The Quran Beheld: An English Translation From The Arabic
About The Book
This work solves an enigma that has puzzled many readers first coming to Islam through English translations of the Quran. The Arabic original stunned hearers in their own language with its unutterable evocative power, incisive arguments, the sharp relief of its contrasts, striking imagery, and precise detail. Most translations stun few. They seem somehow out of focus, vague, the thread of discourse is often inexplicably lost, and they are seldom moving or powerful.
The present work is called The Quran Beheld because its translator found that the classical Islamic curriculum for learning the Quranic sciences lifts the veil from the divine masterpiece like stepping from a dark and silent house into a lively spring day outside. Everything changes.
A preface outlines the Quran’s continued relevance for readers today. An introduction describes the time-honored Quranic teaching paradigm and interpretive method of talaqqi, ‘one-on-one instruction,’ by which the translator studied the Quran with a traditional scholar in Jordan during the fifteen years of the work.
The two went word by word through the Quran together twice, in the light of its greatest exegetes, the Imams of Quranic exegesis or tafsir, which literally means ‘uncovering’—men such as Tabari, Zamakhshari, Abu Su‘ud, Ibn ‘Ashur, Biqa‘i, Razi, Alusi, and others.
The introduction explains seven key areas of meaning, ubiquitous throughout the Quran, not incorporated by any previous translation. Such gaps have prevented serious apprehension of many of the themes, logic, and arguments that carry the message of the Quran’s suras forward. Readers may judge for themselves how much this matters.
The English of the translation faces the Arabic original, and is preceded by a section setting forth the main themes of the Quran, sura by sura.
About The Author Shaykh NUH HA MIM KELLER was born in eastern Washington State in 1954. He read philosophy at Gonzaga University, the University of Chicago, and UCLA, entered Islam in 1977 at al-Azhar in Cairo, and moved to Jordan in 1980. A scholar of traditional Islamic sciences who studied with sheikhs in Jordan and Syria, he has produced such works as Reliance of the Traveller, Sea Without Shore, and the Chain of Gold edition of Dala’il al-Khayrat. He is a senior fellow at the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought.
For more details please visit the Quran Beheld Website.
Towards Sacred Activism
About The Book
Towards Sacred Activism is an attempt at providing concise, general guidance to Muslims in the West regarding engagement in social justice activism from an Islamic perspective. I do not profess that the brief contents within are the sole authority on this issue, nor do I believe that this work should go un-critiqued. It is but an attempt to present some general parameters and reminders based upon fundamental aspects of Islam drawn from our rich tradition which focus on building and supporting model life for all of Allah’s creation, humans being the priority.
"This work by Imam Dawud Walid, Towards Sacred Activism, is a very valuable addition to the ever growing library of English Islamic literature. The title itself, however, seems to hint at an oxymoron. After all, activism, as usually understood, implies a passionate, engulfing engagement with the world, while the sacred implies that which is of or related to God, who is, in many critical aspects, distinct from the world. This seeming contradiction only exists when we view the world through the dichotomized lens provided us by the modern West. As more and more Muslims adopt that lens as part of their effort to both understand and engage the modern world, the gap between the religious scholar, viewed by many as the principal defender and preserver of the sacred in the world, and the activist, grows wider."
- Imam Zaid Shakir, Zaytuna College
About The Author
Dawud Walid is an imam in the Metropolitan Detroit area and is a senior fellow at the Auburn Seminary based in New York City. He is also co-author of the previously released book entitled “Centering Black Narrative: Black Muslim Nobles Among the Early Pious Muslims."
The Beginning of Guidance (Bidayat al-Hidaya)
About The Book
This translation published for the first time with facing Arabic text also includes many notes and transliteration for the supplications contained within.
This Book can be considered as an Introduction to The Imam's Magnum Opus The Revival of the Religions Sciences (Ihya Ulum al-Din)and directs the reader to the larger work for what lies beyond that. This book may not seem to be suited to the hurried life of a modern city. Yet al-Ghazali’s seriousness and sense of urgency stand out vividly and communicate themselves. The book is interesting, too, in that, though al-Ghazali’s standpoint is almost modern in many ways.
It is divided in two Parts, namely acts of obedience and refraining from Sin. It comprise the fundamentals of Din, Important basic issues and excellent virtues. It is brief, yet concise.
One of the Scholars has said that the benefit on anything sacred can not be achieved unless one follows its Adab i.e Etiquettes, this book deals with many of the etiquettes of everyday life according to the Sunnah.
Imam Al-Ghazali's Bidaya al-hidaya complements his spiritual autobiography, He emphasises the importance of knowledge and using it correctly at all times . From acts of obedience to relationship between God and Man. Imam Al-Ghazali shares with us how a man should order his life from hour to hour and day to day.
About The Author
Imam Abu Hamid Muhammad Al-Ghazali was born in 450 AH (1058 A.D) in the Iranian town of Tus, studied Islamic law and theology at the Seljuq College in Nishapur, and became a distinguished professor at the famous Nizamiyya University in Baghdad. Despite his glittering success, he was inwardly dissatisfied, so he abandoned his career for the life of hardship, abstinence and devotion to worship. During ten years of wandering, he experienced a spiritual transformation, in which the Truth came to him at last, as something received rather than acquired. Blessed with an inner certainty, he then applied his outstanding faculties and vast learning to the task of revitalizing the whole Islamic tradition. Through his direct personal contacts, and through his many writings, he showed how every element in that tradition could and should be turned to its true purpose.
Imam al-Ghazzali was fondly referred to as the "Hujjat-ul-lslam", Proof of Islam, he is honoured as a scholar and a saint by learned men all over the world and is generally acclaimed as the most influential thinker of the Classical period of Islam.
He passed away in 505 AH (1111 A.D).
About The Translator
Dr. Mashhad Al-Allaf holds a doctoral degree in Modern Philosophy: Science & Metaphysics (1995). His bachelor’s and master’s degrees concentrated on the Philosophy of Science. He has taught at Washington University, St. Louis University, and Webster University and is the author of several works, including The Basic Ideas and Institutions of Islam (2008), Locke’s Philosophy of Science and Metaphysics (2007), and The Essential Ideas of Islamic Philosophy (2006).
He is the co-author of the forthcoming Islamic Philosophy of Science and Logic (University of Pittsburgh). His current research focuses on integrative studies and multiculturalism, as well as Engineering Ethics, Biomedical Ethics, Love and Romance in Islam, and Islamic Theory of Science.
Muhammad His Character and Beauty : Wasa'il Al-wusul Ila Shama'il al-rasul
About The Book
Wasa'il al-Wusul ila Shama'il al-Rasul, is the outstanding work that focuses on the inward and outward characteristics of the Beloved Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, from his lineage to his physical stature, to his noble attributes.
The seminal study into the life of the Prophet by legendary scholar Shaykh al-Nabahani. The aim of this study is not just mere historical knowledge.
Author seeks to delve deeper to help draw us closer to the Prophet and attain spiritual well-being through reverence and remembrance of his saintly qualities. The result is an accessible read that weaves erudite scholarship with the love of a mystic.
About The Author
Imam Yusuf b. Isma‘il al-Nabahani, may Allah have mercy upon him, (1265–1350 AH), hadith scholar, Sufi, jurist, judge, and biographer, was born in Beirut, Lebanon. A prolific author, al-Nabahani left behind a staggering collection of works in hadith, fiqh, theology, and most famously, poetry and prose in praise of our master Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Al-Nabahani was a paragon of prophetic love (‘ishq) and his works continue to exercise a profound influence on popular Muslim spirituality.
Purification of the Heart: Signs, Symptoms and Cures of the Spiritual Diseases of the Heart
About The Book
This present text is based on the poem known as “Matharat al-Qulub,” which offers a means by which spiritual purification can be achieved. It was written by a great scholar, Shaykh Muhammad Mawlud, a brilliant scholar who mastered all of the Islamic sciences, including the inward sciences of the soul.
The spiritual diseases of the heart addressed in this volume include: miserliness, wantonness, hatred, iniquity, envy, ostentation, vanity, fraud, and more. Imam Mawlud directs his attention to each of these diseases, discusses their causes, and offers cures. His teachings imply that purification is a life-long process, not something that is applied once and then forgotten. Purity of heart never survives a passive relationship. Rather, it requires constant consideration. This book hopes to introduce to readers how that is done. This book offers an insightful introduction to one of the most ancient of religious concerns: spiritual purification of the heart. It takes the reader through a well-known text from the Muslim tradition, and gives important commentary that is relevant to our day and to people of a variety of religious experiences.
About The Author
Muḥammad Mawlūd was born in the country of Mauritania in approximately the year 1260 Hijra/ 1844 C.E. Mauritania is a desert country with its inhabitants living primarily as nomadic herders and subsistence farmers. Despite the harsh environment that provided very few resources, the Mauritanians were able to establish a sophisticated system of preserving the sacred sciences of Islam. There were specific clans, known as zawāya, in Mauritania that made scholarship their primary focus took every effort to pass on knowledge to each successive generation. It was into one of these families that Muḥammad Mawlūd was born, thus receiving his portion of the Inheritance of the Prophets.
He came from a long line of scholars who were also accomplished authors and religious judges who ran traditional Islamic Universities, known as maḥḍaras2. His father is Qadi Ahmed Fāl the son of Qadi Muhamadhan Fal the son of Qadi al-Amin the son of Qadi al-Mukhtar the son of Qāḍi al-Fa'a Musa. Even though many of his grandfathers were qāḍis, Muḥammad Mawlūd chose not to take that position preferring to spend his time authoring books, specifically focusing on Spirituality (taṣawwuf) and the Arabic language. He is from the family known as the Ya’qūbiyīn who are descendents of Jaʿfar ibn Abī Ṭālib, the cousin of the Prophet Muḥammad. His mother is Maryam bint Muḥammad Mawlūd ibn al-Nāhī was also knowledgable and she was her son’s first teacher. Muḥammad Mawlūd authored many works on what he saw as much needed relevant knowledge. In total, he has authored of 70 works including books, poems and commentaries.
Muḥammad Mawlūd passed away in the year 1323 H/1905 C.E. after experiencing a light sickness that did not last very long. He is buried in the area known as al-ʿArsh, which is 110 km south of the Mauritanian capital city of Nouakchott. He lived a little over 60 years and in that time established a legacy of scholarship through his books and students. The Muslim community, which has benefitted immensely from these and other works of Muḥammad Mawlūd, is forever indebted to him for his selfless work that he dedicated his life to.
About The Translator
Hamza Yusuf (born 1960) is an American Muslim scholar, and is co-founder of Zaytuna College. He is a proponent of classical learning in Islam and has promoted Islamic sciences and classical teaching methodologies throughout the world.
He is an advisor to the Center for Islamic Studies at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley.He also serves as a member of the board of advisors of George Russell's One Nation, a national philanthropic initiative that promotes pluralism and inclusion in America. In addition, he serves as vice-president for the Global Center for Guidance and Renewal, which was founded and is currently presided over by Abdallah bin Bayyah.
He is one of the signatories of A Common Word Between Us and You, an open letter by Islamic scholars to Christian leaders, calling for peace and understanding. The Guardian newspaper in the United Kingdom reported that "Hamza Yusuf is arguably the west's most influential Islamic scholar."Similarly, The New Yorker magazine reported that Yusuf is "perhaps the most influential Islamic scholar in the Western world".
The Book of Wisdoms : Kitab al-Hikam with Ikmal al-Shiyam
About The Book
Muslim religious life not only consists of belief in orthodox tenets of faith and a determined effort to follow the Sacred Law, it also requires one to scale the heights of the spiritual path. The Kitab al-Hikam of Shaykh Ibn ‘Ata’illah al-Iskandari is the inspiring explanation of the soul’s journey through this life, as determined through the Qur’an and Sunna.
Along with his treatises and intimate discourses (munajat), the substantive feature of the work is the author’s 264 spiritual aphorisms (hikam)—concise, comprehensive and sublime sayings on self purification (tazkiya), and guidelines to help strengthen the relationship between humans and their Lord.
These aphorisms, which have never failed to inspire, are presented in this edition according to the systematic arrangement of the great Indian scholar Shaykh ‘Ali Muttaqi (d. 975/1567), together with the indispensable commentary of the twentieth-century sage Shaykh ‘Abdullah Gangohi.
About The Authors
Shaykh Ibn ‘Ata’illah al-Iskandari (d. 709/1309) lived in Egypt during the reign of the Mamluks. Originally from Alexandria, he moved to Cairo, where his professional life involved teaching Sacred Law in various institutions including the Al-Azhar Mosque. He also led a concurrent existence as a Master for disciples of Islamic spirituality. The Hikam is his principal work, one that has attracted universal approval from his own time up to the present day.
Shaykh ‘Abdullah Gangohi (d. 1329/1921) was a teacher in various seminaries in the Indian Sub-Continent, during an era of great academic and spiritual achievement in the region. His main area of expertise was Arabic language, and some of his works have become part of the core syllabus in numerous seminaries. He took the spiritual path from the famous hadith scholar and sufi master Mawlana Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri (d. 1346/1927), who instructed him to write this commentary and eventually made him a master of the path in his own right.
About The Translator
Victor Danner (d. 1410/1990) was an American academic noted for his beautiful translation of the Hikam. He taught various subjects, including Arabic Language, Classical Arabic Literature, and Sufism, at Indiana University.
A Thinking Person’s Guide to Islam : The Essence of Islam in 12 Verses from the Qur’an
About The Book
The world is at a crossroads today. A tiny minority of Muslims seems to be bent on hijacking the religion of Islam and bringing it into perpetual conflict with the rest of the world.
Because of their actions, very few non-Muslims understand the real difference between Islam as it has always been, and the distorted perversions of Islam today. This book is an attempt to positively say what Islam actually is—and always was—as well as what it is not.
About The Author
H.R.H. Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad bin Talal of Jordan (b. 1966 CE) was educated at Harrow School, UK; received his BA Summa cum Laude from Princeton University, NJ, USA; his first PhD from Trinity College, Cambridge University, UK, and his second PhD from Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
He is a Professor of Islamic Philosophy and his book Love in the Holy Qur’an has been widely acclaimed, has gone into ten editions and has been translated into a number of languages. He also serves as Chief Advisor for Religious and Cultural Affairs to H.M. King Abdullah II ibn Al-Hussein of Jordan.
This title has been jointly published by White Thread Press & Turath Publishing.
The hardcover includes a annex on the Crisis of ISIS.
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Reviews:
“Lucid in its explanations, unassailable in its logic; a book of the moment; simply spot on.” —H.E. Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, The Sultan of Sokoto, Nigeria
“Easy to read, easy to understand and easy to swallow and digest. It very beautifully explains what Islam really is, how it is explained in its sacred texts, and how it has been understood throughout centuries by the overwhelming majority of Muslims.” —Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani
“A very much needed book, comprehensive, yet concise, easy to read, and authoritative. A must-read book.” —Shaykh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi
“A salient account of a mighty faith drawn in deft strokes by an insider. Edifying, broad, and stimulating.” —Shaykh Nuh Keller
“Much anxiety comes from not properly understanding what others think or believe. One example today is the widespread misunderstanding of Islam. So when a respected scholar of Islamic philosophy such as Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad writes A Thinking Person’s Guide to Islam, it is of global significance. I welcome the publication of this book, convinced that interested readers will find much in it to inspire them and set their minds at rest.” —H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso
“A most authentic presentation of Islam in its contemporary context.” —Professor M. Hashim Kamali, IAIS, Malaysia
“Exceptionally lucid in explanation, deeply scholarly and yet accessible on a popular level, this is an essential book for Muslims and non-Muslims alike at this time in our civilization.” —Revd Canon Professor Paul S. Fiddes, Professor of Systematic Theology, University of Oxford
“A concise, luminously clear, and highly readable explanation of Islam from the pen one of its best educated and most influential advocates.” —Professor Miroslav Volf, Yale University Divinity School
“A brilliant summa of Islam. It is exactly what is needed today for both Muslims and non-Muslims confused by headline grabbing terrorists claiming to represent Islam.” —Professor Tamara Sonn, Georgetown University
“Profoundly rooted in the traditional wisdom of Islam yet also contends with the realities of today, not least because it is bold enough to tackle and name for what it is the perversion of the Muslim faith offered by the group known as Daesh/IS.” —Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, General Secretary, World Council of Churches
“A witness of what I have called ‘robust moderation’; this witness confronts extremism with God’s love.” —Bishop Dr. Munib Yunan, President of the World Lutheran Federation
Ascent to Felicity (Maraqi 'lSa'adat)
About The Book
Written by the eminent 11th century Hanafi scholar, Abu ’l-Ikhlas al-Shurunbulali, Ascent to Felicity is a concise yet comprehensive primer in creed and jurisprudence. It spans all five pillars of Islam, as well as the topics of slaughtering, ritual sacrifice, and hunting. To supplement the text, the translator has added key explanatory notes taken from several reliable works on theology and jurisprudence. He has also added appendices that comprise numerous supplications related to the five pillars, presented in Arabic script along with English transliteration, as well as the etiquette of visiting the Messenger of Allāh (Allah bless him peace) in Madina.
“An admirable rendering into lucid, fluid English of Imam Hasan al-Shurunbulali’s primer of Hanafi law, Ascent to Felicity. This concise but thorough work focuses on the five acts of worship.
The book has the added feature of a fairly detailed presentation of the basics of the Muslim Creed. In translating this introductory section of Imam Shurunbulali’s treatise, Khan’s skill as a translator is on full display, as he has made sometimes involved theological concepts easily accessible to the average English reader. Khan has provided an additional service to both Shurunbulali’s work and to contemporary Muslims by augmenting the translation with insightful and extremely useful explanatory notes. The value of this work, skillfully produced by White Thread Press, goes far beyond its benefit to adherents of the Hanafi legal school. Rather, it will prove of benefit to Muslims in general as well as researchers interested in latter-day presentations of the creed andpractice of Sunni Muslims.” — Imam Zaid Shakir Co-Founder and Resident Scholar, Zaytuna College
“This book is an important contribution to the growing, but still small, corpus of traditional Islamic texts available in English translation.” — Dr Ingrid Mattson President of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)
“Essential for any student of the Hanafī School. . . makes key concepts of the Hanafi school easily accessible to teachers, students, and readers.”— Dr. Ashraf Muneeb Dean of Academy, Sunnipath.com
“An excellent primer in Islamic beliefs and worship. . . more useful as a first complete text for those seeking understanding of the fiqh of worship than the more commonly-studied Nur al-Idah.” —Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Educational Director, Seekersguidance.com
“Aside from the flowing translation, the most impressive thing about this work for me is the comprehensive collection of nuanced notes. These serve to capture the wide range of issues one grapples with, but might never find the right answer to, in the process of his or her purification, prayer, fasting and other acts of worship. An extremely engaging and educational read.” — Mufti Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf Scholar, ZamZamAcademy.com
Exemplars for Our Time
This unique series profiles the lives of Sayyida Fatima Yashrutia, Habib Ahmad Mashhur al-Haddad, Shaykh Murabit al-Hajj, Muzaffer Ozak Efendi, Sidi Muhammad ibn al-Habib, Sufi ‘Abd Allah Khan, Sayyid ‘Umar ‘Abd Allah Mwinyi Baraka, and Shaykh Salih al-Ja‘fari.
Biographers include Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Dr. Mostafa al-Badawi, Shems Friedlander, Dr. Karim Lahham, Dr. Samer Dajani, and Michael Sugich. Each book is beautifully illustrated with the photography of Peter Sanders, Shems Friedlander, and others, as well as rare images from the lives and times of these great souls.
Discover stories and rare images from the lives and times of these great souls
Internationally acclaimed photographer Peter Sanders (Meetings with Mountains, The Art of Integration, In the Shade of a Tree) and popular author Michael Sugich (Signs on the Horizons, Hearts Turn) have joined forces to produce Exemplars for Our Time, a deluxe limited edition nine-book box set of illustrated biographies of some of the most influential and inspiring Muslim saints and sages in our time.
Volume One: The Luminous Virtues of the Sages of Islam Series editor and author Michael Sugich takes a fascinating and richly detailed journey into the world of sainthood in Islam; a subject that is mystifying to many Muslims today. His penetrating exploration makes the case that the friends of God – the saints – are, and always have been, the true Muslim role models. And while they seem to have disappeared in modern times, they are in fact hiding in plain sight.
Volume Two: Shaykh Murabit al-Hajj, by Hamza YusufAscetic scholar-saint Shaykh Murabit al-Hajj would almost certainly have lived out his life in complete obscurity in the remote deserts of Mauritania had a young Hamza Yusuf not been guided in a dream to visit him, live in his tent, and learn at his feet. Sheykh Hamza authors this intimate and moving biography of one of the hidden treasures of our time, illustrated by the unique photography of Peter Sanders.
Volume Three: Habib Ahmad Mashhur al-Haddad, by Mostafa al-Badawi Considered in his lifetime as one of the greatest saints of Islam, Habib Ahmad Mashhur al-Haddad’s compassionate teaching of traditional Islam had a profound influence on generations of followers and students including Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Dr Umar Faruq Abd-Allah and Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad. Another former student, Dr Mostafa Badawi, writes this beautiful account of the scholar-sage, having dedicated his life to translating and interpreting his teachings.
Volume Four: Sayyida Fatima Yashrutia: Daughter of Akka, by Dr. Karim LahhamDr. Karim Lahham brings to life the compelling story of Sayyida Fatima Yashrutia, which spans two tempestuous centuries marked by world wars, the fall of the Ottoman empire, the catastrophe of 1948, and the civil war in Lebanon. The spiritual heir of her father, Sayyid ‘Ali Nurad’din al-Yashruti, Sayydia Fatima devoted her life to knowledge, teaching, prayer and invocation, and remains a beloved spiritual guide whose wisdom and inspiration lives on.
Volume Five: Sayyid ‘Umar ‘Abd’Allah: The Blessed One, by Michael Sugich Steeped in traditional studies from early childhood, as well as passing through the prestigious Oxford University, Sayyid ‘Umar ‘Abdullah Mwinyi Baraka was a highly influential East African educator and diplomat and a charismatic interpreter in multiple languages of the tolerance and beauty of Islam. Michael Sugich remembers the ‘ongoing adventure’ of being with his former teacher, and the profound influence he had on many leaders of post-independence East Africa.
Volume Six: Muzaffer Ozak Efendi: The Polisher of Hearts, by Shems Friedlander A colourful and charismatic teacher, Muzaffer Ozak Effendi nurtured his students with lively conversation in his bookstore, in cafes across Turkey, on the streets, and in his dervish lodge. A Sufi master, he ventured to America to introduce young seekers to the beauty of Islamic spirituality, and left a vibrant legacy across North America, Europe and the Middle East. Close disciple Shems Friedlander remembers his life and teachings, accompanied by unique photographs by the author.
Volume Seven: Shaykh Saleh al-Ja’fari, by Dr. Samer Dajani For 30 years, Shaykh Saleh al-Ja’fari lived in a small chamber within Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, where he was the Imam; rarely venturing out other than to make pilgrimage to Makkah, or visit the tombs of saints across Egypt. Dr. Samer Dajani remembers this gifted teacher who became a legend in his own lifetime due to his discourses held every Friday in the courtyard of Al-Azhar Mosque, attracting huge crowds of people from all walks of life.
Volume Eight: Sufi ‘Abdullah Khan, by Michael Sugich Leaving his native Pakistan for Birmingham in the UK, Sufi ‘Abdullah Khan’s mission was to bring a spiritual path to the thousands of Pakistani immigrants who had left for England for material gain. Michael Sugich looks back at Sufi’s remarkable tale that took him from a peasant village to the battlefields of North Africa and a Nazi prison camp in Europe, before a daring cross-country escape led him to a living spiritual master, and the start of his real adventure.
Volume Nine: Sidi Muhammad ibn al-Habib, by Michael SugichMichael Sugich takes us on an emotional and mesmerising journey back 50 years to the Zawiya of Shaykh Sidi Muhammad Ibn al-Habib in the Moroccan city of Meknes, where he first became affiliated with the great Sufi sage – one of the most influential figures in the North African spiritual tradition in the twentieth century. The volume is illustrated with unique portraits of the Shaykh taken by Peter Sanders, including a previously unpublished photograph.
$270.00 $225.00
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Allah: An Explanation of the Divine Names and Attributes
About The Book
The purpose of our creation, as Allah tells us in the Qur'an, is worship: "And I have not created jinn or mankind except to worship Me." (51:56) The Companion 'Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas , the preeminent exegete for whom the Prophet Muhammad s prayed "O Allah, teach him the interpretation of the Scripture," said about this verse, "Except to worship me means: Except to know Me." To endeavor to know Allah is to fulfill the very purpose of our existence, and to know Him is to know His beautiful names, attributes, and acts. In this work, taken from his large exegesis of Sura al-Fatiha, Ibn 'Ajiba details the meanings of Allah's Ninety-Nine Beautiful Names (al-Asma' al-Husna) and shows readers how to come closer to Allah through the three-fold path of connection, inculcation, and realization: to connect to each of the divine names; to inculcate their meanings in ethics and character; and to attain realization of them, beyond repetition, rote memory, or theoretical discussion. In this commentary, readers can get a glimpse of the transformative power of knowing the Creator through His Ninety-Nine Beautiful Names, about which the Prophet Muhammad s has said, "To Allah belongs ninety-nine names; whosoever enumerates them fully shall enter the Garden." - (al-Bukhari)
The Virtues of Seclusion in Times of Confusion
About The Book
The Virtues of Seclusion in Times of Confusion is a timely work about unplugging, physically and virtually, as a viable and sorely needed third option between absolute isolation from society and unrestricted social interaction. In this work that speaks to us and our time, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulusi brilliantly weaves together the Quranic verses, hadith reports, and counsels of the Salaf concerning self-imposed seclusion and its importance as a protective measure to safeguard our faith and shore up our spiritual defenses in times of strife and confusion (fitna).
This seclusion, he tells us, is not about withdrawing completely from society and heading for the hills, but rather sitting things out, keeping busy with personal and familial concerns, minding our business—staying at home. It is a call for taking careful stock of where we are spiritually and assessing where exactly our sphere of influence is and not overextending ourselves to our own detriment and the detriment of our loved ones.
“The goal of this book and its fine-tuned translation is to put an exclamation point on the importance of seclusion, and to construct a nuanced and scholarly understanding of the matter. Readers will enjoy, learn, and take examples from the stories of how our predecessors withdrew from societies when they felt their corruption. I pray that this work marks the beginning of our regular practice of retreat—physically and digitally—in a way that makes us more at peace and thus more effective in bringing positive change to ourselves, our families, and our communities.” —Dr. Shadee Elmasry
Contents:
Translator’s Preface
Foreword by Dr. Shadee Elmasry
Biography of Shaykh ‘Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulusi
Introduction
Chapter 1: On Self-imposed Isolation and Avoidance of People During times of Confusion and Strife
Chapter 2: The Legal Dispensation Allowing One to Avoid the “Imams of Fitna” in the Mosques
Chapter 3: How the Early Muslims (Salaf) Were During Periods of Corruption
Chapter 4: Early Imams Who Withdrew from Society
Appendices
Appendix I: Selected Narrations from Ibn Abi al-Dunya’s Kitab al-‘Uzla wa al-Infirad (The Book of Withdrawal and Seclusion)
Appendix II: Selected Narrations from Ibn Abi al-Dunya’s Kitab al-Tawadu’ wa al-Khumul (The Book of Humility and Obscurity)
About The Author
Shaykh ‘Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulusi (d. 1143 ah) was a high ranking Hanafi jurist, theologian, and spiritual master in the Ottoman era from Damascus, Syria. He was a gifted and prolific author, and a virtual encyclopedia of Islamic knowledge, who joined the exoteric and esoteric, authoring over 200 book on a variety of sciences. He taught in the renowned Umawi Mosque in Damascus and the Salihiyya Seminary.
Al-Shama'il Al-Muhammadiyya (415 Hadith on the Beauty & Perfection of the Prophet Muhammad (S))
About The Book
Al-Shama’il al-Muhammadiyya (‘The Sublime Qualities of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ’) is the most famous collection of narrations detailing the moral, physical and spiritual perfections of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Commonly referred to as ‘The Shama’il’ and compiled by the prolific Imam al-Tirmidhi, this perennial masterpiece connects hearts to the Prophet’s blessed being ﷺ.
The Shama’il generously invites us to experience the most detailed and exquisite qualities of the message-bearer—the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. This knowledge fundamentally alters, informs, and orients our understanding of the Message he brought. Knowing the Shama’il is a critical pre-requisite to properly understanding Islam in general and the Prophet’s life (Sira) in particular; his beautiful appearance, lifestyle and character provide the ultimate context for developing a deep, holistic appreciation of the Message and the Messenger at the same time. Without understanding the Shama’il, we’re likely to read Islam and the Prophet’s life through the lenses of our own socially-conditioned impressions and assumptions. Instead, the Shama’il leaves a profound and indelible impression that spiritually empowers us to apply Islam to our lives.
Knowing the Shama’il is a tried and true means of filling our hearts with reverence for the Prophet ﷺ, which, in turn, fills our hearts with reverence for his Sacred Law. A form of praise in its own right, it provides a deep look into Prophet’s sublime beauty and serves as a means of connection, veneration and spiritual transformation. The Shama’il offers us tastes of delight and joy, and most importantly, engenders sincere love of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ in our hearts. To spend time with the Shama’il is to praise Allah and remember Him, for it is He who endows His beloved ﷺ with beautiful form and unparalleled character.