Search results for ""Author William Stoddart""

This concise book seeks to make available to the public what may be called "the other side of Islam - not the violent aspect appearing in the nightly news headlines which focus on radical terrorists, but the long and rich tradition at the heart of Islamic spirituality known as Sufism. With great lucidity and clarity, Stoddart offers a succinct, yet comprehensive overview of Sufism's fundamental doctrines and spiritual practices, which are followed by many millions of Muslims throughout the world. Known for his capacity to give clear explanations of unfamiliar and complex material, Stoddart emphasises the importance of the role of art and beauty, highlights its intricate symbolism and explains the central role of the invocation of the Name of God in Sufi spiritual practice; an appendix includes central Koranic, Prophetic and traditional Sufi sayings. This new edition is based upon an earlier and much shorter book Stoddart wrote 35 years ago, which was highly acclaimed by leading experts in the field of Islamic Studies. Harvard professor Annemarie Schimmel remarked that it was "Useful ... adorned with many good illustrations ... (and) contains many important points clearly expressed."

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The Mystery of Individuality explores the nature of human individuality through twelve chapter-mirrors, whose main focal points are spirituality, psychology, sociology, and love, and also the meaning of sacred art. The issues of leadership and justice, as well as of politics, and even crime, are also examined in depth, along with the roles of sexuality and marriage. Finally, man and woman are defined in the context of both cosmology and society, with a special emphasis on the divine nature of a human being and what this entails morally and socially. Perry bases his assessments on the guiding image of archetypal man, namely of a being created in the image of God. At the same time, he does not shy away from addressing what the distortion of this archetype entails. He asserts that in creating man, God lent him his own immortal personhood, namely all that we find most lovable in another human creature, in other words his personality. But finally the question for each of us comes down to remembering our divine essence without forgetting our human nothingness.

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Nowadays the religion of Islam, which is still relatively unknown in the West, is forcefully brought to the public's attention by the acts and threats of the "Islamic terrorists." As a result, the question is repeatedly asked: "What kind of religion is this?" The aim of this book is to argue that today traditional Christianity has nothing to fear from traditional Islam. In spite of appearances, the two ancient religions are really allies; they have common enemies and they are united in their opposition to all kinds of modern errors and immoralities, including materialism and secularism. Consequently, a true notion of Islam and indeed of every complete and uncorrupted religion, is what the present book-taken in its entirety-is all about. In surveying Islam, Stoddart provides a wealth of relevant background information and an illuminating treatise on traditional art highlighting the often neglected role of art and beauty in spirituality. The text is accompanied by a map and seven colour illustrations.

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AnIllustrated Outline of Buddhism is an ideal introduction to the vast and complex field of Buddhism, a world religion with more than a billion followers. In its short format and accessible style, it presents the essential features of the Buddhist religion with a clear yet concise style that is suitable for both the general reader and student of Buddhism. This fully color edition contains 40 color illustrations, including a stunning array of outstanding examples of Buddhist art, architecture, statuary, and calligraphy. Numerous maps, diagrams, and charts are included to illustrate important aspects of Buddhist beliefs and to summarize the different cultural forms and developmental phases of Buddhism. A select bibliography for further reading and a detailed index will also aid the reader.

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In the 21st century, passionate and emotional attachment to a single point of view, and the rejection of all others, has become one of the main social, political, and religious issues, leading to conflicts around the globe. This book presents an account of how the label of fundamentalism can be applied to religious and secular 'faiths' alike.

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