Download or read book A Fresh Look at the Quran written by Syed Ghulam Sarwar and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2013-06-09 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: RELIGIOUS movements, led by inspired individuals called prophets or apostles of God, were socio-political upheavals based on lofty moral principles meant to better man's secular life. They took birth in different societies and had reference to the makeup of those societies, but their moral import was universal. They were champions of the unity of mankind, not of its division. Human life is a dynamic affair. Innumerable factors, known and unknown, keep on changing it from moment to moment. Religious movements undergo a spectacular transformation with the change of time. Their new champions, product of their particular environments, have their own character, outlook and interests. Retaining the original nomenclature, they suppress the essential features, meanings and purpose of these movements. Some messages of the apostles exist only as translations or retranslations, edited and re-edited. This is not the case with the Quran. It exists in its original language, Arabic, intact. Yet, distortions have occurred, and lasted for centuries, in its meanings and import. Many terms and expressions used in the Quran have been grossly distorted.The author has dealt with a number of such expressions in the first chapter on a rational basis. The second, third and forth chapters explain the sense of a very commonly used term, 'malaekah', generally translated as 'angels.' It has, however, more than one meaning. All the meanings have been explained in the various contexts in which they occur. The fifth chapter deals with the ceaseless creativity of God. In the spatio-temporal world, this creativity manifests itself in the birth and death of the old and birth of new realities. The birth of new realities is resurrection. In the human world it takes place as the destruction of communities or empires and the birth and prevalence of new forces. The Arabic word used for resurrection is 'qiamah'. Many 'qiamahs' occur in human history as stages in the forward march of man to the final goal -- the conquest of time and space -- the final resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus has been dealt with in a separate chapter (chapter 8) under the heading, 'Was Jesus killed?' Chapter 6 deals with the question of the Oneness of God. God is not one in the sense in which material things are one. Material things are divisible into many ones, but the oneness of God is indivisible. It is the Infinite, the Unfathomable One. Chapters 7 and 10 deal with the missions of Moses and Noah. In chapter 9, entitled, 'Miracles or myths?', the significance of Jonah's mission, and partly that of Abraham's, has been brought out. There is a common pattern in the struggle of the prophets. But this commonness has remained buried under the debris of misrepresentations and distortions for centuries. The unmasking of the truth in the Quran will also unmask the truth of the teachings of all the prophets and show the common platform for mankind to stand on. The last chapter traces briefly the journey of mankind from their peaceful primitive past to the present through bloodshed and points to its final destiny, the conquest of time and space -- THE ULTIMATE RESURRECTION.
Download or read book A Fresh Look at Islam in a Multi Faith World written by Matthew L.N. Wilkinson and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-10-30 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ***WINNER: Cheryl Frank Memorial Prize, International Association of Critical Realism.*** A Fresh Look at Islam in a Multi-Faith World provides a comprehensively theorised and practical approach to thinking systematically and deeply about Islam and Muslims in a multi-faith world. It makes the case for a contemporary educational philosophy to help young Muslims surmount the challenges of post-modernity and to transcend the hiatuses and obstacles that they face in their interaction and relationships with non-Muslims and visa-versa. It argues that the philosophy of critical realism in its original, dialectical and metaReal moments so fittingly ‘underlabours’ (Bhaskar, 1975) for the contemporary interpretation, clarification and conceptual deepening of Islamic doctrine, practice and education as to suggest a distinctive branch of critical realist philosophy, specifically suited for this purpose. This approach is called Islamic Critical Realism. The book proceeds to explain how this Islamic Critical Realist approach can serve the interpretation of the consensual elements of Islamic doctrine, such as the six elements of Islamic belief and the five ‘pillars’ of Islamic practice, so that these essential features of the Muslim way of life can help Muslim young people to contribute positively to life in multi-faith liberal democracies in a globalising world. Finally, the book shows how this Islamic Critical Realist approach can be brought to bear in humanities classrooms by history, religious education and citizenship teachers to help Muslim young people engage informatively and transformatively with themselves and others in multi-faith contexts.
Download or read book The Qur an and the Christian written by Matthew Aaron Bennett and published by Kregel Publications. This book was released on 2022-04-26 with total page 261 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Understanding Islam's sacred text is integral to understanding your Muslim neighbor Cross-cultural missionary and scholar Matthew Aaron Bennett blends the insights of Islamic believers, secular Qur'an scholars, and missionaries to Muslims, making The Qur'an and the Christian like no other resource for Christian ministry to Muslims. Combining these perspectives in one guide better equips Christians to communicate the biblical gospel to friends and neighbors who are adherents to Islam--both in and out of majority-Muslim cultures. The Qur'an and the Christian addresses issues both simple and profound, such as: 1. How the Qur'an came to be, including Muhammed and the Qur'an's textual precursors 2. The major themes of the Qur'an and how these shape the practice of Islam 3. The presence of Bible characters, Jews, and Christians in the Qur'anic text 4. Whether and how a Christian should read the Qur'an 5. Avoiding miscommunication with Muslims when the Qur'an and Christian teaching seem to overlap This book will help Christians learn how to explore Islamic faith with missiological wisdom and biblical precision. The Qur'an and the Christian will give believers the insight to deepen friendships, promote understanding, and clarify the biblical gospel among Muslim friends and neighbors.
Download or read book Qur an and Woman written by Amina Wadud and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 1999-06-10 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fourteen centuries of Islamic thought have produced a legacy of interpretive readings of the Qu'ran written almost entirely by men. Now, with Qu'ran and Woman, Amina Wadud provides a first interpretive reading by a woman, a reading which validates the female voice in the Qu'ran and brings it out of the shadows. Muslim progressives have long argued that it is not the religion but patriarchal interpretation and implementation of the Qu'ran that have kept women oppressed. For many, the way to reform is the reexamination and reinterpretation of religious texts. Qu'ran and Woman contributes a gender inclusive reading to one of the most fundamental disciplines in Islamic thought, Qu'ranic exegesis. Wadud breaks down specific texts and key words which have been used to limit women's public and private role, even to justify violence toward Muslim women, revealing that their original meaning and context defy such interpretations. What her analysis clarifies is the lack of gender bias, precedence, or prejudice in the essential language of the Qur'an. Despite much Qu'ranic evidence about the significance of women, gender reform in Muslim society has been stubbornly resisted. Wadud's reading of the Qu'ran confirms women's equality and constitutes legitimate grounds for contesting the unequal treatment that women have experienced historically and continue to experience legally in Muslim communities. The Qu'ran does not prescribe one timeless and unchanging social structure for men and women, Wadud argues lucidly, affirming that the Qu'ran holds greater possibilities for guiding human society to a more fulfilling and productive mutual collaboration between men and women than as yet attained by Muslims or non-Muslims.
Download or read book Understanding the Koran written by Mateen Elass and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2009-08-19 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Find out how the Koran resembles the Bible—and the drastic ways in which it differs. Understanding the Koran gives you an essential grasp of Islam's holy book: where it came from, what it teaches, how Muslims view it, and how the Allah of the Koran compares with the God of the Bible. Cherished as the final, perfect revelation of God's will by 1.2 billion Muslims worldwide, the Koran has become a part of American life. What do you know about the holy book that shapes the lives and views of your neighbors and a fifth of the world's population? Written by a pastor who was born to a Muslim father and raised in Saudi Arabia, Understanding the Koran gives you a fascinating, easy-to-understand overview that will show you: Why the background behind the Koran is important to understanding it. How the Koran came into existence. A summary of the main teachings of the Koran, including what it says about Jesus and the crucifixion. Similarities and differences between Muslim and Christian views of God. What the Koran teaches about Jihad and holy war. What the Koran teaches about heaven and hell and the final destinies of the human soul. Giving you an essential grasp of Islam's holy book, Understanding the Koran points you to the one thing that can draw your Muslim friends to Jesus—his love, demonstrated to them through you. Discussion questions make it possible to use this book in group studies.
Download or read book What the Qur an Meant written by Garry Wills and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2018-12-04 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: America’s leading religious scholar and public intellectual introduces lay readers to the Qur’an with a measured, powerful reading of the ancient text Garry Wills has spent a lifetime thinking and writing about Christianity. In What the Qur’an Meant, Wills invites readers to join him as he embarks on a timely and necessary reconsideration of the Qur’an, leading us through perplexing passages with insight and erudition. What does the Qur’an actually say about veiling women? Does it justify religious war? There was a time when ordinary Americans did not have to know much about Islam. That is no longer the case. We blundered into the longest war in our history without knowing basic facts about the Islamic civilization with which we were dealing. We are constantly fed false information about Islam—claims that it is essentially a religion of violence, that its sacred book is a handbook for terrorists. There is no way to assess these claims unless we have at least some knowledge of the Qur’an. In this book Wills, as a non-Muslim with an open mind, reads the Qur’an with sympathy but with rigor, trying to discover why other non-Muslims—such as Pope Francis—find it an inspiring book, worthy to guide people down through the centuries. There are many traditions that add to and distort and blunt the actual words of the text. What Wills does resembles the work of art restorers who clean away accumulated layers of dust to find the original meaning. He compares the Qur’an with other sacred books, the Old Testament and the New Testament, to show many parallels between them. There are also parallel difficulties of interpretation, which call for patient exploration—and which offer some thrills of discovery. What the Qur’an Meant is the opening of a conversation on one of the world’s most practiced religions.
Download or read book Interpreting the Qur n written by Abdullah Saeed and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2006 with total page 214 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How is the Qur'an - central to all Muslim societies - to be understood today in order to meet the needs of these societies? Abdullah Saeed, a distinguished Muslim scholar, explores the interpretation of the ethico-legal content of the Qur'an, whilst taking into consideration the changing nature of the modern world. Saeed explores the current debates surrounding the interpretation of the Qur'an, and their impact on contemporary understanding of this sacred text. Discussing the text's relevance to modern issues without compromising the overall framework of the Qur'an and its core beliefs and practices, he proposes a fresh approach, which takes into account the historical and contemporary contexts of interpretation. Inspiring healthy debate, this book is essential reading for students and scholars seeking a contemporary approach to the interpretation of the Qur'anic text.
Download or read book The Islam Book written by DK and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2020-08-04 with total page 659 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Learn about the history and traditions of the Islamic faith in The Islam Book. Part of the fascinating Big Ideas series, this book tackles tricky topics and themes in a simple and easy to follow format. Learn about Islam in this overview guide to the subject, brilliant for novices looking to find out more and experts wishing to refresh their knowledge alike! The Islam Book brings a fresh and vibrant take on the topic through eye-catching graphics and diagrams to immerse yourself in. This captivating book will broaden your understanding of Islam, with: - Images of Islamic art, architecture, calligraphy, and historical artifacts - Packed with facts, charts, timelines and graphs to help explain core concepts - A visual approach to big subjects with striking illustrations and graphics throughout - Straightforward text makes topics accessible for people at any level of understanding The Islam Book is a comprehensive guide essential to understanding the world’s fastest-growing religion - aimed at self-educators after a trustworthy account and religious studies students wanting to gain an overview. Here you’ll find clear factual writing offering insight into terms like Sharia law, the Caliphate, and jihad; Sunni and Shia divisions; and Sufi poetry and music. Your Islam Questions, Simply Explained This essential guide to Islam covers every aspect of the Muslim faith and its history – from the life of the Prophet Muhammad and the teachings of the Koran to Islam in the 21st century. If you thought it was difficult to learn about one of the world’s major religions, The Islam Book presents key information in an easy to follow layout. Find out about modern issues such as fundamentalism, the work of peaceful traditionalists, modernizers, and women's rights campaigners, as well as the central tenets of Islam, such as prayer, fasting, and pilgrimage. The Big Ideas Series With millions of copies sold worldwide, The Islam Book is part of the award-winning Big Ideas series from DK. The series uses striking graphics along with engaging writing, making big topics easy to understand.
Download or read book Opening the Qur an written by Walter H. Wagner and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 576 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Walter H. Wagner "opens" the Qur'an by offering a comprehensive and extraordinarily readable, step-by-step introduction to the text, making it accessible to students, teachers, clergy, and general readers interested in Islam and Islam's holy Book." "Wagner first places the prophet Muhammad, the Qur'an, and the early Muslim community in their historical, geographical, and theological contexts. This background is a basis for interpreting the Qur'an and understanding its role in later Muslim developments, as well as for relationships between Muslims, Jews, and Christians. He then looks in detail at specific passages, moving from cherished devotional texts to increasingly difficult and provocative subjects. The selected bibliography serves as a resource for further reading and study. Woven into the discussion are references to Islamic beliefs and practices. Wagner shows great sensitivity toward the challenges to non-Muslims who attempt to interpret the Qur'an, and sympathy for the long struggle to build bridges of mutual trust and honest appreciation between Muslims and non-Muslims."--Jacket.
Download or read book How to Read the Qur an written by Carl W. Ernst and published by Univ of North Carolina Press. This book was released on 2011-12-05 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For anyone, non-Muslim or Muslim, who wants to know how to approach, read, and understand the text of the Qur'an, How to Read the Qur'an offers a compact introduction and reader's guide. Using a chronological reading of the text according to the conclusions of modern scholarship, Carl W. Ernst offers a nontheological approach that treats the Qur'an as a historical text that unfolded over time, in dialogue with its audience, during the career of the Prophet Muhammad.
Download or read book Comparative Studies in Bible and Quran written by Reuven Firestone and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 16 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book A Perspective on the Signs of Al Quran written by Saeed Malik and published by Saeed Malik. This book was released on 2010-10-02 with total page 319 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is clear in every page of this brilliant work that it was written from a heartfelt perspective. A must read for every student of life, love, spirituality, and of course the Quran."--Whitney Cannon, founder Taleef Collective, Fremont, California.
Download or read book The Emergence of Islam written by Gabriel Said Reynolds and published by Augsburg Fortress Publishers. This book was released on 2023 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Now in an updated, second edition, Gabriel Said Reynolds tells the story of Islam in this brief illustrated survey, beginning with Muhammad's early life and rise to power, then tracing the origins and development of the Quran juxtaposed with biblical literature, and concluding with an overview of modern and fundamentalist narratives of the origin of Islam. Reynolds offers a fascinating look at the structure and meaning of the Qur'an, revealing the ways in which biblical language is used to advance the Qur'an's religious meaning. Reynolds' analysis identifies the motives that shaped each narrative Islamic, Jewish, and Christian. The book's conclusion yields a rich understanding of diverse interpretations of Islam's emergence, suggesting that its emergence is itself ever-developing"--Publisher description.
Download or read book Between Quran and Kafka written by Navid Kermani and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2017-05-23 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What connects Shiite passion plays with Brechts drama? Which of Goethes poems were inspired by the Quran? How can Ibn Arabis theology of sighs explain the plays of Heinrich von Kleist? And why did the Persian author Sadeq Hedayat identify with the Prague Jew Franz Kafka? One who knows himself and others will here too understand: Orient and Occident are no longer separable: in this new book, the critically acclaimed author and scholar Navid Kermani takes Goethe at his word. He reads the Quran as a poetic text, opens Eastern literature to Western readers, unveils the mystical dimension in the works of Goethe and Kleist, and deciphers the political implications of theatre, from Shakespeare to Lessing to Brecht. Drawing striking comparisons between diverse literary traditions and cultures, Kermani argues for a literary cosmopolitanism that is opposed to all those who would play religions and cultures against one another, isolating them from one another by force. Between Quran and Kafka concludes with Kermanis speech on receiving Germanys highest literary prize, an impassioned plea for greater fraternity in the face of the tyranny and terrorism of Islamic State. Kermanis personal assimilation of the classics gives his work that topical urgency that distinguishes universal literature when it speaks to our most intimate feelings. For, of course, love too lies between Quran and Kafka.
Download or read book The Future of Islam written by John L. Esposito and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2010-02-04 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: John L. Esposito is one of America's leading authorities on Islam. Now, in this brilliant portrait of Islam today--and tomorrow--he draws on a lifetime of thought and research to sweep away the negative stereotypes and provide an accurate, richly nuanced, and revelatory account of the fastest growing religion in the world. Here Esposito explores the major questions and issues that face Islam in the 21st century and that will deeply affect global politics. Are Islam and the West locked in a deadly clash of civilizations? Is Islam compatible with democracy and human rights? Will religious fundamentalism block the development of modern societies in the Islamic world? Will Islam overwhelm the Western societies in which so many Muslim immigrants now reside? Will Europe become Eurabia or will the Muslims assimilate? Which Muslim thinkers will be most influential in the years to come? To answer this last question he introduces the reader to a new generation of Muslim thinkers--Tariq Ramadan, Timothy Winter, Mustafa Ceric, Amina Wadud, and others--a diverse collection of Muslim men and women, both the "Martin Luthers" and the "Billy Grahams" of Islam. We meet religious leaders who condemn suicide bombing and who see the killing of unarmed men, women, and children as "worse than murder," who preach toleration and pluralism, who advocate for women's rights. The book often underscores the unexpected similarities between the Islamic world and the West and at times turns the mirror on the US, revealing how we appear to Muslims, all to highlight the crucial point that there is nothing exceptional about the Muslim faith. Recent decades have brought extraordinary changes in the Muslim world, and in addressing all of these issues, Esposito paints a complex picture of Islam in all its diversity--a picture of urgent importance as we face the challenges of the coming century.
Download or read book What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Qur an written by James R. White and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2013-05-01 with total page 316 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Look Inside the Sacred Book of One of the World's Fastest-Growing Religions What used to be an exotic religion of people halfway around the world is now the belief system of people living across the street. Through fair, contextual use of the Qur'an as the primary source text, apologist James R. White presents Islamic beliefs about Christ, salvation, the Trinity, the afterlife, and other important topics. White shows how the sacred text of Islam differs from the teachings of the Bible in order to help Christians engage in open, honest discussions with Muslims.
Download or read book A Concise Guide to the Quran written by Ayman S. Ibrahim and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2020-11-03 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What is so unique about Islam's scripture, the Quran? Who wrote it, and when? Can we trust its statements to be from Muhammad? Why was it written in Arabic? Does it command Muslims to fight Christians? These are a few of the thirty questions answered in this clear and concise guide to the history and contents of the Quran. Ayman Ibrahim grew up in the Muslim world and has spent many years teaching various courses on Islam. Using a question-and-answer format, Ibrahim covers critical questions about the most sacred book for Muslims. He examines Muslim and non-Muslim views concerning the Quran, shows how the Quran is used in contemporary expressions of Islam, answers many of the key questions non-Muslims have about the Quran and Islam, and reveals the importance of understanding the Quran for Christian-Muslim and Jewish-Muslim interfaith relations. This introductory guide is written for anyone with little to no knowledge of Islam who wants to learn about Muslims, their beliefs, and their scripture.
