Islam Books

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewYoussef Courbage and Emmanuel Todd totally recast the current debate about Islam and the West by focusing attention on some societal fundamentals and by debunking-once and for all-a number of myths. -- Nicolas Guilhot, editor of The Invention of International Relations Theory This articulate and elegant demographic study convincingly documents a general trend toward modernity in the Muslim world, from Morocco to Indonesia. It successfully refutes many Western prejudices towards Islam, especially those based on misconceptions about its religion. It should be required reading for Western policy makers as well as for the general public. -- Leon-Francois Hoffmann, Princeton University An insightful academic study of how the unrest and turbulence that characterizes large areas of the Muslim world are the results of demographic-rather than ideological-trends... Important reading. Kirkus Reviews I found this succinct book fascinating and recommend it. -- Patrick J. Ryan Commonweal Engaging for a general reader and rewarding for a specialist... Highly recommended. Choice Scholarly and engaging, this is an important work and one which deserves to be widely read. -- Sandra Berns Law Society Journal A positive, enlightening survey. The Midwest Book Review A primer in the demography of Muslim societies, a treatise on the causes and consequences of fertility decline, and a rejoinder to the 'clash of civilizations' argument. -- John Casterline Population and Development Review Written with clarity and elan. Review of Middle East StudiesTable of ContentsList of Figures and Tables Introduction: Clash of Civilizations or Universal History 1. The Muslim Countries in the Movement of History 2. Crises of Transition 3. The Arab Family and the Transition Crisis 4. Other Muslim Women: East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa 5. At the Heart of Islam: The Arab World 6. The Non-Arab Greater Middle East 7. After Communism 8. Matrilocal Asia 9. Sub-Saharan Africa Conclusion Appendix Notes

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Book SynopsisDemonstrates the existence of a coherent pre-Islamic Arabian myth that was subsequently incorporated into Islamic poetic tradition. This book dissects the Arab-Islamic myth built around Muhammad's unearthing of a "golden bough" from the grave of the last survivor of an ancient Arab people.Trade ReviewUntil now Arabian myth has been ignored at the same time that other ancient Near Eastern myths have been studied at length. Stetkevych (Univ. of Chicago) succeeds brilliantly in reconstructing the myth of the destruction of the Thamud, an ancient people of north Arabia. His key to this myth is a canonical story of the discovery by the prophet Muhammad of a golden bough at the very site where the Thamud are thought to have been destroyed by a scourge from God. Through careful philological, historical, and literary analysis he sets the story of this golden bough in an ever-widening context of myth and legend, reaching back to Gilgamesh, the Bible, the Odyssey, and the Aeneid. James Frazer's The Golden Bough (1890, 1915) is examined and reevaluated in the light of the other golden bough myths. Stetkevych's argument for the existence of an autochthonous Arabian myth is entirely convincing, and this book will add a new dimension to the study of Near Eastern and Mediterranean myth and legend. Highly recommended for collections in folklore and mythology, ancient Near Eastern studies, and Islam.W. L. Hanaway, emeritus, University of Pennsylvania, 1997apr CHOICE.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Reclaiming Arabian Myth1. The Textual Puzzle2. The Thamudic Backdrop to the Puzzle3. The First Answer to the Puzzle: The Raid on Tabuk4. The Totem and the Taboo5. Poeticizing the Thamud6. Demythologizing the Thamud7. The Scream8. The Arabian Golden Bough and Kindred Branches: Frazer, Vergil, Homer, and GilgameshConclusion

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Book SynopsisTimbuktu is famous as a center of learning from Islam’s Golden Age. Yet it was one among many scholarly centers to exist in precolonial West Africa. Ousmane Kane charts the rise of Muslim learning in West Africa from the beginning of Islam to the present day and corrects lingering misconceptions about Africa’s Muslim heritage and its influence.Trade ReviewMedieval Timbuktu was a wealthy city whose great libraries allowed it to flourish as a center of learning and scholarship. Kane’s compelling intellectual history of West Africa places Timbuktu within a much broader tradition of Islamic learning in the region, which was home to other medieval knowledge centers and which continues to advance the study of Arabic philology even today. Kane wants to show that West Africa has been much more central to Islam than has been typically understood. His wide-ranging book focuses on the intellectual traditions of the region and its role in the production and circulation of key Arabic-language texts regarding religion, law, and ethics. -- Nicolas van de Walle * Foreign Affairs *Beyond Timbuktu is an insightful analysis of how, through the centuries and from different perspectives, Muslim intellectuals have shaped the production, dissemination, and content of Islamic knowledge in relation to the socio-political contexts in which they lived. As Ousmane Kane demonstrates, this process continues today in the ways the transformation of Muslim educational institutions and availability of new communication technologies make possible a resurgent Muslim public presence. No similar overview of West African Muslim intellectual history exists. -- Louis Brenner, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of LondonA fascinating and comprehensive analysis of the intellectual history of Islamic West Africa. This original book not only fills a gap but also challenges traditional readings of classical texts. -- Chouki El Hamel, Arizona State University

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewDeeply thoughtful…A delight. * The Economist *A closely researched and engrossing study of a subset of the Republic of Letters—those scholars who, having learned Arabic, used their mastery of that difficult language to interpret the Quran, study the career of Muhammad, write the history of medieval Islam and introduce Europeans to the masterpieces of Arabic literature…[Bevilacqua] has joined the ranks of a latter-day Republic of Arabic Letters that, in its scholarship and scholarly cooperation, is in no way inferior to its early-modern precursor. -- Robert Irwin * Wall Street Journal *What makes his study so groundbreaking, and such a joy to read, is the connection he makes between intellectual history and the material history of books. The re-evaluation of Islam that took place in the 17th century was closely connected to the acquisition of a much wider range of empirical sources than had been available before: it was the stockpiling of Oriental collections in the great libraries of Europe that enabled this work to take place. -- Gavin Jacobson * Financial Times *[A] tour de force study of the origins of modern Islamic scholarship in the West and its central role in the Enlightenment…Bevilacqua’s extraordinary book provides the first true glimpse into this story…It has taken until now for a book to tell the history of the origins of the Western study of Islam, as Bevilacqua’s does. Few have his linguistic and cultural expertise. He, like the tradition he describes, is a rarity. -- Jacob Soll * New Republic *Erudite and eloquent…What [Bevilacqua’s] meticulous scholarship reveals is that between the mid-17th and mid-18th centuries, the engagement with Islam really did transform Europeans’ understanding not only of Islam but also of their own Christian faith. -- Dmitri Levitin * London Review of Books *Anyone interested in the Enlightenment, or Islam, or both, should read Alexander Bevilacqua’s The Republic of Arabic Letters. -- Ritchie Robertson * Times Literary Supplement *Bevilacqua offers many surprising discoveries. One of them is that robust modern scholarship on Islam was shaped in an ostensibly improbable source, namely the Vatican…It is indicative of the West’s tortuous engagement with Islam that the foundation of European scholarship on Islam had to wait until now to be uncovered; it is all the more creditable that Bevilacqua has cleared the ground to build on it. -- Benedikt Koehler * Standpoint *A succinct and erudite overview of 17th- and 18th-century European scholars and writers who focused on Islamic studies. * Publishers Weekly *A closely researched and elegantly written book…The Republic of Arabic Letters brings back to life a fascinating moment in intellectual history. -- Francis Ghiles * Arab Weekly *An extraordinary achievement, displaying wide-ranging and often profound scholarship…A book of great originality, based on an astonishingly wide array of sources, some previously uninvestigated, and all carefully interpreted…Will be essential reading, not only for those concerned with ‘Islam and the European Enlightenment,’ but for anyone interested in the intellectual history of the eighteenth century, or in the achievements of Arabists in the seventeenth. -- G. J. Toomer * Erudition and the Republic of Letters *The great names of the second phase [of reinterpretation of Islam] are known, among them secular men of letters like Montesquieu and Voltaire. The scholars of the first phase, however, are forgotten. The fascinating study of the American historian Alexander Bevilacqua studies these figures. Many of them were, unlike the Enlighteners after them, pious Christians or even clerics. They engaged on the basis of their faith with Islam, out of curiosity and as scholars. Thus Bevilacqua draws the portrait of a ‘Republic of Letters’ dedicated to the Islamic-Arabic world that was not known until now. -- Rainer Hermann * Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung *Fabulous…Bevilacqua narrates in lucid prose how the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries witnessed a transformation in European knowledge of Islam and its peoples. -- Richard Calis * Marginalia *[A] fascinating book. -- Fitzroy Morrissey * History Today *Bevilacqua explores a new humanism in early modern Europe that sought a more accurate representation of Muslims…The resulting wave of scholarship has impacted Europe’s relations with Muslims ever since. -- I. Blumi * Choice *In this passionate, lucid, and enjoyable book, Bevilacqua successfully pursues the connection between intellectual history and material history of books, showing how new texts and new information changed the traditional understanding of Islam. And in so doing he considers, rightly, the birth of the republic of Arabic letters to have been an episode in the history of the global Enlightenment or, at least, ‘a significant chapter in the long and painstaking global advance of philological learning and interreligious knowledge.’ -- Franco Giudice * Il Sole 24 Ore *Fascinating, eloquent, and learned, The Republic of Arabic Letters reveals a world later lost, in which European scholars studied Islam with a sense of affinity and respect. With deep research and insight, Alexander Bevilacqua delivers a powerful reminder of the ability of scholarship to transcend cultural divides, and the capacity of human minds to accept differences without denouncing them. -- Maya Jasanoff, author of The Dawn Watch: Joseph Conrad in a Global WorldAmong the many things produced by the Enlightenment we must now include a vast expansion of European scholarly engagement with Arabic and Islam. That engagement shaped much of how future Christians and Muslims would think about each other and themselves. Alexander Bevilacqua’s learned and luminous The Republic of Arabic Letters is both a recovery of a fascinating moment in intellectual history, and an exploration of the conditions of thought in our own time. -- David Nirenberg, author of Neighboring Faiths: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism in the Middle Ages and TodayA lucid, erudite, and in many respects engaging study of a dimension of the European Enlightenment and its precursor traditions that has not previously been examined. -- William Graham * European Legacy *The Republic of Arabic Letters contends that Maracci, d’Herbelot, and Sale, along with a few other scholars scattered across Europe, were responsible for transforming Europe’s understanding of Islam. A worthy chronicler of these meticulous and erudite figures, Bevilacqua moves easily between multiple languages to trace a trans-European story packed with colorful anecdotes and elegantly told lives. -- Ian Coller * Journal of Modern History *

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Book SynopsisJustice and Leadership in Early Islamic Courts explores the administration of justice during Islam's founding period, 6321250 CE. Inspired by the scholarship of Roy Parviz Mottahedeh, ten scholars of Islamic law draw on diverse sources including historical chronicles, biographical dictionaries, exegetical works, and mirrors for princes.Trade ReviewThis book makes a valuable contribution to the literature. It will be widely used and appreciated by scholars and graduate students with an interest in the historical practice and development of Islamic law. -- Marion Katz, Professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, New York UniversityThis book will be welcomed as a significant contribution toward a better understanding of the development of Islamic law in practice. Students of Islamic law have generally relied on the theoretical and ideal formulations of judicial procedure in manuals and chapters in textbooks that Muslim jurists wrote on dispensing justice. By contrast, this book offers path-breaking studies on Islamic legal practice by exploring biographical literature, local histories, and more, and by critically analyzing judicial contexts. These studies enlighten the reader about close interactions between jurists and judges on the one hand, and between judicial and political authorities, who kept revisiting concepts of the rule of law and of justice as they led the early Muslim societies, on the other. -- Judge M. Khalid Masud, Ad Hoc Member, Shariat Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan

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Book SynopsisThe History of Akbar, Volume 6 by Abu’l-Fazl details the twenty-third to twenty-eighth years of Akbar’s reign, including accounts of the quelling of rebellions in Bihar, Bengal, and Kabul, and final victory in Gujarat. The Persian text, presented in the Naskh script, is based on a careful reassessment of primary sources.Trade ReviewOf all the great monarchs to have ruled over India—a land whose history is richer and more turbulent than that of almost any other—the one who most retains our modern-day attention is Akbar, Mughal emperor from 1556 to 1605…[The History of Akbar] includes accounts of his court and his governance, as well as of the wars, alliances and intrigues of his time…Thackston’s translation is the first complete rendition into English of Abu’l-Fazl’s Persian text since Henry Beveridge, a British orientalist and imperial civil servant, completed his version in 1921…Thackston’s English is modern and…[his] translation…is impressively meticulous. -- Tunku Varadarajan * Wall Street Journal *At a time when Hindutva historians are eager to distort the history of Muslim invasions in order to deepen religious cleavages and consolidate vote banks, [Abu’l-Fazl's] elaboration of Akbar’s legacy as a tolerant Muslim ruler of a non-Muslim majority is an important reminder of how Indian society has evolved. -- Pragya Tiwari * India at LSE blog *We can only welcome an undertaking like the Murty Classical Library of India, which intends to inject fresh blood directly into the circulatory system of the English language. Any intelligent reader cannot fail to be favorably impressed in the presence of the variegated offerings of the series’ first titles…The Murty Classical Library offers a surprising array of texts that are in any case capable of broadening the all-too-restricted horizons of the average Western reader. -- Roberto Calasso * New York Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisA bilingual edition of the Qur'an, the Holy Book of Islam. It includes the original Arabic and the translated English that sit side by side on each page, encouraging the reader to draw from both texts. It also includes notes where necessary, providing the full meaning of each word and phrase. It is suitable for scholars and followers of Islam.Trade Review"In one of the most popular English versions of the Qur'?n, Ahmed Ali has succeeded in bringing all of the subtlety, depth, and spiritual power of Islam into his translation of this peerless scripture. Without distorting the English, Ali, a highly regarded author in his own right, renders the poetry of the original Arabic into lines of elegance and rhythm... For the curious, the convert, or the devout, Ahmed Ali's Al-Qur'?n will bring all readers closer to the glory of God."--Brian Bruya, Amazon.comTable of ContentsAcknowledgements 6 By Way of Preface 7 1 The Prologue 11 2. The Cow 12 3. The Family of Imran 51 4. The Women 73 5. The Feast 97 6. The Cattle 114 7. Wall Between Heaven and Hell 133 8. Spoils of War 54 9. Repentance 162 10. Jonah 177 11. Hud 188 12. Joseph 200 13. Thunder 211 14. Abraham 217 15. AI-Hijr 223 16. The Bees 228 17. The Children of Israel 240 18. The Cave 250 19. Mary 260 20. Ta Ha 266 21. The Prophets 275 22. The Pilgrimage 283 23. The True Believers 291 24. The Light 298 25. The Criterion 306 26. The Poets 312 27. An-Naml 321 28. The History 329 29. The Spider 337 30. The Romans 343 31. Luqman 348 32. As-Sajdah 352 33. The Allied Troops 355 34. Sheba 363 35. The Originator 368 36. Ya Sin 373 37. Who Stand Arrayed in Rows 378 38. Sad 385 39. The Small Groups 391 40. The Believer 399 41. Adoration 407 42. Consultation 412 43. Ornaments of Gold 418 44. Smoke 424 45. Kneeling 427 46. Al-Ahgaf 431 47. Muhammad 435 48. Victory 439 49. Apartments 443 50. Qaf 446 51. The Dispersing 449 52. The Mount 452 53. The Star 455 54. The Moon 458 55. Ar-Rahman 461 56. The Inevitable 465 57. Iron 469 58. The Disputant 473 59. Confrontation 476 60. The Woman Tried 479 61. Formations 482 62. The Congregation 484 63. The Hypocrites 486 64. Exposition 488 65. Divorce 490 66. Prohibition 492 67. The Kingdom 494 68. The Pen 497 69. The Concrete Reality 500 70. The Steps 502 71. Noah 504 72. Thejinns 506 73. The Enwrapped 508 74. The Enfolded 510 75. The Resurrection 512 76. Time 514 77. The Emissaries 516 78. The Announcement 518 79. Those Who Pull and Withdraw 520 80. He Made a Wry Face 522 81. The Folding up 524 82. The Splitting 526 83. The Defrauders 527 84. The Cleaving 529 85. Signs of the Zodiac 530 86. The Night Star 531 87. The Most High 532 88. The Overpowering 533 89. The Dawn 535 90. The Earth 537 91. The Sun 538 92. The Night 539 93. Early Hours of Morning 540 94. The Opening Up 541 95. The Fig 542 96. The Embryo 543 97. Determination 544 98. The Clear Proof 545 99. The Earthquake 546 100. The Chargers 547 101. The Calamity 548 102. Plenitude 549 103. Time and Age 550 104. The Slanderer 551 105. The Elephants 552 106. The Quraish 553 107. Things of Common Use 554 108. Pre-eminence 555 109. The Unbelievers 556 110. Help 557 111. Abu Lahab 558 112. Pure Faith 559 113. The Rising Day 560 114. Men 561 Index 563 Index of Names 571

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of the Financial Times' Best Books of the Year: Critics' Picks""One of Asian Review of Books' Books of the Year (Biography & Memoir)"

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Book SynopsisThis richly illustrated volume highlights the history of Islamic cosmopolitanism as documented through works of art from the eighth century to the present; from the Mediterranean, North Africa, South Asia, and the United States; and including painting, architecture, textiles, calligraphy, photography, and animation. These essays examine Muslim artists, patrons, and collectors' engagement with global influences, as well as artistic exchange between Muslim and non-Muslim societies.Drawing on Kwame Anthony Appiah's view of cosmopolitanism as respect for the differences among people and acknowledgment of a shared community across those differences, leading scholars offer case studies of art objects that illustrate such dynamics in the Islamic cultural sphere. In doing so, they bring Islamic art history into dialogue with Western European medieval art, Byzantine art, African art, global modern art, and American art and architecture. This timely volume demonstrates the importance of cultivating coexistence, becoming citizens of the world, and recognizing the possibilities of cultural intersections. It offers historical examples of such intersections, for which works of art provide a visual testament.Table of Contents Acknowledgments Introduction: Islamicate Art and Inter-faith Intersections Melia Belli Bose 1. An Inscribed Jug from Raqqa: Scripture and the Expression of Identity Marcus Milwright 2. Intersecting Sicily William Tronzo 3. A Crossroads of Travel: Cairo's Historic Qarafa Cemetery Aliaa El Sandouby 4. Setting the Elite Table across the Byzantine-Seljug Divide Alicia Walker 5. Ink, Blood, and Body: Transmission and Ritual Purity in the Early Modern Western Mediterranean Manuela Ceballos 6. The Story of Plato Making Music and a Multifaceted Mughal Organ Mika Natif 7. Woven Together: Textiles and Trans-Saharan Exchange Michelle Huntington Craig 8. Cosmopolitan Interiors: Syrian 'ajami Rooms and an American Reinterpretation at Frederic Church's Olana Elizabeth McCauley-Lewis 9. Articulations of the Illustrated Manuscript: Shahzia Sikander's Disruption As Rapture Vivek Gupta Chapter 10: Bridging Identity: Language, World Making, and Iranian-American Publics in the Work of Siah Armajani Elizabeth Rauh List of Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisA sweeping history of the often-violent conflict between Islam and the West, shedding a revealing light on current hostilities

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Book SynopsisThe Road to Makkah describes the happiness and sense of reality brought to one man by the Muslim way of life. The author does not wish to preach or to convert. He speaks only of his own unique experiences upon the road he has travelled.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Provides a discourse of charity that challenges and disrupts dominant secular and liberal notions of humanitarian aid. The book is recommended not only to anthropology and sociology students and scholars but also to ones of economics, theology, and religious studies.” * KULT Online *"Amira Mittermaier has written a marvelous book. Giving to God will be of considerable value not only to anthropologists of Islam and charitable giving, but also to historians and political scientists who seek to understand the persistence of a longstanding model of Islamic charity in the face of political, economic, and social upheaval." * Reading Religion *"A masterpiece of the anthropology of charity and the ethos of Islamic economics." * Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations *"Mittermaier has created an important study of Muslims negotiating their religious lives in the modern world." * Journal of the American Academy of Religion *Table of ContentsIllustrations Note on Transliteration Acknowledgments Introduction during the revolution 1 • Revolutions Don’t Stop Charity giving 2 • Divine Minimum Wage 3 • Caravan to Paradise receiving 4 • Performances of Poverty 5 • All Thanks Belong to God after the revolution 6 • Tomorrow Is Better Postscript Notes Glossary Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisToday's discussions on Islam and the place religion should have in society often lead to questions about the Shari'a - Islamic law. Those who work for a political role for Islam demand that the Shari'a must be applied in their country, while those critical of Islam use the law as proof of its 'medieval' character. Islam is sometimes, not quite justly, called a 'religion of rules', and the rules of Islam are the Shari'a. But it is often hard to establish the exact nature of this law in more practical terms. Asking those who favour it or those who oppose it may only lead to greater confusion. But a rule and its exact opposite can both be said to be 'what the Shari'a says' and what God demands of the believer. It may even be questioned if there is any Shari'a at all in the work-a-day world, or whether it is just an ethical ideal, or a body whose secrets are known only to God. At the same time people may be stoned or mutilated in the name of this law. The key to understanding Shari'a is the concept of 'religious law', a term which might seem contradictory. 'Religion' is faith in a non-material force of some kind, and something we consider internal to the human soul. 'Law', on the other hand, is external to us, established by society in order to regulate the material needs of the community. The contrast between 'religion' and 'law' has been continuous throughout Muslim history. Islamic law has always existed in a tension between these two forces: God, who gave the law, and the state - the 'sultan' - representing society and implementing the law. This tension and dynamic have created a very particular history for the law - in how it was formulated and by whom, in its theoretical basis and its actual rules, and in how it was practised in historical reality from the time of its formation till today. That is the main theme of the book. Knut S. Vikor aims in this book to introduce the development and practice of Islamic law to a wide readership: students, lawyers and the growing number of those interested in Islamic civilisation. He summarises the main concepts of Islamic jurisprudence, discusses debates concerning the historicity of Islamic sources of dogma and the dating of early Islamic law; describes the classic practice of the law, in the formulation of legal rules and practice in the courts; and sets out various substantive legal rules, on such vital matters as the family and economic activity.Trade ReviewAn excellent introduction to Islamic law … It fulfils its aim of providing a rounded history of the subject, combined with studies of particular areas of the law (criminal law, family law, land and tax law) … a very important contribution to the field. -- Robert Gleave

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Book SynopsisThis revised and expanded edition of The Essential Rumi includes a new introduction by Coleman Barks and more than 80 never-before-published poems.Through his lyrical translations, Coleman Barks has been instrumental in bringing this exquisite literature to a remarkably wide range of readers, making the ecstatic, spiritual poetry of thirteenth-century Sufi Mystic Rumi more popular than ever.The Essential Rumi continues to be the bestselling of all Rumi books, and the definitive selection of his beautiful, mystical poetry.

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Book SynopsisWhat really happened in the centuries of conflict between Europe, Russia, China, America, and the peoples of the Muslim worldTrade Review“Crusade and Jihad is a challenging and interesting book, well written and provocative.”—Hugh Kennedy, Literary Review"In this magisterial treatment, William Polk cuts to the core of contemporary conflicts with the Muslim world, providing an accessible, often troubling account."—Joel Gordon,University of Arkansas, author of Nasser: Hero of the Arab Nation“A tour de force covering centuries of history from the perspective of the people who lived in the Muslim world, Crusade and Jihad offers a fresh and urgently needed angle on the present crisis in the Middle East that you will find nowhere else.”—Ilan Pappe, author of The Forgotten Palestinians: A History of the Palestinians in Israel“William Polk combines analytical powers and profound insight with a lively, accessible style. Crusade and Jihad is a pleasure for the mind.”—Uri Avnery, author and peace activist"With rigor and sympathy, William Polk has produced a masterpiece to enlighten us all. No one who reads Crusade and Jihad will put it down without an increased knowledge and understanding of the crucial relationship between the Islamic and Western worlds."— Charles Glass, author of Tribes with Flags and Syria Burning: A Short History of a Catastrophe “A brilliant study, analytical and authoritative. There are few overviews that can rival the depth and the range of this work.”— K.N. Chaudhuri, FBA Emeritus Professor of The History of European Expansion, European University, Florence, Italy

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of the Financial Times' Best Books of the Year: Critics' Picks""One of Asian Review of Books' Books of the Year (Biography & Memoir)""In Robert Irwin, Ibn Khaldun has finally found a biographer and interpreter almost as versatile and learned as he was himself."---Eric Ormsby, Wall Street Journal"A compelling new account of the 14th-century Arab historian and polymath. . . . Irwin has produced an exemplary work."---Gavin Jacobson, Financial Times"As an introduction to Ibn Khaldun’s fascinating life and times, his ideas, and how they have been understood and misunderstood over the centuries, you could hardly wish for something better."---Thomas Small, Times Literary Supplement"Irwin wears his immense erudition lightly and gives an often very funny account of how orientalists, historians and modern Arab nationalist have interpreted Ibn Khaldun’s most famous work. . . . Irwin offers his readers a superb work of intellectual recovery, one which presents Ibn Khaldun as a creature of his time. . . . He has resurrected for us the medieval Muslim mind."---Francis Ghilès, The Spectator"Ibn Khaldun: An Intellectual Biography is both an introduction to his work and an intervention into Ibn Khaldun studies."---Sameer Rahim, Prospect"The great merit of Ibn Khaldun: An Intellectual Biography is that it encourages us to treat the intellectual history of the Islamic world not as a battleground for contemporary ideological struggles but as a subject worthy of investigation in its own right."---Fitzroy Morrissey, Standpoint"Irwin’s book lives up to its name. . . . [It is] a work that will be of interest not only to students of Islamic intellectual history, but also to students of historiography, sociology, and anthropology. Irwin’s writing is accessible to all levels of readership. Well suited for seminar discussions, as it offers much to debate."---T.M. May, Choice"Irwin’s portrait of the philosopher is beautifully written, intriguing, stimulating and movingly intimate."---Doris Behrens-Abouseif, Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society"In his highly readable appraisal of Ibn Khaldun’s life and work, Robert Irwin sets out to demythologize and, at the same time, remystify a man whose mind was formed far from the seminar rooms of 20th-century social science. . . . [C]oncise and compelling."---Nile Green, Los Angeles Review of Books"I did enjoy this style of biography as Irwin brought the mind of Ibn Khaldun into focus and showed the genius that [is] worthy of standing with other ‘well-regarded’ thinkers of the past."---Gaele Hince, I am, Indeed blog"The book is entertaining and thought-provoking in itself; it is not the last word but provides a fascinating guide to further reading."---Patrick Manning, Connections"Irwin's book is very informative and well-argued in addressing the life and works of Ibn Khaldun in both historical and intellectual contexts."---Fadi Zatari, Insight Turkey"This book engages the mind in a positive way and provides an academic but highly accessible introduction to a complex topic."---Abdullah Drury, Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations"A noteworthy contribution to this ever-growing literature about Ibn Khaldun’s life, ideas and scholarly influence."---Prof Dr Oktay F. Tanrisever, Rest Journal"Irwin’s book is useful, engaging, commendable, and important. Given how Ibn Khaldun used to be misread, Irwin’s is a necessary book."---Ephraim Nissan, Quaderni di Studi Indo-Mediterranei

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Book SynopsisThis major philosophic work by one of the most important Muslim and Western religious philosophers of the 20th century continues to exert an important literary, religious, and political influence today.Trade Review"Given Iqbal's indisputable significance as a modern Muslim thinker, the Stanford edition of his Reconstruction will introduce his thought to a wide audience both in academe and among the general public in the West. It bids fair to become a milestone in the history of Iqbal studies."—Mustansir Mir, Youngstown State University

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Book SynopsisThe Path of Worshippers to the Paradise of the Lord of the Universe is an authoritative book and a guideline on practical Sufism (''irfan-i ''amali). It is also a mirror to the soul of its author. In this book Ghazzali speaks not only as a scholar but also as a master and sincerely shares his spiritual experiences with his readers in a simple language and an intimate tone. These qualities of the book penetrate into the depth of the heart of the reader. The importance of the book lies in the fact that its author was the most prominent theologian and jurist of his time and its teachings are as valid today as they were when the author wrote the book just before his death in 505/1111.Trade ReviewTo translate a Sufi text well into English, or for that matter into any other language, requires not only mastery of the languages involved and familiarity with Sufi teachings, but also spiritual affinity and intimacy with the reality of Sufism if something of the spiritual perfume of the original text is to be present in the translation. Fortunately, the translator of the present book combines all these qualities within himself. Not only does Mohammad Faghfoory possess mastery of Arabic and Persian and of course English, but he was brought up in a Sufi family and is himself immersed in the life of Sufism and engaged in its practices. Moreover, he has had experience in the translation of Sufi writings and has already produced English translations of other important Sufi works. The result of the conjunction of these diverse qualities in him has enabled him to produce a fine translation which is an important addition to the corpus of Sufi literature in English. -- Seyyed Hossein Nasr, University Professor of Islamic Studies, George Washington University * From The Foreword *Table of ContentsTable of Transliteration Foreword by Seyyed Hossein Nasr Translator's Introduction Introductory Remarks I. On the Valley of Knowledge (ilm) II. On the Valley of Repentance (tawbah) III. On the Valley of Obstacles (awaiq) IV. On the Valley of Accidents (awarid) V. The Valley of Inducements (bawaith) VI. On the Valley of Factors That Impair and Ruin Worship (qawadih) VII. On the Valley of Praise (hamd) and Gratitude (shukr) Index of Quranic Verses Index of Ahadith General Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"The Republic Unsettled is thick, sophisticated thinking, which should unsettle the comfortable certainties of French and American secularism and monoculturalism. . . . Anthropologists like Fernando comprehend the situation most fully, and we owe it to our fellow citizens and our own societies to get the message out as widely and loudly as possible." -- Jack David Eller * Anthropology Review Database *"The Republic Unsettled is invaluable not only for anthropologists and ethnographers but also for scholars wanting to deepen their understanding of how contemporary secularism functions as a theory of politics and society, including through its contradictions, tensions, inconsistencies, anxieties, and instabilities." -- Roshan A. Jahangeer * ReOrient *“By taking the debate away from the well-worn lines of whether or not ‘Muslims’ can be or are ‘integrated’ (in other words, whether or not Muslims are an unsettling presence or not in the republic), and by instead underlining how the republic itself is inherently ‘unsettled’, this book will no doubt rile many French secular republicans and become a key point of reference in future studies of the French Republic, laı¨cite´, and ‘non-normative’ identities.” -- Natalya Vince * French Studies *“The Republic Unsettled is a crucial and stimulating read for any scholar thinking about secularism and secularity, difference politics, contemporary France and Europe, and/or Western liberalism(s) and liberal (in)tolerance. The book (and especially its vivid, emotional, and purposeful introduction) can easily find resonance across a variety of social science, religion, and history disciplines.” -- Carol Ferrara * Journal of Church and State *“That her book ends with a legitimate comparison between William Connolly's notions of critical responsiveness and agonistic respect and the way in which her Muslim French interlocutors think shows that the history of colonization, immigration and the creation of diasporas does not have to lead to a conflict of civilizations or economically reductive globalization but can produce rich and complex hybrids or mouvements aberrants that can genuinely contribute to human progress. What The Republic Unsettled manages to convey is that those who seem marginal to the present could be central to a better future, and that is indeed a very remarkable achievement.” -- Nardina Kaur * Radical Philosophy *“The Republic Unsettled is a dense, but extremely well written book that exposes and 'unsettles,' as the title indicates, secular republicanism by laying bare its numerous inconsistences and paradoxes. … In the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo shootings, which has issued in an uncritically and self-gratulatory reinvigoration of secular republicanism in France, accompanied by a dramatic increase in anti-Muslim violence, Mayanthi Fernando’s book is more timely and urgent than ever.” -- Jeanette S. Jouili * Journal of the Society for Contemporary Thought and the Islamicate World *"Because Fernando makes a lucid argument based on extended ethnography and sophisticated reading in political theory, The Republic Unsettled will surely be read widely by all those engaged in thinking about the politics of diversity in Europe." -- John R. Bowen * American Ethnologist *"I offer the highest praise for The Republic Unsettled: it is a beautifully written book that readers will be eager to continue discussing long after they finish it." -- Jennifer Fredette * Anthropos *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments vii Introduction 1 Field Notes I: "Vive la Republique Plurielle" 29 1. "The Republic Is Mine" 33 2. Indifference, or the Right to Citizenship 69 Field Notes II: Friday Prayers 101 3. "A Memorial to the Future" 105 4. Reconfiguring Freedom 145 Field Notes III: A Tale of Two Manifestos 181 5. Of Mimicry and Woman 185 6. Asymmetries of Tolerance 221 Epilogue 261 Notes 267 References 285 Index 305

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Book SynopsisThe life and legacy of one of Mohammad’s closest confidants and Islam’s patron saint: Ali ibn Abi TalibTrade Review“Ali was a hugely gifted thinker and speaker, one of the earliest scribes and something of a poet. But it is hard to be objective about him. The evidence is often contradictory and he is shrouded by accretions, pious and otherwise. In The Prophet's Heir, Hassan Abbas - an enthusiast for his subject, and an objective enthusiast - pursues Ali on the ground. Fantastic.“—Tim Mackintosh-Smith, author of Arabs“An erudite and accessible biography of Ali, one that tells his life story, and discusses his teachings and values, and how his legacy continues to loom large over Muslim world.”—Vali Nasr, author of The Shia Revival"This erudite but readable book shows why the Prophet's cousin and son-in-law Ali is central to Islam today, and should be both an inspiration and a figure for reconciliation."—John McHugo, author of A Concise History of Sunnis & Shi'is

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Book SynopsisRecommended on The Rest is Politics and Empire 'A masterly engagement with the most delicate and important of subjects - filled with gentle empathy, learning and rare balance' Rory Stewart 'Rogerson is an original - eloquent and always fascinating' William Dalrymple 'Brilliant' Anita Anand 'This is not a book to be ignored' The Times At the heart of the Middle East, with its regional conflicts and proxy wars, is a 1400-year-old schism between Sunni and Shia. To understand this divide and its modern resonances, we need to revisit its origins, which go back to the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632, the accidental coup that set aside the claims of his son Ali, and the slaughter of Ali's own son Husayn at Kerbala. These events, known to every Muslim, have created a slender faultline in the Middle East. The House Divided follows these narratives from the first Sunni and Shia caliphates, through the medieval caliphates and empires of the Arabs, Persians and Ottomans, to the contemporary Middle East. It shows how a complex range of identities and rivalries - religious, ethnic and national - have shaped the region, jolted by the seismic shift of the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Rogerson's original approach takes the modern chessboard of nation states and looks at each through its particular history of empires and occupiers, minorities and resources, sheikhs and imams. The result is a book of wide-ranging empathy, understanding and insights.Trade ReviewA masterly engagement with the most delicate and important of subjects - filled with gentle empathy, learning and rare balance -- Rory StewartBrilliant -- Anita Anand * Empire *Rogerson is an original - eloquent and always fascinating -- William DalrympleA balanced, sweeping, hugely ambitious work that delves into the long and tangled roots of the modern Middle East * Literary Review *This digestible history of the restless region is a useful alternative to academic tracts ... it has answers to several of the basic questions: the difference between Sunni and Shia, how Turkey and Iran aren't Arab, but are important anyway, and, sometimes, just how much Britain has to answer for in the Middle East ... this is not a book to be ignored -- Richard Spencer * The Times *Impressive ... a highly readable, lovingly researched, romantic and engaging history * Spectator *This book is a tour de force. One of the best summary histories of Islam from its beginnings until today I have come across. Informative, engaging, and excitingly written, it is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the origins and development of a great world religion -- Ghada Karmi, author * In Search of Fatima *A lucid, vivid and sweeping history of the divisions within Islam and their destructive impact on the contemporary Muslim world. Barnaby Rogerson takes you to the heart of the arguments and battles, revealing some stark truths. This is history as a living entity. A dazzling achievement -- Ziauddin Sardar, author * In Search of Mecca *Rogerson is a master storyteller, equally at home sketching the intimacies of the Prophet's household as he is illuminating geopolitical trends across the world of contemporary Islam -- Matthew Teller, author * Nine Quarters of Jerusalem *Rogerson knows that things are much more complex than Sunni versus Shia. But in its depiction of the multiple cats' cradles of tensions, The House Divided is jauntily readable and thought-provoking about a Middle East still in the middle of global crises, and still, as so often, misunderstood -- Tim Mackintosh-Smith, author * Arabs: A 3,000-Year History of Peoples, Tribes and Empires *Praise for Barnaby Rogerson * : *Rogerson has a novelist's gift for filling out the characters of his main players -- Noel MalcolmRogerson is an excellent story-teller -- Norman StoneRemarkable - Barnaby Rogerson has succeeded in isolating all the different strands of North African history -- John Julius NorwichRogerson is eccentric and eclectic but always iconoclastic. He is not afraid to explore and elucidate the recondite in a way a more formal academic would not -- Ross Leckie

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Brilliantly edited and introduced by Giancarlo Casale. . . . Osman’s eye-opening reflections on the dilemmas of difference and identity make this a story curiously of our time." * Times Literary Supplement *"An excellent, lively English translation by Giancarlo Casale." * The Times *"Elegantly presented and scrupulously edited by Casale. . . . The reader should undertake this trip into time and place with Osman for both his exploits and his learning." * Middle East Quarterly *"Readers will enjoy the combination of Casale’s erudition and Osman Ağa’s straightforward but exciting story." * Asian Review of Books *"With an intimacy that recalls Ibn Battuta…Prisoner of the Infidels provides a useful and entertaining window into 17th-century Europe and the Ottoman-Habsburg wars. This memoir reveals a depth, nuance, and grittiness that standard historical accounts cannot hope to convey. It centers the human experience, covering everything from mosquito bites to separations from, and reunions with, family." * Reading Religion *"Besides being a splendidly enjoyable read, The Prisoner of the Infidels is also a valuable resource for both academic research and teaching." * Critical Inquiry *Table of ContentsList of Maps Acknowledgments xi A Note on Transcription from Ottoman Turkish A Note on the Translation Introduction: On Being Osman 1. Surrender 2. Ransom 3. Crime and Punishment 4. Death and Resurrection 5. Respite 6. Bonds of Love 7. To the Capital 8. A Friend in Need 9. An Unexpected Turn of Events 10. Into the Lion's Den 11. Grifters 12. To the Border 13. The End Appendix: The Main Characters in Osman's Narrative Notes Index of People Index of Places

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Book SynopsisIn this novel perspective on a much-maligned figure, Michal Biran explains the monumental impact Chinggis Khan has had upon the Islamic World, both positive and negative. Often criticised as a mass-slaughterer, pillager, and arch-enemy of the faith, Biran shows that his constructive influence upon Islam was also considerable - his legacy apparent in Central Asia even today. Covering Chinggis Khan's early career, his conquests, the enduring power of his descendents, and the numerous ways he is presented in different Muslim contexts, this accessible book provides a fascinating insight into one of the most notorious men in history.Trade Review"Michal Biran's study is thorough and extemely thought provoking… As an introduction to its subject, it should be considered as first choice" * Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society *Table of ContentsList of Maps, Figures and Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction: Why Chinggis? 1: Asia, the Steppe and the Islamic World on the Eve of the Mongols 2: Temüjin’s Mongolia 3: World Conquest: How Did He Do It? 4: The Chinggisid Legacy in the Muslim World 5: From the Accursed to the Revered Father and Back: Changing Images of Chinggis Khan in the Muslim World 6: Appropriating Chinggis: A Comparative Approach Selected Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisA vital resource for all those who not only have a questioning mind but also possess an intellectual curiosity to dig deeper before accepting or rejecting the faith in God outright.

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Book SynopsisWhat is so unique about Islam's scripture, the Quran? Who wrote it, and when? Can we trust its statements to be from Muhammad? Why was it written in Arabic? Does it command Muslims to fight Christians? These are a few of the thirty questions answered in this clear and concise guide to the history and contents of the Quran. Ayman Ibrahim grew up in the Muslim world and has spent many years teaching various courses on Islam. Using a question-and-answer format, Ibrahim covers critical questions about the most sacred book for Muslims. He examines Muslim and non-Muslim views concerning the Quran, shows how the Quran is used in contemporary expressions of Islam, answers many of the key questions non-Muslims have about the Quran and Islam, and reveals the importance of understanding the Quran for Christian-Muslim and Jewish-Muslim interfaith relations. This introductory guide is written for anyone with little to no knowledge of Islam who wants to learn about Muslims, their beliefs, and their scripture.Table of ContentsContentsIntroduction: My Earliest Encounters with the QuranPart 1: The History of the Text of the Quran1. What Is the Quran?2. What Does "Quran" Mean?3. Are There Other Scriptures in Islam?4. What Do Muslims Believe about the Quran?5. Who Is Muhammad, the Recipient and Proclaimer of the Quran?6. Did Muhammad Really Exist?7. When and Where Did Muhammad Receive the Quran?8. What Is the Most Important Feature of the Language of the Quran?9. Why and How Was the Quran Compiled?10. Did Uthman Burn False and Forged Qurans?11. What Do Shiite Muslims Believe about the Collection of the Quran?12. Do Sunnis and Shiites Have the Same Quran Today?13. What Do We Know about the 1924 Royal Cairo Edition of the Quran?14. Are There Any Other Qurans?15. Are All Arabic Versions of the Quran the Same?Part 2: Content, Features, and Themes of the Quran16. How Should I Begin Reading the Quran?17. What Are the Recurring Features at the Beginning of All Suras?18. What Is Abrogation in the Quran?19. What Are the Satanic Verses in the Quran?20. What Is the Most Important Concept for Muslims in the Quran?21. Are Jews and Christians Infidels?22. Does the Quran Really Say the Bible Is Corrupt?23. Who Is Jesus in the Quran?24. Who Are the Prophets in the Quran?25. Did Muhammad Perform Miracles?26. What Does the Quran Say about Jihad and Fighting?27. How Do Muslims Treat the Quran's Verses on Violence Today?28. Who Are "the People of the Quran"?29. What Do Today's Non-MuslimScholars Say about the Quran?30. Concluding Question: How Does This All Fit Together?GlossaryIndex

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Book SynopsisUsama Ibn Munqidh (1095-1188) was a Syrian poet and warrior whose life coincided with some of the most dramatic moments in Islamic history: the invasion of the Turks into the Middle East, the collapse of the Shi'ite political power, and above all, the coming of the Crusades. Often at the frontline of such events whilst on military service representing one of his many Lords, including on occasion the legendary Saladin, Usama was nonethless best-known to his contemporaries as a poet. Covering his exquisite anthologies of Arabic poetry, his witty and well- loved memoirs, and his political adventures, this comprehensive biography examines both the literary works of the famous "Arab- Syrian Gentleman" and the tumultuous life which inspired them. With a guide to further reading, a dynastic family tree and a glossary of the principal characters encountered in the book, it offers an indispensable window into Usmama's life, times and world of thought.Table of ContentsPreface Introduction 1 THE YOUTH AND THE CASTLE The setting of Shayzar Childhood Hunting at Shayzar Shayzar’s bad neighbors Nizaris attack Shayzar Relations with the Franks Quiet moments Exile Service to Zangi Last days in Hama 2 THE OUTCAST AND THE KINGS Damascus (1138–1144) Usama among the Franks Trouble in Damascus Egyptian adventures (1144–1154) The lesson of Ridwan A new patron An expedition to Syria Conspiracy in Cairo The final straw Damascus and Nur al-Din (1154–1164) Calamity 3 THE POET AND THE TOMB Diyar Bakr (1164–1174) Literary output Denouement in Damascus (1174–1188) Intellectual pursuits 4 ORDER AND CHAOS God’s will and the vicissitudes of Time Usama’s Islam Pious exemplars and the miraculous Women’s honor Male honor and social status The manners and customs of animals Conclusion 5 FRANKS AND MUSLIMS Usama, ethnographer Usama and the coming of the Crusades Usama on Antioch Social relations with the Franks Medicine Frankish justice Usama and Christianity Afterword Further reading Works cited Principal people encountered in this book Simplified lists of principal dynasties and rulers in Usama’s lifetime Index

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Book SynopsisConvinced that the veil is a symbol of unjust male authority over women, in The Veil and the Male Elite , Moroccan feminist Fatima Mernissi aims to investigate the origins of the practice in the first Islamic community.

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Book SynopsisThis work, written towards the end of Al-Ghazali's career as a philosopher, advances the idea that reason can serve as a connection between the devout and God. Exploring the boundary between philosophy and theology, it seeks to understand the role of reality in the perception of the spiritual.

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Book SynopsisDiscuss the Islamic Scriptures that form the basis for its political language, looks at the changes in modern Islamic politics, and analyzes the transformation of political terms.

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