Islamic and Arab philosophy Books

Book SynopsisAl-Ghazali on Patience and Thankfulness is a translation of the thirty-second chapter of The Revival of the Religions Sciences (Ihya'' ''Ulum al-Din). This chapter falls in the section dealing with the virtues or what is conducive to salvation. Ghazali here presents definitions for patience and its different forms; the need for patience; the degrees of patience; and why patience is considered to be half of faith.The second part of this chapter deals with thankfulness, and again Ghazali gives us definitions for thankfulness, its nature and its blessings. In addition to the translation, Dr Henry Littlejohn provides an extensive introduction which illustrates the importance of the topics of patience and thankfulness in Islam throughout the centuries.In this new edition, the Islamic Texts Society has included a translation of Imam 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.

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Book SynopsisIn this work, here presented in a complete English edition for the first time, the problem of knowing God is confronted in an original and stimulating way. Taking up the Prophet''s teaching that ''Ninety-nine Beautiful Names'' are truly predicated of God, Ghazali explores the meaning and resonance of each of these divine names, and reveals the functions they perform both in the cosmos and in the soul of the spiritual adept. Although some of the book is rigorously analytical, the author never fails to attract the reader with his profound mystical and ethical insights, which, conveyed in his sincere and straightforward idiom, have made of this book one of the perennial classics of Muslim thought, popular among Muslims to this day.This volume won a British Book Design and Production Award in 1993.

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Book SynopsisWe take for granted that only certain kind of things exist electrons but not angels, passports but not nymphs. This is what we understand as reality'. But in fact, reality' varies with each era of the world, in turn shaping the field of what is possible to do, think and imagine. Our contemporary age has embraced a troubling and painful form of reality: Technic. Under Technic, the foundations of reality begin to crumble, shrinking the field of the possible and freezing our lives in an anguished state of paralysis. Technic and Magic shows that the way out of the present deadlock lies much deeper than debates on politics or economics. By drawing from an array of Northern and Southern sources spanning from Heidegger, Junger and Stirner's philosophies, through Pessoa's poetry, to Advaita Vedanta, Bhartrhari, Ibn Arabi, Suhrawardi and Mulla Sadra's theosophies Magic is presented as an alternative system of reality to Technic. While Technic attempts to capture the world through an Trade ReviewFederico Campagna's book is a brilliant tour de force that oscillates between lucid analyses of philosophical concepts, bridging the gap between Eastern and Western frameworks, and radical propositions for alternative worlds. By attempting to galvanize human perception out of its paralyzed and bordered state, what William Blake refers to as ‘the narrow chinks of [our] cavern’, Campagna expertly unravels the very foundations upon which our contemporary reality sits. Technic and Magic gradually builds towards a new and striking reconfiguration of reality that merges together the past, present and future. -- Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director at the Serpentine Galleries, London, UKFederico Campagna’s brilliant Technic and Magic is essential reading for our desperate times. This stunning historical and philosophical exploration radically transforms our understanding of the global technological culture we now inhabit. -- Jonathan Crary, Meyer Schapiro Professor of Modern Art and Theory, Columbia University, USA, author of 24/7Both Technic and Magic are used by us to change the world. However, as Frederico Campagna argues, Technic serves the accumulation of power whereas Magic, on the contrary, protects life and its value. In his fascinating book Campagna makes a parcours through the Indian, Islamic and old Gnostic sources to discover the hidden, hermetic tradition of magical thinking that keeps its relevance also for our contemporary condition. -- Boris Groys, Global Distinguished Professor of Russian and Slavic Studies, New York University, USACampagna takes us on a philosophically rich journey that is signposted by new terms and concepts discussed with due reference to other philosophical settings, including as they developed in Persia. His engaging prose promises to make a distinct contribution to emerging fields of knowledge. -- Arshin Adib-Moghaddam, Professor in Global Thought and Comparative Philosophies, SOAS, University of London, and Chair of the Centre for Iranian Studies at the London Middle East Institute, UKThis is a book not only for philosophers but also for poets and their readers and for all those who try to uphold the dignity of their spiritual existence. Is magic still a liveable territory? Federico Campagna asks fundamental questions but also has original suggestions how to keep this high flame alive in a radically non-magical world. -- Adam Zagajewski, poet, novelist and translator, author of 'Mysticism for Beginners: Poems'Campagna breaks with tradition by advancing scholarship that explores a common past and common understandings of meta-philosophical concepts, crossing the geopolitical barriers between the East and the West. Rarely does one see such ability to discuss complex, metaphysical and philosophic themes in a light and poetic manner - Outstanding. -- Ghoncheh Tazmini, Centre for Iranian Studies, SOAS University of London, UKTable of ContentsPREFACE, ‘The Keymaker’ by Timothy Morton INTRODUCTION CHAPTER ONE – TECHNIC’S WORLD - Crisis of Reality - Technic - Measure and Infinity - No Outside - Crisis of Action, Crisis of Imagination CHAPTER TWO – TECHNIC’S COSMOGONY - Defining Terms - 1 Absolute Language - 2 Measure - 3 Unit - 4 Abstract General Entity - 5 Life As Vulnerability - Upper and Lower Limits: Ego Absconditus and Double Affirmation - Conclusion INTERMISSION – WHAT IS REALITY? - Between India and the West - Why Seek Reality? CHAPTER THREE – MAGIC’S COSMOGONY - Defining Terms - 1 The Ineffable as Life - 2 Person - 3 Symbol - 4 Meaning - 5 Paradox - Upper and Lower Limits: Double Negation and Deus Absconditus - Conclusion CHAPTER FOUR – MAGIC’S WORLD - Outside Within - Secret - Initiation - As if - Happy Ending Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis book presents Paul Tillich at his very best--brief, clear, stimulating, provocative. Speaking with understanding and force, he makes a basic analysis of love, power, and justice, all concepts fundamental in the mutual relations of people, of social groups, and of humankind to God. His concern is to penetrate to the essential, or ontological foundation of the meaning of each of these words and thus save them from the vague talk, idealism, cynicism, andsentimentality with which they are usually treated. The basic unity of love, power, and justice is affirmed and described in terms that are fresh and compelling.Trade Review"One of the most thoughtful analyses of a basic problem of Christian ethics which we have had in our day."--Reinhold Niebuhr "Tillich...is one among the few leading Christian theologians who have begun to write in a provocative and fresh way in areas immediately relevant to the problem of ethics."--Philosophical Review

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Book SynopsisA nuanced and highly original anarchistic interpretation of Islam, and Islamic interpretation of anarchismTrade Review'This is one of the fiercest books I've ever read. It is a call to action. It is conceptually rich and gives us new methodological tools for thinking theory and politics together. It is unrelenting in its critique of liberal assimilationist tendencies in diasporic and BIPOC knowledge production and movement organizing. Abdou is a truth-teller of the highest order. Drawing together disparate geographies and thought into a dazzling web of interconnectedness and dialogue, Islam and Anarchism proffers a kaleidoscopic vision of what could be otherwise' -- Jasbir K. Puar, author of 'Terrorist Assemblages' and 'The Right to Maim''A passionate plea for a spiritual decolonial movement. Mohamed Abdou advances a vision of Islam that is abolitionist at its core, reminding us that Islam has been and can still be a religion of the oppressed, one that is anti-capitalist, egalitarian, anti-ableist, anti-patriarchal, queer feminist and for Muslims and non-Muslims alike' -- Sherene H. Razack, Distinguished Professor and Penny Kanner Endowed Chair, Gender Studies, UCLA'An uncompromising queer-feminist vision of decolonial, abolitionist, and anti-capitalist praxis that is keyed to the pluralistic traditions of Islamic spirituality and anarchic thought' -- Iyko Day, Elizabeth C. Small Associate Professor of English and Critical Social Thought at Mount Holyoke College, MassachusettsTable of Contents1. Introduction: Panegyric Desert of the Present 2. Authoritarianism, Capitalism, & Capitalist Nation-States: Anarca-Islam's Space and Political Consciousness in Relation to Anarchism, Islam and the Capitalist-State 3. An Anti- and Non-Authoritarian Islam and an Anti- & Non-Capitalist Islam 4. (Im)Possibilities and on Becoming an Anti-Militaristic Militant 5. Conclusion: There are Only Middles, No Beginnings and No Ends: A Note On Transnational Solidarity and Standing In-Between Trump, BLM, DAPL-INM, and Tahrir

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Book SynopsisOpen to Reason traces Muslims’ long intellectual and spiritual history of questioning to show how Islamic philosophy has always engaged critically with texts and ideas both inside and outside its tradition. Through a rich reading of classical and modern Muslim philosophers, Souleymane Bachir Diagne explains their relevance to our own time.Trade ReviewThis is a remarkable and interesting book. Open to Reason is tremendously valuable on two levels: first, as an account of the place of philosophy in Muslim history; and, second, as a philosophical proposal of some depth and substance that could orient Muslims and others in understanding Islam today. -- Charles Taylor, author of A Secular AgeThis remarkable book asks questions that only a philosopher could ask: How does a religion yield a vast and long and rich philosophical tradition? How do its doctrines and practices come to require one to develop a philosophical temperament so as to ask rather than shun a wide range of philosophical queries? How does its language evolve to become the carrier of such a philosophical quest? With his immense learning, his wise judgment, and his probing analytical skills, Souleymane Bachir Diagne does not merely provide answers to these questions in relation to Islam, he—in doing so—also reveals something of the highest importance: that a proper pursuit of these questions can offer to us today critical possibilities in two opposing directions. On the one hand, to probe and question from the point of view of our modernity the fixities of our doctrinal past, but equally to present how Islam and the philosophy it has yielded over the centuries may offer critical resources by which to understand and criticize many aspects of our modernity. -- Akeel Bilgrami, Sidney Morgenbesser Professor of Philosophy, Columbia UniversityThis elegant and enjoyable book neatly summarizes the importance of philosophy in Muslim civilization, both in medieval times and in the present. Vividly written and framed with illuminating encounters, Open to Reason is highly recommended for anyone interested in the intellectual history of Islam. -- Carl W. Ernst, William R. Kenan Distinguished Professor, the University of North Carolina at Chapel HillDiagne’s animated presentations of seminal Islamic philosophers range across centuries, continents, and languages as creative Muslim voices from Damascus, Baghdad, Spain, South Asia, and Mali reject 'closure' and 'literalism' and continue to offer the resources for a reconstructed Islamic intellectual tradition able to meet contemporary challenges of personal faith, ecological ethics, and political and social justice. -- Marcia Hermansen, Loyola University ChicagoHe emphasizes that Islam itself has changed with the world around it, and argues that Muslims should be open to this change. * Los Angeles Review of Books *Succeeds admirably in showing that Islam has a long tradition both of philosophizing and of positive engagement with other traditions. * Reading Religion *What makes the volume particularly valuable is a self-conscious theoretical reflection that is often missing in global philosophical accounts. * Critical Inquiry *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. And How to Not Philosophize?2. How a Language Becomes Philosophical3. What Does It Mean for a Philosophy to Be Islamic4. Against Philosophy?5. A Lesson in Ecological Philosophy6. The Obligation to Philosophize7. The Need for Philosophy8. The Philosophy of Reform9. The Philosophy of Movement10. PluralismConclusionNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisThe Book of Love, Longing, Intimacy and Contentment is the thirty-sixth chapter of Abu Hamid al-Ghazali''s Revival of the Religious Sciences. This was the first treatise which established not merely the possibility but the necessity for the love of God. 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. 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. The translation is preceded by an extensive introduction which sets the work in its historical and spiritual context.

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Book SynopsisPeter Adamson presents the first full history of philosophy in the Islamic world for a broad readership. He traces its development from early Islam to the 20th century, from Spain to Persia. He introduces Jewish and Christian thinkers as well as Muslim; theology, mysticism, and the history of science all feature here in this rich and lively story.Trade ReviewAdamson gives a solid introduction to this encompassing history, which clearly will help students to acquire a serious first knowledge of this rich and complex history, but also often offers the advanced reader interesting insights. * Jules Janssens, Tidschrift voor Filosofie *[Adamson's] account of philosophy in the Islamic world and the larger project of which it is a part establish a new paradigm for telling the story of philosophy. * Carlos Fraenkel, Los Angeles Review of Books *This is a well-written and interesting work . . . the author deserves credit for engaging with such a complex subject and making it accessible to the public. * Muhammad Khan, The Muslim News *From the first volume onwards, a repeated refrain has been philosophers arguing that being a philosopher is the best choice in life. These books are so engaging, instructive, and diverting, it might almost make you believe that is true. * Stuart Kelly, Scotland on Sunday *short, conversational chapters sparkling with new ideas, interpretations and a lively sense of humour. Adamson is so easy to learn, absorb, and enjoy, that all the info slips down with hardly a hiccup. * Steve Craggs, Northern Echo *bite-sized, well-indexed chapters on key philosophers, movements, and developments which took place in the Islamic world. * Daniel J. Levy, Jewish News *Table of ContentsPart I: The Formative Period 1: The Straight Path: Philosophy and Islam 2: All for One: The Mu'tazilites 3: Founded in Translation: From Greek to Syriac to Arabic 4: Philosopher of the Arabs: al-Kind=i 5: The Chosen Ones: Philosophy and Judaism 6: Reasoned Belief: Saadia Gaon 7: High Five: al-R=az=i 8: Aristotelian Society: the Baghdad School 9: The Second Master: al-F=ar=ab=i 10: State of Mind: al-F=ar=ab=i on Religion and Politics 11: Eye of the Beholder: Theories of Vision 12: Strings Attached: Music and Philosophy 13: Balancing Acts: Arabic Ethical Literature 14: Undercover Brothers: Philosophy in the Buyid Age 15: God Willing: the Ash'arites 16: The Self-Made Man: Avicenna's Life and Works 17: By the Time I Get to Phoenix: Avicenna on Existence 18: By All Means Necessary: Avicenna on God 19: Into Thin Air: Avicenna on the Soul 20: Special Delivery: al-Ghaz=al=i 21: Miracle Worker: al-Ghaz=al=i against the Philosophers Part II: Andalusia 22: Philosophy's Reign in Spain: Andalusia 23: Laying Down the Law: Ibn .Hazm and Islamic Legal Theory 24: Fantasy Island: Ibn B=ajja and Ibn Tufayl 25: Back to Basics: Averroes on Reason and Religion 26: Single Minded: Averroes on the Intellect 27: A Matter of Taste: Ibn 'Arab=i and Mysticism 28: Team Spirit: Ibn Khald=un 29: Matter over Mind: Ibn Gabirol 30: Choosing My Religion: Judah Hallevi 31: Born Under a Bad Sign: Freedom and Astrology in Jewish Philosophy 32: With All Your Heart: Ethics and Judaism 33: The Great Eagle: Maimonides 34: He Moves in Mysterious Ways: Maimonides on Eternity 35: Burnt Offerings: the Maimonides Controversy 36: Man and Superman: Gersonides and the Jewish Reception of Averroes 37: Neither the Time nor the Place: .Hasdai Crescas 38: When Bad Things Happen to Good People: Suffering in Jewish Philosophy 39: Chariot of Fire: Kabbalah 40: A Matter of Principles: Joseph Albo and Isaac Abravanel Part III: The Later Traditions 41: Golden Ages: The Later Traditions 42: All Things Considered: Ab=u l-Barak=at al-Baghd=ad=i 43: For the Sake of Argument: Fakhr al-D=in al-R=az=i 44: Let There Be Light: Suhraward=i 45: Bright Ideas: Illuminationism 46: A Man for All Seasons: Na.s=ir al-D=in al-.T=us=i 47: To Be or Not to Be: Debating Avicenna's Metaphysics 48: Eyes Wide Shut: al-R=um=i and Philosophical Sufism 49: Proof Positive: The Logical Tradition 50: By the Book: Ibn Taymiyya 51: Aftermath: Philosophy and Science in the Mongol Age 52: Family Feud: Philosophy at Sh=ir=az 53: Follow the Leader: Philosophy under the Safavids 54: To Be, Continued: Mull=a .Sadr=a on Existence 55: Return to Sender: Mull=a .Sadr=a on Motion and Knowledge 56: Subcontinental Drift: Philosophy in Islamic India 57: Turkish Delights: Philosophy under the Ottomans 58: Blind Alley: Taql=id, Sufism, and Philosophy 59: The Young Ones: Encounters with European Thought 60: The Stronger Sex: Women Scholars in the Islamic World 61: All for One and One for All: Mu.hammad 'Abduh and Mu.hammad Iqb=al 62: Iran So Far: The Heirs of Mull=a .Sadr=a

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Book Synopsis''Work for your terrestrial life in proportion to your location in it, and work for your afterlife in proportion to your eternity in it.'' This is part of the advice that the great theologian and mystic Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (1058-1111 AD) put down in his Letter to a Disciple. An old disciple of al-Ghazali had studied the Islamic sciences, including the many works of his master, for most of his life. Faced with the proximity of death, he turns again to his master this time asking for a summary of all his teachings. Letter to a Disciple is al-Ghazali''s response. The emphasis in this short treatise is on religious and spiritual action and on putting into practice the knowledge that one has acquired. Letter to a Disciple can be considered as the last testament of he who is regarded as Hujjat al-Islam, the ''Proof of Islam''. This new translation is presented here as a bilingual Arabic-English edition.

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Book SynopsisA provocative examination of how the great religious traditions can remain relevant in modern times by incorporating scientific truths learned about human nature over the last century A single purpose lies at the heart of all the great religious traditions: awakening to the astonishing reality of the true nature of ourselves and the universe. At the same time, through centuries of cultural accretion and focus on myth and ritual as ends in themselves, this core insight has become obscured. Here, Ken Wilber provides a path for re-envisioning a religion of the future that acknowledges the evolution of humanity in every realm while remaining faithful to that original spiritual vision. For the traditions to attract modern men and women, Wilber asserts, they must incorporate the extraordinary number of scientific truths learned about human nature in just the past hundred years?for example, about the mind and brain, emotions, and the growth of consciousness?that the ancients were simply unaware of and thus were unable to include in their meditative systems. Taking Buddhism as an example, Wilber demonstrates how his comprehensive Integral Approach?which is already being applied to several world religions by some of their adherents?can avert a ?cultural disaster of unparalleled proportions?: the utter neglect of the glorious upper reaches of human potential by the materialistic postmodern worldview. Moreover, he shows how we can apply this approach to our own spiritual practice. This, his most sweeping work since Sex, Ecology, Spirituality, is a thrilling call for wholeness, inclusiveness, and unity in the religions of tomorrow.

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Book SynopsisThe Arabic philosophical fable "Hayy Ibn Yaqzan" is a classic of medieval Islamic philosophy. This book places "Hayy Ibn Yaqzan" in its historical and philosophical context.Trade Review"An enchanting and puzzling story.... The book transcends all historical and cultural environments to settle upon the questions of human life that perpetually intrigue men." - Middle East Journal "Goodman has done a service to the modern English reader by providing a readable translation of a philosophically significant allegory." - Philosophy East and West "Adds bright new pieces to an Islamic mosaic whose general shape is already known." - American Historical Review "One of the most remarkable books of the Middle Ages." - Times Literary Supplement"

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Book SynopsisIn Pathfinders: The Golden Age of Arabic Science, Jim al-Khalili celebrates the forgotten pioneers who helped shape our understanding of the world. For over 700 years the international language of science was Arabic. Surveying the golden age of Arabic science, Jim Al-Khalili reintroduces such figures as the Iraqi physicist Ibn al-Haytham, who practised the modern scientific method over half a century before Bacon; al-Khwarizmi, the greatest mathematician of the medieval world; and Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, a Persian polymath to rival Leonardo da Vinci. ''Jim Al-Khalili has a passion for bringing to a wider audience not just the facts of science but its history ... Just as the legacy of Copernicus and Darwin belongs to all of us, so does that of Ibn Sina and Ibn al-Haytham''  Independent ''He has brought a great story out of the shadows''   Literary Review ''His command of Arabic and mathemaTrade ReviewBrings alive the bubbling invention and delighted curiosity of the Islamic world ... his command of Arabic mathematical physics invests his story with sympathy as well as authority -- Tim Radford * Guardian *A fascinating and user-friendly guide to this whole scientific movement -- Noel Malcolm * Seven, Sunday Telegraph *Jim Al-Khalili has a passion for bringing to a wider audience not just the facts of science but its history ... Just as the legacy of Copernicus and Darwin belongs to all of us, so does that of Ibn Sina and Ibn al-Haytham. To think otherwise, as this book so powerfully reveals, is to do disservice to the tradition to which they belong -- Kenan Malik * Independent *Spry, informative and timely ... Al-Khalili takes the reader through a brisk survey of the highlights of the period -- Stuart Kelly * Scotland on Sunday *A fascinating introduction to a neglected area. His approachable style and ability to distil extensive knowledge into simple narrative makes Pathfinders an absorbing read -- Siobhan Murphy * Metro *Enjoyable and informative ... provides ample evidence for the compatibility of Islam and science -- Sameer Rahim * Daily Telegraph *He has brought a great story out of the shadows * Literary Review *This captivating book is a timely reminder of the debt owed by the West to the intellectual achievements of Arab, Persian and Muslim scholars * The Times *

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Book SynopsisSickness washes away the dirty of sins like soap, and cleanses. It is established in an authenticated hadith that illnesses are expiation of sins. It says, 'As ripe fruits fall from the tree when it is shaken, so the sins of a beliver fall away with shaking during illness.'

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Book SynopsisThese penetrating metaphysical and spiritual teachings cross the divides of culture and time, providing unexpectedly modern insight.Table of ContentsThe orientation of this study; Ibn 'Arabi - philosophy and reason; Ibn 'Arabi and the era; Ibn 'Arabi and the self.

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Book SynopsisCrossing continents and running across centuries, Key Concepts in World Philosophies brings together the 45 core ideas associated with major Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Islamic, African, Ancient Greek, Indigenous and modern European philosophers. The universal theme of self-cultivation and transformation connects each concept. Each one seeks to change our understanding the world or the life we are living. From Chinese xin and karma in Buddhist traditions to okwu in African philosophy, equity in Islamic thought and the good life in Aztec philosophy, an international team of philosophers cover a diverse set of ideas and theories originating from thinkers such as Confucius, Buddha, Dogen, Nezahualcoyotl, Nietzsche and Zhuangzi. Organised around the major themes of knowledge, metaphysics and aesthetics, each short chapter provides an introductory overview supported by a glossary. This is a one-of-a-kind toolkit that allows you to read philosophical texts from all overTrade ReviewThis is a brilliantly conceived volume, aimed at encouraging recognition of the diversity of philosophical ideas across the various world traditions. Dipping into just a few of the chapters should convince anyone that there are no grounds whatsoever for philosophers to ignore key ideas outside their own cultural traditions. * Michael Beaney, Regius Professor of Logic, University of Aberdeen, UK, and Professor of History of Analytic Philosophy, Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany *Can there be a better way to "take the world as the world" in philosophy than recruiting a cadre of the very best scholars across the subfields of global philosophy with each writing a substantial piece on a concept usually associated with their own careers? Sarah Flavel and Chiara Robbiano at the helm of this great ship are indeed taking world philosophy towards the boundless horizon of Nietzsche's open sea. * Roger T. Ames, Humanities Chair Professor, Peking University, China *Contemporary Anglo-European philosophy often appears to be nothing but a temple to the achievements of dead white men. Key Concepts in World Philosophies, by Sarah Flavel and Chiara Robbiano, is a powerful antidote to philosophical ethnocentrism. This anthology is like a philosophical box of chocolates, with wide selections of delicious, "bite-sized" chapters that broaden our philosophical horizons and expand our conceptual toolkits. It is useful for both the timid beginner and the jaded cosmopolitan. * Bryan W. Van Norden, James Monroe Taylor Chair in Philosophy, Vassar College, USA *Table of ContentsList of Contributors Preface “A Note on the “Key-Concepts” Approach and Diversification of Philosophical Curricula”, Sarah Flavel Acknowledgments Introduction, “Valuing diversity”, Chiara Robbiano Part I: How We Acquire Knowledge about Ourselves and Reality 1. Action and Praxis, Jin Y. Park 2. Africa, Delphine Abadie 3. Ataraxia, Frans A.J. de Haas 4. Continuous Inquiry, Chiara Robbiano 5. Emptiness, Jason M. Wirth 6. Epistemic Decolonization of Culture, Omar Rivera 7. Ezumezu, Jonathan O Chimakonam 8. Gewu (Investigation of Things), Xiao Ouyang 9. “I” as the Absolute Present, Yoko Arisaka 10. Intellectual Non-Harming and Epistemic Friction, Anand Vaidya 11. Karma, Peter D. Hershock 12. Nature, Marzenna Jakubczak 13. Perspectival Agility, Sarah Flavel and Brad Hall 14. Relational Knowing, Monika Kirloskar-Steinbach 15. Relegational Arguments, Andrew K. Whitehead 16. Science Fiction in/as Philosophy, Ethan Mills 17. Shinjin Gakudô (Studying the Way with Body and Mind), Bret W. Davis 18. Shinjin-datsuraku (dropping the bodymind), Rein Raud 19. Prasanga Method, Ethan Mills 20. Unconditioned, Russell Re Manning 21. Vital Force, Pius M. Mosima 22. Zhi (Knowing), Aaron Creller Part II: How We Cultivate Ourselves and Relate to Others 23. Double movement, Evgenia Ilieva 24. Duhkha (suffering), Stephen E. Harris 25. Equality, Hadeer Aboelnagah 26. I-Thou Relation, Michiko Yusa 27. Moral Responsiveness, Jay L. Garfield 28. Nepantla, James Maffie 29. Self-Cultivation and Political Power, Leah Kalmanson 30. The Good Life, Sebastian Purcell 31. Ubuntu/Botho, Michael Onyebuchi Eze 32. Ujamaa, Edwin Etieyibo 33. Wu wei, Yuan Zhang and Douglas L. Berger 34. Xin (Heart-mind), Dascha Düring Part III: How We Express Ourselves 35. Concreteness, Paul Ziche 36. Conversationalism, Aribiah David Attoe 37. Creativity, Kiene Brillenburg Wurth 38. Diversity in Philosophy, Purushottama Bilimoria & Agnieszka Rostalska 39. Dôtoku (Expression), Gereon Kopf 40. Embodied Practice, John C. Maraldo 41. Kata, Enrico Fongaro 42. Li (Ritual), Geir Sigurðsson 43. Noh Theater Mask, Mayuko Uehara 44. Okwu, Jonathan O Chimakonam 45. Tôjisha kenkyû (participant-led research), Saku Hara Index

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Book SynopsisThe time has come to reveal more of Rumi than the inaccurate portrayal of a new age guru. With careful selections from his work and accompanying commentaries this book will bring readers closer to his poetry's true, traditional meaning. -- "Everyone has, in their view, become my close friend / but they have not sought out the secrets within me." - RumiTable of ContentsTAKEN FROM DRAFT MANUSCRIPT KEY THEMES 129 The nafs is something base 169 Journey of the spirit, not the body 171 Fire of anger > Hell 180 The Masnavi must be heeded with discrimination, being not just stories 202 Weeping over sins is better than prayers 203 Allah is the true Friend 204 Travelling helps you to grow 206 Real knowledge and love of Allah 209 Good manners: not to complain 213 Why Allah does not always answer or prayers right away 214 Malice is forbidden in Islam 220 Barrier of jealousy 220 Doing the work is part of trust 224 Look for spiritual friends 227 The Sufi is provided for by Allah 234 This world is tiny but seems great to the spiritually dead 235 You need spiritual vision 236 Your true homeland is the Next World 238 Your sustenance is in the Hands of Allah 239 Allah decides everything, but you must still work 241 Do not blame destiny; blame yourself 242 Don’t look back – look ahead 245 If you are with everyone you are alone; if you are with Allah you are with all 245 Drown in the sea of love 246 Love the Immortal, not the mortal 249 The repentance of Adam 251 Our apparent emotions, ?? joy and sorrow 253 The sun of Ma‘rifa never sets 254 Love the Essence, not the form 255 Love brings life and purity 261 Love is beyond need and greed 264 Love makes and breaks us again and again 266 Ikhla?: Allah Himself is the Reward 268 Allah’s lovers, like Him, take no sleep or food 269 To lovers humiliation and glory are alike 271 Being at prayer 24/7 274 ‘You need annihilation, not grammar’ 275 Ikhlas: ask Him only – seek water from sea, not dry riverbed 277 Seeing one’s own faults 280 Think well of others 281 Ma‘rifa: seeing Allah everywhere 286 Ask, that you may be given 287 Escape attachment to secondary causes 288 Our troubles come to save us from worse 290 Dhikr Allah brings tranquillity 290 The Light of Allah protects and helps 292 Silence of the Sea 294 Bring your heart to Allah 295 Repentance and weeping 296 Muraqaba and veiling the faults of others

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Book SynopsisAddresses ‘what it means to be human’ in a secular, post-Enlightenment world by exploring notions of self and subjectivity in Islamic and non-Islamic philosophical and mystical thought.Table of Contents Preface and Acknowledgements Introduction Part I I. The Problematic of the Self Is the Self a Modern Invention? The Opacity of the Self Degrees and Dimensions of Selfhood First-person vs. Third-person Perspective Descriptive vs. Normative Approaches A Multi-dimensional Model Overcoming the Terminological Fray Summary II. The View from and beyond the 'I' The Paradox of Self-knowledge Non-reflective Self-knowledge Self-knowledge as Abiding Presence The Varieties of Non-reflective Self-knowledge The Kantian Dilemma Summary III. Self-knowledge and the Levels of Consciousness The Humean Challenge and the Referentiality of the “I” Onto-phenomenological Structure of Consciousness What is It Like to Be a Self? Unity of Self and Consciousness Summary Part II IV. Self, Body, and Consciousness Consciousness in Neuroscience Neurobiological Theories of Consciousness The Center of the Self: Neurons or Consciousness? The Nerve Impulse and the Structure of Consciousness Graeco-Islamic-Indian Conversations Deciphering the Self through the Subtle Bodies Emotion and Subjectivity Summary V. Sculpting the Self Philosophy, Spirituality, and Self-knowledge Self-cultivation and Human Flourishing Self-perfection and the Ideal Self Meditation and Self-transparency Self-transcendence and Transformation Self, Freedom, Being-toward-beyond-death Summary VI. Consummation: 'I or I and I Bibliography Index Locorum Index of Names Index of Subjects

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Book SynopsisCollins Big Cat Arabic Reading Programme is a guided reading series for ages 3 to 11. The series is structured with reference to the learning progression of Arabic at nursery and primary schools researched especially for Collins. This carefully graded approach allows children to build up their reading knowledge of Arabic step by step.

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Book SynopsisThis exceptionally successful survey text introduces the teachings and practice of Islam from its earliest origins up to its contemporary practice. John L. Esposito, an internationally renowned expert on Islam, traces the development of Islam and its impact on world history and politics. Lucidly written and expansive in scope, Islam: The Straight Path, Updated Fifth Edition, provides keen insight into one of the world''s least understood religions. It is ideally suited for use in courses on Islam, world religions, comparative religions, and Middle East history and culture. A FREE 6-month subscription to Oxford Islamic Studies Online (www.oxfordislamicstudies.com), edited by John L. Esposito, is included with the purchase of every new copy of this text.Trade ReviewThis is the answer to every teacher's prayer for an informed and balanced introductory book. It is elegantly written, beautifully synthesized, and helpful. * Leila Fawaz, Tufts University *Islam: The Straight Path is a remarkable testament to the author's breadth of scholarship and descriptive and explanatory economy. * Peter Matthews Wright, The Colorado College *Esposito's work in modern Islam gives him a rich perspective for introducing readers to the main modern strands of reform and revivalism, moderation, and extremism that shape the Islamic worldview in the twenty-first century. * Seth Ward, University of Wyoming *Table of Contents1. MUHAMMAD AND THE QURAN: MESSENGER AND MESSAGE; 2. THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY IN HISTORY; 3. RELIGIOUS LIFE: BELIEF AND PRACTICE; 4. MODERN ISLAMIC REFORM MOVEMENTS; 5. RELIGION & POLITICS; 6. THE STRUGGLE FOR ISLAM IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

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Book SynopsisThis book introduces the work of an important medieval Islamic philosopher who is little known outside the Persian world. Afdal al-Din Kashani was a contemporary of a number of important Muslim thinkers, including Averroes and Ibn al-Arabi. Kashani did not write for advanced students of philosophy but rather for beginners. In the main body of his work, he offers expecially clear and insightful expositions of various philosophical positions, making him an invaluable resource for those who would like to learn the basic principles and arguments of this philosophical tradition but do not have a strong background in philosophy. Kashani held the position that philosophy awakens people from forgetfulness and incites them to reach for the perfection of existence. It was for this reason that he sought to make philosophy as accessible as possible to a wider than usual group of readers. In this book, Chittick uses Kashani and his work to introduce the basic issues and arguments of Islamic philosophy to modern readers.Trade Review... an valuable resource for English speaking scholars ... the reader is offered an interpretive translation that makes use of unusual turns of phrase and expressions without losing lucidity. The result is translation that the novice will be able to understand, though not without effort, and at which those with more experience in the field will marvel. The interpretations offered by Prof. Chittick are always well grounded in the major themes of his authors and aid the reader in coming to an appreciation of the depths of the Islamic worldview, whether through philosophy or mysticism. * Transcendent Philosophy *No one with any interest in Islamic philosophy can afford to overlook this book. * Transcendent Philosophy *A magnificent piece of translation ... The translation is very successful, literal and at the same time easy to understand ... Readers should be aware that Afdal is far from easy to translate, and this is such a readable translation, one which really brings out the almost conversational nature of Afdal's approach in many of his writings. This book is a major contribution to our understanding of Islamic philosophy and yet again Chittick has done us a tremendous service. * Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies *A wonderful introduction to the writings and thought of Kashani for the non-specialist and specialist alike ... a useful item for the non-specialist interested in appreciating the works of Afdal al-Din Kashani, and, also, for the specialist who desires to learn something of this important Persian philosopher. * Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society *

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Book SynopsisThis book is an attempt to explain how, in the face of increasing religious authoritarianism in medieval Islamic civilization, some Muslim thinkers continued to pursue essentially humanistic, rational, and scientific discourses in the quest for knowledge, meaning, and values. Drawing on a wide range of Islamic writings, from love poetry to history to philosophical theology, Goodman shows that medieval Islam was open to individualism, occasional secularism, skepticism, even liberalism.Trade ReviewThis fascinating and eloquently written text represents a sophisticated attempt to accentuate some of the distinct threads of moral and ethical thought inherent in classical Islamic expressions of humanism * Mustafa Shah, Journal of Qur'anic Studies *

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Book SynopsisIbn Sina - Avicenna in Latin - (980-1037) played a considerable role in the development of both eastern and western philosophy and science. His contributions to the fields of logic, natural science, psychology, metaphysics and theology and even medicine are difficult to overstate. The great Islamic philosopher al-Ghazali thought that if one could show the incoherence of Avicenna''s thought, then one would have shown the incoherence of philosophy in general. No other author is directly cited by Thomas Aquinas more often than Avicenna. But Avicenna''s significance and influence do not stop with the medieval period. His logic, natural philosophy, and metaphysics are still taught in the Islamic world as living philosophy. And many contemporary Catholic and evangelical Christian philosophers still come under his influence through Aquinas''s work. Despite Avicenna''s important place in the history of ideas, however, there is no single volume that both does justice to the complete range of hiTrade ReviewIn sum, McGinnis' Avicenna is a boon to those interested in becoming acquainted with this rich, complex, and challenging thinker. It is a worthy addition to the 'Great Medieval Thinkers' series. * Jonathan Evans, University of Indianapolis *Table of Contents1. Avicenna's Intellectual and Historical Milieu ; 2. Logic and Science ; 3. Natural Science ; 4. Psychology I: Soul and the Senses ; 5. Psychology II: Intellect ; 6. Metaphysics I: Theology ; 7. Metaphysics II: Cosmology ; 8. Value Theory ; 9. Medicine and the Life Sciences ; 10. The Avicennan Heritage

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Book SynopsisDespite Rumi''s (d. 1273) recent emergence as a best-selling poet in the English-speaking world, fundamental questions about his teachings, such as the relationship of his Sufi mysticism to the wider Islamic religion, remain contested. In this groundbreaking study, Jawid Mojaddedi reaches to the heart of the matter, by examining Rumi''s teachings on walaya (Friendship with God) in light of earlier discourse in the wider Sufi tradition and juridico-theological Islam. Walaya is not only central to Rumi''s teachings, but also forms the basis for the celebration of intimacy, communication with the Divine, and transcendence of conventional religiosity in his poetry. And yet walaya is the aspect of Sufism which has proven the most difficult to reconcile with juridico-theological Islam. Beyond Dogma presents, in addition to its focus on Rumi, a perceptive analysis of the historical development of the discourse on walaya in the formative centuries of Sufism. This period coincides with the timeTrade Review"In Beyond Dogma, Mojaddedi contextualizes Rumi's thought against the views of classical Sufi authors, and simultaneously offers a fresh alternative to prevalent narratives about the historical development of Sufism in the post-classical period. The first real attempt to situate Rumi within Sufi history, this superb book will make a major impact on Sufism studies."- Ahmet T. Karamustafa, Professor of History and Religious Studies, Washington University in St. Louis "Beyond Dogma is an original and welcome contribution to the understanding of Sufi history in general and Jalaluddin Rumi in particular. Rumi is the embodiment of the essence of Islam: not an Islam that defers to a dry legalism determined by man-made concepts, but rather an Islam imbued with mercy, compassion, flexibility, and love." - Kabir Helminski, author of Living Presence and The Knowing HeartTable of ContentsNote on the Text ; Introduction ; Chapter One : The Sources ; Chapter Two: Friendship with God in Relation to Prophethood ; Chapter Three: Divine Communication ; Chapter Four: The Friend of God and The Shariah ; Chapter Five: The Friend of God and Miracles ; Conclusion ; Notes ; Bibliography ; Index

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Book SynopsisIf God commanded you to do something contrary to your moral conscience, how would you respond? Many believers of different faiths face a similar challenge today. While they take scripture to be the word of God, they find scriptural passages that seem incompatible with their modern moral sensibilities. In Morality and Revelation in Islamic Thought and Beyond, philosopher Amir Saemi identifies this as the problem of divinely prescribed evil.Saemi unpacks two approaches to answering this problem. In the first part of the book, Saemi demonstrates how Islamic thinkers of various historical traditions (including the Ash''arites, the Mu''tazilites, and the Greek influenced Philosophers, falasifa) adhered to a scripture-first view. By appealing to hidden moral facts known only to God or the prophet, a scripture-first approach views moral reasoning, at least when it conflicts with Scripture, with skepticism. An ethics-first view, however, places our independent moral judgments before scripture.

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Book SynopsisThe Muslim thinker al-Ghazali (d. 1111) was one of the most influential theologians and philosophers of Islam and has been considered an authority in both Western and Islamic philosophical traditions. Born in northeastern Iran, he held the most prestigious academic post in Islamic theology in Baghdad, only to renounce the position and teach at small schools in the provinces for no money. His contributions to Islamic scholarship range from responding to the challenges of Aristotelian philosophy to creating a new type of Islamic mysticism and integrating both these traditions-falsafa and Sufism-into the Sunni mainstream.This book offers a comprehensive study of al-Ghazali''s life and his understanding of cosmology-how God creates things and events in the world, how human acts relate to God''s power, and how the universe is structured. Frank Griffel presents a serious revision of traditional views on al-Ghazali, showing that his most important achievement was the creation of a new rationaTrade ReviewThis work of historical theology is essential reading for those wanting to understand with new depth and clarity the life and teachings of al-Ghazali. * American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences *Table of ContentsTimetable ; Introduction ; Chapter One: A Life Between Public and Private Instruction: Al-Ghazali's Biography The Main Sources for Ghazali's Biography ; Chapter Two: Al-Ghazali's Most Influential Students and Followers ; Chapter Three: Al-Ghazali On the Role of falsafa in Islam ; Chapter Four: The Reconciliation of Reason and Revelation Through the "Rule of Interpretation" ; Chapter Five: Cosmology in Early Islam-Developments that Led to al-Ghazali's Incoherence of the Philosophers ; Chapter Six: The Seventeenth Discussion of the Incoherence of the Philosophers ; Chapter Seven: Knowledge of Causal Connections is Necessary ; Chapter Eight: Causes and Effects in the Revival of the Religious Sciences ; Chapter Nine: Cosmology in Works Written After the Revival ; Conclusion ; Notes ; Bibliography ; General Index ; Index of Works by al-Ghazali ; Index of Manuscripts ; Index of Verses in the Qur'an

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Book SynopsisA series of closely related essays on the philosophical and theological work of Franz Rosenzweig and Emmanuel Levinas. The author describes how they articulated a responsible humanism and a new enlightenment which placed moral obligation to the other above all other human concerns.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"[Kripal] is a serious intellectual, but one who wears his heart on his sleeve. He writes with sensitivity and self-deprecating humor. . .a book that often sparkles with insight and inspires the reader to think, 'I never thought of it that way.'"--New York Journal of Books "This beautifully written and sharply observed book is simply put one of the most remarkable challenges to scholarship-as-usual that I have encountered. It will baffle or annoy many scholars, but those who take it seriously as an invitation to look differently at the way we think about religion and what should count as the subject of scholarship will find that it changes their sense of the possible."--T. M. Luhrmann, author of When God Talks Back "Kripal proposes in Secret Body a revolutionary historiography of religion. . . his personal voice and commitments are so steadily audible in the background of his vatic scholarship."--Fortnightly Review "Secret Body is Jeffrey Kripal at his most capacious, and most confessional. All the highways and byways of his tireless imagination converge here, in this magisterial but intimate effort of auto-interpretation. I have come to see Kripal in the grand tradition of Ludwig Feuerbach: showing us how we have projected our own superhuman potential into a world of gods and monsters, and pleading with us to recall that potential from exile. However, Kripal tops Feuerbach in at least one column: he has an infectious sense of humor about the whole charade."--Charles M. Stang, Harvard Divinity School "[Kripal] is a compelling communicator who expresses his ideas with refreshing clarity and acuity. . .Secret Body constitutes an absorbing retrospective of ideas now brought together in one engagingly confessional volume. For anyone else interested in exploring mysticism, paranormal experiences, and the nature of being, without having to suspend their critical discernment in order to do so, Kripal's book will be of great interest. It challenges entrenched positions taken up by those who seek to either defend or debunk esotericism. Above all this is an optimistic book, offering a hopeful new perspective on the cosmic nature of embodied consciousness as a legitimate subject of intellectual, scientific, and humanistic analysis."--Spiral Nature Magazine "Secret Body is a remarkable ode to freedom. With acute self-reflexivity. . .This volume serves as a fine introduction to Kripal's career and to the story he has written of himself in order to make sense of himself within a Super Story that he admits he only dimly comprehends. And yet this lack of understanding does not signify theoretical resignation, much less mystical fascism. . .Rather, it serves as prolegomena to the future of a "new comparativism" in the history of religion."--Reading Religion "Kripal presents us with a compilation of theories, cultural references and anecdotes making up an impassioned thesis about the future of religious studies and 'what human beings may become'. . .For all its eccentricities, Kripal's work is playful, engaging and original. His references to both "high" and "low" culture are reminiscent of prominent intellectuals such as Susan Sontag and Slavoj Zizek. His earnest encouragement of scholars to be more open and his rejection of skeptical approaches--'scholars are not religiously inept and disciples are not dumb'--is both heartening and timely. Secret Body may not be fully rational or fully defensible, but it certainly is an enjoyable read."--Times Higher Education Secret Body is the latest, bravest, and most accessible book by Jeffrey J. Kripal. Both ambitious and substantial. . . Secret Body is a book you can dip into at will, and revisit often. In many ways ahead of its time, Kripal's work will likely become more and more relevant to more and more areas of inquiry as the century unfolds. It may even open up a new space for Americans to reevaluate the personal and cultural narratives they have inherited, and to imagine alternative futures."--Los Angeles Review of Books

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"God, Science, and Self advances contemporary work in Islamic thought and religious studies by introducing a hermeneutics of modernity that has the potential to reshape analyses of modern thought and its relation to religious reflection." Randi Rashkover, College of William & Mary and author of Nature and Norm: Judaism, Christianity, and the Theopolitical Problem"God, Science, and Self broadens the study of Iqbal in particular, and modern Islamic thought in general, demonstrating a modern, anti-colonial project that deserves to be revisited in the current context." Abdulkader Tayob, University of Cape Town“A powerful and philosophically robust exploration of Muhammad Iqbal’s masterpiece Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam.” Journal of World Philosophies

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"God, Science, and Self advances contemporary work in Islamic thought and religious studies by introducing a hermeneutics of modernity that has the potential to reshape analyses of modern thought and its relation to religious reflection." Randi Rashkover, College of William & Mary and author of Nature and Norm: Judaism, Christianity, and the Theopolitical Problem"God, Science, and Self broadens the study of Iqbal in particular, and modern Islamic thought in general, demonstrating a modern, anti-colonial project that deserves to be revisited in the current context." Abdulkader Tayob, University of Cape Town“A powerful and philosophically robust exploration of Muhammad Iqbal’s masterpiece Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam.” Journal of World Philosophies

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Book SynopsisIn Gendered Morality, Zahra Ayubi rethinks the tradition of Islamic philosophical ethics from a feminist critical perspective. She calls for a philosophical turn in the study of gender in Islam based on resources for gender equality that are unlocked by feminist engagement with the Islamic ethical tradition.Trade ReviewWell-suited for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, Gendered Morality makes a monumental intervention to debates in philosophy, feminist studies, and Islamic studies. -- Joud Alkorani, University of Toronto * Religious Studies Review *I recommend this book to advanced undergraduates, postgraduates, and academics working in the broad field of Islam and Gender, Gender and Religion and more specifically feminist approaches (philosophy) of religion or Islam. * Reading Religion *This book has much to offer a diverse set of readers. -- Justine Howe * Journal of the American Academy of Religion *Gendered Morality, Zahra Ayubi’s first book, is a substantial contribution to the study of Islamic ethics, law, and philosophy. -- Benjamin P. Beames * Bustan: The Middle East Book Review *Zahra Ayubi’s Gendered Morality: Classical Islamic Ethics of the Self, Family, and Society represents a major feminist intervention in the field of Islamic ethics (akhlāq). -- Samuel Kigar Religion Department, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA, USA * Journal of Islamic Ethics 4 *In revealing the deep-rooted gendered and hierarchical cosmology prevailing in the classical Islamic world view, the author provides a realistic pathway to her goal of establishing a feminist philosophy of Islamic ethics...Recommended. * Choice *In Gendered Morality, Ayubi explores Muslim masculinity as imagined by influential medieval scholars. Her turn to ethics—understood not as a vague catch-all phrase for right living but as a rigorous and exacting genre within Muslim thought—represents a significant contribution to scholarship. She also offers a constructive feminist account of what might be retrievable for Muslim philosophical ethics. This is an essential and innovative book. -- Kecia Ali, Boston UniversityTurning the lens of gender analysis to the study of Islamic ethics, Zahra Ayubi interrogates the most formidable texts of the Persianate philosophical tradition. The result is a persuasive demonstration of feminist scholarship and a welcome contribution to Islamic studies. -- Carl W. Ernst, William R. Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillIn this brilliant and wonderfully creative book, Zahra Ayubi combines a sophisticated analysis of Islamic ethics with a strikingly original feminist critique. Her work is a major achievement in the fields of medieval Islamic philosophy as well as feminist theory. Indeed, this is one of the most important and innovative works in the field of feminism and religion. -- Susannah Heschel, Eli Black Professor of Jewish Studies, Dartmouth CollegeZahra Ayubi presents compelling evidence to show how medieval Islamic scholars created a philosophical system of ethics that is inherently gendered. The insights she provides as to how truth and virtue were cast in masculine, paternal terms and how those terms shaped beliefs about human agency and happiness are profound. Her concluding vision of a 'feminist philosophy' based on justice promises to render Gendered Morality a tour de force in the field. -- Kathryn Kueny, author of Conceiving Identities: Maternity in Medieval Muslim Discourse and PracticeTable of ContentsList of Figures and TablesAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. Epistemology and Gender Analytics of Islamic Ethics2. Gendered Metaphysics, Perfection, and Power of the (Hu)man’s Soul3. Ethics of Marriage and the Domestic Economy4. Homosocial Masculinity and Societal EthicsConclusion: Prolegomenon to Feminist Philosophy of IslamGlossary of Persian and Arabic TermsNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisIn Gendered Morality, Zahra Ayubi rethinks the tradition of Islamic philosophical ethics from a feminist critical perspective. She calls for a philosophical turn in the study of gender in Islam based on resources for gender equality that are unlocked by feminist engagement with the Islamic ethical tradition.Trade ReviewWell-suited for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, Gendered Morality makes a monumental intervention to debates in philosophy, feminist studies, and Islamic studies. -- Joud Alkorani, University of Toronto * Religious Studies Review *I recommend this book to advanced undergraduates, postgraduates, and academics working in the broad field of Islam and Gender, Gender and Religion and more specifically feminist approaches (philosophy) of religion or Islam. * Reading Religion *This book has much to offer a diverse set of readers. -- Justine Howe * Journal of the American Academy of Religion *Gendered Morality, Zahra Ayubi’s first book, is a substantial contribution to the study of Islamic ethics, law, and philosophy. -- Benjamin P. Beames * Bustan: The Middle East Book Review *Zahra Ayubi’s Gendered Morality: Classical Islamic Ethics of the Self, Family, and Society represents a major feminist intervention in the field of Islamic ethics (akhlāq). -- Samuel Kigar Religion Department, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA, USA * Journal of Islamic Ethics 4 *In revealing the deep-rooted gendered and hierarchical cosmology prevailing in the classical Islamic world view, the author provides a realistic pathway to her goal of establishing a feminist philosophy of Islamic ethics...Recommended. * Choice *In Gendered Morality, Ayubi explores Muslim masculinity as imagined by influential medieval scholars. Her turn to ethics—understood not as a vague catch-all phrase for right living but as a rigorous and exacting genre within Muslim thought—represents a significant contribution to scholarship. She also offers a constructive feminist account of what might be retrievable for Muslim philosophical ethics. This is an essential and innovative book. -- Kecia Ali, Boston UniversityTurning the lens of gender analysis to the study of Islamic ethics, Zahra Ayubi interrogates the most formidable texts of the Persianate philosophical tradition. The result is a persuasive demonstration of feminist scholarship and a welcome contribution to Islamic studies. -- Carl W. Ernst, William R. Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillIn this brilliant and wonderfully creative book, Zahra Ayubi combines a sophisticated analysis of Islamic ethics with a strikingly original feminist critique. Her work is a major achievement in the fields of medieval Islamic philosophy as well as feminist theory. Indeed, this is one of the most important and innovative works in the field of feminism and religion. -- Susannah Heschel, Eli Black Professor of Jewish Studies, Dartmouth CollegeZahra Ayubi presents compelling evidence to show how medieval Islamic scholars created a philosophical system of ethics that is inherently gendered. The insights she provides as to how truth and virtue were cast in masculine, paternal terms and how those terms shaped beliefs about human agency and happiness are profound. Her concluding vision of a 'feminist philosophy' based on justice promises to render Gendered Morality a tour de force in the field. -- Kathryn Kueny, author of Conceiving Identities: Maternity in Medieval Muslim Discourse and PracticeTable of ContentsList of Figures and TablesAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. Epistemology and Gender Analytics of Islamic Ethics2. Gendered Metaphysics, Perfection, and Power of the (Hu)man’s Soul3. Ethics of Marriage and the Domestic Economy4. Homosocial Masculinity and Societal EthicsConclusion: Prolegomenon to Feminist Philosophy of IslamGlossary of Persian and Arabic TermsNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThe philosophical work of Jean-Luc Marion has opened new ways of speaking about religious convictions and experiences. In this exploration of Marion's philosophy and theology, the author presents a comprehensive and critical analysis of the ideas of saturated phenomena and the phenomenology of givenness.Trade ReviewGschwandtner hopes to . . . [tone] down . . . and [sharpen focus] so that we see more clearly how Marion's phenomenological descriptions of the historical 'event', the work of art, the natural object, the movement into an erotic love – as well as prayer, sacrifice, and the Eucharist – make up 'degrees of givenness'.November 2015 * Heythrop Journal *Christina M. Gschwandtner has established herself as a valued reader of contemporary French philosophy in general and of Marion's writings in particular. She was the first to consider at length Marion's extensive reflections on Descartes and to evaluate their theological importance, and she has translated two of Marion's books from the French. This new study, Degrees of Givenness, extends her contribution to our understanding of this fecund philosopher. * Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Table of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsList of Abbreviations of Works by Jean-Luc MarionIntroduction: Givenness, Saturated Phenomena, Negative Certainties, and Hermeneutics1. Historical Events and Historical Research2. Art and the Artist3. Nature and Flesh4. Love and Violence5. Gift and Sacrifice6. Prayer and Sainthood7. Eucharist and SacramentConclusionNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisMichael L. Morgan is Professor of Philosophy and Jewish Studies at Indiana University, Bloomington. He is author of Platonic Piety and Dilemmas in Modern Jewish Thought. He has edited The Jewish Thought of Emil Fackenheim, Classics in Moral and Political Theory, Jewish Philosophers and Jewish Philosophy, and A Holocaust Reader: Responses to the Nazi Extermination. With Paul Franks, he has translated and edited Franz Rosenzweig: Philosophical and Theological Writings.

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Book SynopsisJohn D. Caputo is the Thomas J. Watson Professor of Religion and Humanities at Syracuse University. He is also David R. Cook Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Villanova University. His many books include The Weakness of God (IUP, 2006). Michael J. Scanlon, O.S.A., holds the Josephine C. Connelly Endowed Chair in Theology at Villanova University.

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Book SynopsisAn examination of the writings on virtues and ethics of eighteenth-century Puritan Jonathan Edwards.Trade Review“Elizabeth Agnew Cochran’s examination of Jonathan Edwards and the human virtues engages questions of interest both to contemporary ethicists and to historians of eighteenth-century American and British thought. No other scholar has focused so intently on Edwards’s views of the human virtues or illustrated so carefully the problems inherent in their articulation in his theology or the solutions he devised to overcome those problems. The style is lucid and unpretentious, and Cochran contributes to a lively continuing conversation among ethicists and historians about the plausibility of an ethics of virtue in a Christian moral theology. By arguing skillfully that an ethics of virtue can have, as it did for Edwards, Christian rather than exclusively Aristotelian presuppositions, she stakes out a forceful position in a continuing debate.”—E. Brooks Holifield,Charles Howard Candler Professor, Emory University“Elizabeth Agnew Cochran offers very perceptive insights both into Edwards and into the value of Edwards for contemporary discussions of virtue ethics.”—George Marsden,University of Notre Dame“Professor Cochran explicates with unprecedented clarity Edwards’s concern to balance an exalted vision of true virtue for the saints with a natural goodness available for cultivation more generally. She thus surprises by showing Edwards's God to be concerned with building not only a church shining with moral beauty but also a world of justice and civility. This sophisticated and elegant book will become an essential resource for all future studies of the ethics of America's theologian.”—Gerald R. McDermott,Roanoke College“We have long recognized that Edwards played a key role in the development of American theology and religious life more generally, and in recent years a number of scholars have begun to re-examine his role in the formation of a distinctively American form of philosophy. Given his overall importance, it is hardly surprising that Edwards’s ethical writings, including his theory of virtue, have received sustained attention. At the same time, however, much of the recent work on Edwards’s virtue ethics has minimized its distinctiveness, by assimilating it to more familiar Aristotelian approaches, or taking it out of the wider context of Edwards’s other work, or both. In this book, Elizabeth Cochran offers a bold and much-needed corrective. In her view, Edwards understands the virtues properly so called to be attributes of God, and to be attributes of human persons only in a secondary sense. In order to make the case for this interpretation, she draws on the full range of Edwards’s theological writings, in addition to considering the leading philosophical thinkers who helped to frame the context of his thought. By doing so, she shows Edwards to be a sophisticated moral thinker, important in his own context, and potentially an interlocutor in our own debates over the virtues. In particular, this study will be welcomed by those moral philosophers who have recently attempted to retrieve broadly Platonic, exemplarist theories of the virtues. Cochran shows that this approach to virtue theory can claim at least one distinguished American predecessor in Edwards. Seen from the standpoint of contemporary advocates of an exemplarist account of virtues, Edwards is particularly important because his primary interlocutors are the ‘moral sense’ theorists of the seventeenth and eighteenth century, including David Hume—the ancestors of emotivist theories of virtue which currently constitute another central strand of virtue ethics. Yet Edwards engages directly with the moral sense theorists of his own day, showing how his exemplarist account offers a more satisfactory account of virtue than they can provide, even understood on their own terms. While the terms of the relevant debates have of course changed a great deal since Edwards’s day, he nonetheless offers contemporary philosophers some valuable insights into our current debates, and defenders of exemplarist theories of virtue will find him an unexpected, yet valuable ally.”—Jean Porter,University of Notre Dame“To restore virtue to the heart of morality, today's theological ethicists retrieve and mine the works of Augustine and Aquinas, as well as their philosophical precursors, Plato and Aristotle. Into this pantheon of virtue ethicists, Elizabeth Agnew Cochran now proposes, from the New World, the Puritan Jonathan Edwards. This surprising proposal is completely convincing and satisfying. Cochran gives us not only a compelling key in which to read the great American theologian (Edwards scholars take note!), but also a contemporary notion of moral agency, humbly cognizant of human sinfulness as well as the call to responsibility and the need for grace. Cochran's refreshingly rich theological account makes the restoration of virtue ethics all the more probable by attending to, rather than ignoring, the Reformation. Brava!”—James F. Keenan, S.J.,Boston College“Cochran presents a creative, concise, and lucid account that deserves serious consideration by historians, theologians, and ethicists.”—B. M. Stephens ChoiceTable of ContentsContents Preface Acknowledgments1. An Ethic of Receptive Human Virtues2. Love as Necessary and Volitional: Edwards’s Account of True Virtue in God3. Charity as a Human Virtue: The Moral Accountability of a Necessary Nature4. Humility as a Human Virtue: Imaging God’s Mercy Through Creaturely Capacities5. Virtuous Repentance: Apprehending and Approving God’s Moral Excellence6. Justice and Partial Loves: The Natural Goodness of Incomplete VirtuesConclusion Virtues, Accountability, and Dependence: Edwards’s Significance for Contemporary Christian EthicsNotesWorks CitedIndex

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Book SynopsisStudies the epistemologies of two of the most influential intellectual/spiritual traditions of West Africa: Tijani Sufism and Ifa.Trade Review“Deep Knowledge: Ways of Knowing in Sufism and Ifa, Two West African Intellectual Traditions by Oludamini Ogunnaike is a sweeping and ambitious book that operates on multiple levels with the aim of getting us to think differently about the foundations of knowledge itself.”—Usman Butt Middle East Monitor“One critical element of anti-racist pedagogy is studying and teaching “ways of knowing” from outside the traditional Western canon. One major challenge to this work is the availability of scholarly sources that bridge the gap between these ways of knowing on the one hand, and the Western post-Enlightenment academy on the other. Oludamini Ogunnaike’s stunning Deep Knowledge: Ways of Knowing in Sufism and Ifa, Two West African Intellectual Traditions makes a major contribution through tackling two such knowledge traditions that do not receive a great deal of scholarly (or popular) attention within the Euroamerican academy.”—Patrick J. D’Silva Journal of the American Academy of Religion“While many historical works have been published concerning each religion, they largely lack the depth of the presentation and analyses of the indigenous philosophical and ontological concepts in which this work excels.”—John Glover Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies“A barzakh, or isthmus, is a liminal space ‘where two seas meet.’ Voyaging these two seas of esoteric knowledge—the Fayda Tijaniyya and Ifa divination—this book promises a sea change in Africana studies, Islamic studies, intellectual history, and academic philosophy. The community of the flood is likely the world’s largest Sufi movement, and Ifa a primary vessel for traditional sacred knowledge in West Africa and the Atlantic, yet both remain marginal in the academy. Ogunnaike offers an exploration of their shared praxis and metaphysics, writing from inside them to produce insights of stunning brilliance. This revolutionary book is a scholarly watershed.”—Rudolph T. Ware,author of The Walking Qur'an: Islamic Education, Embodied Knowledge, and History in West Africa“Deep Knowledge is refreshingly interdisciplinary, strikingly innovative, and deeply insightful, and the chief subjects of analysis—namely, epistemologies in Ifa divination and Sufi practice, primarily in Nigeria and Senegal—are of a great and growing significance that has become increasingly global. Ogunnaike possesses profound knowledge of each of these forms of religious and philosophical practice as well as the requisite linguistic fluencies to study them in depth, and he has an uncanny knack for explaining complex ideas in accessible language. This is a groundbreaking book of major importance to the study of African religion. Highly recommended!”—Terry Rey,author of The Priest and the Prophetess: Abbé Ouvière, Romaine Rivière, and the Revolutionary Atlantic World“The rare depth of insight, historical know-how, and explanatory force of Deep Knowledge clearly signal a landmark achievement in the study of cross-cultural philosophy. By penetrating the heart of the West African traditions of Ifa and Tijani Sufism, highly acclaimed author Oludamini Ogunnaike effectively explains how they can also penetrate our hearts. As such, this book is a must-read for all serious students of non-Western epistemology and culture.”—Mohammed Rustom,author of Inrushes of the Heart: The Sufi Philosophy of ‘Ayn al-Qudat“Makes a significant contribution to the study of religions in Africa.”—Ala Rabiha Alhourani Journal of Religion in AfricaTable of ContentsSection 1: IntroductionChapter 1: African Philosophy?Section 2: Ways of Knowing in Tijani SufismChapter 2: What is Tijani Sufism?Chapter 3: What is Ma‘rifah?Chapter 4: How is Ma‘rifah Acquired?Chapter 5: How Does Tarbiyah Work?Section 3: Ways of Knowing in IfaChapter 6: What is Ifa?Chapter 7: Knowledge in Ifa Chapter 8: How is Knowledge Acquired in Ifa? Chapter 9: How is Knowledge Verified in Ifa?Section 4: Comparing Ifa and Tijani Sufism Chapter 10: Comparing Ifa and Tijani Sufism Chapter 11: Comparative Conclusions NotesIndex

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Book SynopsisDescribes the Ansaru Allah Community/Nubian Islamic Hebrews (AAC/NIH), a 1970s religious movement in Brooklyn that spread, in part, through the production and dissemination of literature and lecture tapes. Tracks the development of AAC/NIH discourse to reveal surprising consistency and coherence behind the appearance of serial reinvention.Trade Review“Metaphysical Africa: Truth and Blackness in the Ansaru Allah Community is an important, well researched documentation of one of the more controversial representations of Islam in modern American society. You may not agree with their practices or what they believed in, but Knight will convince you their influence can’t be ignored.”—Richard Marcus Blogcritics“Michael Muhammad Knight’s Metaphysical Africa offers fresh insight into the Ansaru Allah Community. His approach provides a theory that explains many of the apparent inconsistencies seen in York’s teachings. This is a well-researched and well-organized book for anyone interested in American religious history, particularly with a focus on Black separatism.”—Dawn Hutchinson Nova Religio“Metaphysical Africa is a great achievement. Students and scholars of Afrodiasporic religion, culture, and politics will find much use in the concept of ‘metaphysical Africa,’ Knight’s innovative discursive approach, and his reinterpretation of the movement’s teachings.”—Justine M. Bakker Reading Religion“An important book on an overlooked movement, Metaphysical Africa contributes to the broader study of “Africa” as imagined in and through African American religious practice.”—Spencer Dew Religious Studies Review“In Metaphysical Africa, Michael Muhammad Knight demonstrates a substantial grasp of the origins and "inner workings" of the AAC-NIH in a refreshingly fulsome fashion. With a wonderful fusion of journalistic zeal and scholarly rigor, each chapter of this book lends itself to an intriguing, insightful representation of a profoundly dynamic Black religious worldview coming into its own.”—Juan M. Floyd-Thomas,coauthor of The Altars Where We Worship: The Religious Significance of Popular Culture“This book is the best study yet of the Ansaru Allah Community/Nubian Islamic Hebrews’ teachings, a major leap forward in understanding the history of this much-misunderstood group. Michael Muhammad Knight departs from existing scholarly literature on the movement by showing the continuities as well as the changes in the group’s religious thought, particularly concerning the place of its Islamic identity, and analyzes the coherence of the system rather than dismissing it as a senseless hodgepodge of a mad prophet.”—Edward E. Curtis IV,editor of The Practice of Islam in America: An Introduction“Metaphysical Africa is significant as it provides close readings of the primary AAC/NIH materials, many of which have never been examined seriously. Michael Muhammad Knight convincingly discusses the internecine arguments over the nature of Islam, Africa, and blackness for African American religious movements.”—Nora L. Rubel,author of Doubting the Devout: The Ultra-Orthodox in the Jewish American ImaginationTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsList of IllustrationsIntroduction: “The Most Dynamic Pamphlets in History” 1. “I Am the Raisin-Headed Slave”: The Nubian Ahl al-Bayt, Sudanese Mahdiyya, and Global Blackness as Islamic Revival2. Heralds of the Reformer: Visions of Blackamerican Muslim History3. “The Covenant Is Complete in Me”: Nubian Islamic Hebraism and the Religion of Abraham4. Between Zion and Mecca: Bilal as Islamic and Hebrew5. The Sudan Is the Heart Chakra: The AAC/NIH as Sufi Tariqa6. Islam Is Hotep: Ansar Egyptosophy7. The Pyramidal Kaʿba: Malachi Z. York and the Nuwaubian Turn8. Nuwaubian Ether: Ansar Legacies in Hip-HopCoda: The View from IllyuwnNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisA collection of essays examining the extent to which rhetoric’s relation to the sacred is one of ineffability and how our response to the sacred integrates the divine (or the altogether other) into the human order.Trade Review“Responding to the Sacred provides a capacious and prismatic view of communicating that which is not fully communicable, and in doing so, it ventures to rhetoric’s very edges—and beyond.”—Debra Hawhee,author of Rhetoric in Tooth and Claw: Animals, Language, Sensation“Each chapter of the book stands out on its own in delving deep into specific themes, while at the same time speaking to the other chapters and the introduction in a holistic manner. Here Bernard-Donals and Jensen’s editorial finesse shows—they weave one narrative while pausing at proper intervals to make space for variegated portals.”—Ankana Das Reading Religion

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Book SynopsisA collection of essays examining the extent to which rhetoric’s relation to the sacred is one of ineffability and how our response to the sacred integrates the divine (or the altogether other) into the human order.Trade Review“Responding to the Sacred provides a capacious and prismatic view of communicating that which is not fully communicable, and in doing so, it ventures to rhetoric’s very edges—and beyond.”—Debra Hawhee,author of Rhetoric in Tooth and Claw: Animals, Language, Sensation“Each chapter of the book stands out on its own in delving deep into specific themes, while at the same time speaking to the other chapters and the introduction in a holistic manner. Here Bernard-Donals and Jensen’s editorial finesse shows—they weave one narrative while pausing at proper intervals to make space for variegated portals.”—Ankana Das Reading Religion

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Book SynopsisDescribes the Ansaru Allah Community/Nubian Islamic Hebrews (AAC/NIH), a 1970s religious movement in Brooklyn that spread, in part, through the production and dissemination of literature and lecture tapes. Tracks the development of AAC/NIH discourse to reveal surprising consistency and coherence behind the appearance of serial reinvention.Trade Review“Metaphysical Africa: Truth and Blackness in the Ansaru Allah Community is an important, well researched documentation of one of the more controversial representations of Islam in modern American society. You may not agree with their practices or what they believed in, but Knight will convince you their influence can’t be ignored.”—Richard Marcus Blogcritics“Michael Muhammad Knight’s Metaphysical Africa offers fresh insight into the Ansaru Allah Community. His approach provides a theory that explains many of the apparent inconsistencies seen in York’s teachings. This is a well-researched and well-organized book for anyone interested in American religious history, particularly with a focus on Black separatism.”—Dawn Hutchinson Nova Religio“Metaphysical Africa is a great achievement. Students and scholars of Afrodiasporic religion, culture, and politics will find much use in the concept of ‘metaphysical Africa,’ Knight’s innovative discursive approach, and his reinterpretation of the movement’s teachings.”—Justine M. Bakker Reading Religion“An important book on an overlooked movement, Metaphysical Africa contributes to the broader study of “Africa” as imagined in and through African American religious practice.”—Spencer Dew Religious Studies Review“In Metaphysical Africa, Michael Muhammad Knight demonstrates a substantial grasp of the origins and "inner workings" of the AAC-NIH in a refreshingly fulsome fashion. With a wonderful fusion of journalistic zeal and scholarly rigor, each chapter of this book lends itself to an intriguing, insightful representation of a profoundly dynamic Black religious worldview coming into its own.”—Juan M. Floyd-Thomas,coauthor of The Altars Where We Worship: The Religious Significance of Popular Culture“This book is the best study yet of the Ansaru Allah Community/Nubian Islamic Hebrews’ teachings, a major leap forward in understanding the history of this much-misunderstood group. Michael Muhammad Knight departs from existing scholarly literature on the movement by showing the continuities as well as the changes in the group’s religious thought, particularly concerning the place of its Islamic identity, and analyzes the coherence of the system rather than dismissing it as a senseless hodgepodge of a mad prophet.”—Edward E. Curtis IV,editor of The Practice of Islam in America: An Introduction“Metaphysical Africa is significant as it provides close readings of the primary AAC/NIH materials, many of which have never been examined seriously. Michael Muhammad Knight convincingly discusses the internecine arguments over the nature of Islam, Africa, and blackness for African American religious movements.”—Nora L. Rubel,author of Doubting the Devout: The Ultra-Orthodox in the Jewish American Imagination

Read more less