job prospects, these religions face the dire possibility of extinction. Drawing on his extensive travels and archival research, Russell provides an essential record of the past, present, and perilous future of these remarkable religions.
In this book, originally published in 1929, Lammens is primarily concerned with the problem of Mohammad’s personality and prophetic career – one of the central issues of Islamic history. He argues that Mohammad’s career must be considered within the context of the urban and mercantile society of seventeenth century Mecca and rejects the idea that Islam was principally the creation of a nomadic environment.
The Christians that lived around the Arabian Peninsula during Muhammad’s lifetime are shrouded in mystery. Some of the stories of the Prophet’s interactions with them are based on legends and myths, while others are more authentic and plausible. But who exactly were these Christians? Why did Muhammad interact with them as he reportedly did? And what lessons can today’s Christians and Muslims learn from these encounters? Scholar Craig Considine, one of the most powerful global voices speaking in admiration of the prophet of Islam, provides answers to these questions. Through a careful study of works by historians and theologians, he highlights an idea central to Muhammad’s vision: an inclusive Ummah, or Muslim nation, rooted in citizenship rights, interfaith dialogue, and freedom of conscience, religion and speech. In this unprecedented sociological analysis of one of history’s most influential human beings, Considine offers groundbreaking insight that could redefine Christian and Muslim relations.
This book, although brief and simple, is a comprehensive and detailed exposition of the main articles of Faith and all the dos and don’ts of Islam. This booklet will serve as a guide to those parents whose children are reaching the age of maturity, as well as to those missionaries who bring someone into the fold of true Islam. It would show them the minimum that their wards should believe in and act upon the moment they become baligh or are converted.
Authoritative and personal, this is an introduction to all aspects of a traditional Jewish Shabbat, providing both an inspirational call to observe this weekly holiday and a comprehensive resource.
Based on archival and primary sources in Persian, Hebrew, Judeo-Persian, Arabic, and European languages, Between Foreigners and Shi'is examines the Jews' religious, social, and political status in nineteenth-century Iran. This book, which focuses on Nasir al-Din Shah's reign (1848-1896), is the first comprehensive scholarly attempt to weave all these threads into a single tapestry. This case study of the Jewish minority illuminates broader processes pertaining to other religious minorities and Iranian society in general, and the interaction among intervening foreigners, the Shi'i majority, and local Jews helps us understand Iranian dilemmas that have persisted well beyond the second half of the nineteenth century.
