Bøger udgivet af The Islamic Texts Society

"Nasir al-Din Tusi: A Philosopher for All Seasons" explores the life and work of the mediaeval Persian polymath Nasir al-Din Tusi (d. 1274) within the historical and religious contexts in which he was active during the course of his eventful life.

This is the first ever translation into English of a treatise written by one of the most celebrated figures in the history of Sufism, the Egyptian Sufi master Ibn Ata Allah al-Iskandari. In Pure Intention: on Knowledge of the Unique Name (al-Qasd al-Mujarrad fi Ma''rifat al-Ism al-Mufrad) the author presents us with a supreme essay on the doctrine of Divine Oneness or tawhid and the Unique Name Allah which is the Name of the Divine Essence.The treatise itself is divided into two parts. In Part One, Ibn Ata Allah discusses the Name Allah from three perspectives: that of language, that of wisdom and that of gnosis; here, he also explains the differences between the Divine Names, Qualities and the Name Allah. With Part Two, the author turns to the role of invocation, both in general and of the Name Allah specifically. Ibn Ata Allah gives detailed arguments for how emulating the Qualities of God as expressed in His Names and invoking His Supreme Name with awareness of its meaning, can cleanse the heart and fill it with tawhid until it becomes a worthy abode for God. As the sacred tradition says: ''Neither My Throne nor My Footstool can contain Me, but the heart of My servant can.''

Fakhr al-Din Razi''s Tafsir, The Great Exegesis, also known as Mafatih al-Ghayb, is one of the great classics of Arabic and Islamic scholarship. Written in the twelfth century, this commentary on the Qur''an has remained until today an indispensable reference work. The Great Exegesis is a compendium not only of Qur''anic sciences and meanings, but also Arabic linguistics, comparative jurisprudence, Aristotelian and Islamic philosophy, dialectic theology and the spirituality of Sufism.The present volume is the first ever translation into English from The Great Exegesis and focuses on the first chapter of the Qur''an, the Fatiha. This scholarly yet accessible translation gives readers a thorough understanding of the most commonly recited chapter of the Qur''an; it also opens up for readers a window into the thought and practice of one of Islam''s greatest theologians. This volume includes a foreword by Professor M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, King Fahd Professor of Islamic Studies, University of London. 

Imam Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti composed the Work of Day and Night (''Amal al-yawm wa''l-layla) as a guide to correct conduct and worship in accordance with the example of the Prophet and the Pious Predecessors. This book contains some of the most beautiful prayers in Islamic devotional literature, and Suyuty has provided guidance about nearly every situation that one is likely to encounter day-to-day. In it the reader will find: the prayers said upon awakening, before eating and when dressing; the acts carried out at various times of the day and between prayers; and much else. A special section is dedicated to prayers that are recommended for reading at times of need due to their widely recognised protective qualities. Work of Day and Night is invaluable for learning the Sunna of the Prophet and integrating it into one''s life, as Suyuti took great care to explain precisely how to perform each of the daily practices in accordance with the example of the Prophet Muhammad.It is hoped that this bilingual volume will enable a wider English-speaking audience to access one of the treasures of traditional Islamic knowledge and practice, and that it will provide Muslim readers with a source of inspiration in everyday life. A selection of the most beautiful and useful prayers has been transliterated and included in an appendix so that all worshippers may benefit by reciting themΓÇöregardless of Arabic ability. There is also a glossary of the most important religious terms.

A.R. Azzam narrates the life of Saladin, placing him in the context of the 10th and 11th-century Sunni revival, a powerful intellectual renaissance that transformed every field of Islamic thought. Saladin was not just the brilliant military commander of popular imagination; his true greatness lay in his political & spirit vision.

War and Peace in Islam: The Uses and Abuses of Jihad aims to reveal the real meaning of jihad and to rectify many of the misunderstandings that surround both it and Islam's relation with the 'Other'.

The author was asked by a friend to set down in writing what he considered to be the most important things that a human being can know and was also asked to make it very easy. This small book discusses the profoundest truths with remarkable simplicity and clarity.

This is the first English translation of works attributed to Abu Madyan, a seminal figure of Sufism in Muslim Spain and North Africa. The oeuvre includes doctrinal treatises, aphorisms, and poetical works, and so introduces readers to several of the most important genres of religious writing in Islamic Middle Period.

King of the Castle examines closely many of the unquestioned assumptions by which we live our lives, comparing them with the beliefs that have shaped and guided human life in the past. It begins with a consideration of how secular societies attempt to possess their citizens, body and soul and how, as a consequence, the necessity of redefining human responsibility becomes an ever more urgent imperative. The book continues with a presentation of the traditional view of man as ''God''s Viceroy on Earth'', with an eye to its practical implications in a world that has all but forgotten, under the pressure of mass social persuasion, that man must always be free to choose his own ultimate destiny. The author''s thesis is a passionate yet incisive plea for the restoration of the sacred norms of religion, as against the debilitating and falsifying aims of a profane world-view based on no more than recent scientific and technological achievements.

''Almost a prerequisite for any serious study of Sufism in European languages'': this was the verdict of Seyyed Hossein Nasr in his review of the first edition of A Sufi Saint of the Twentieth Century: Shaikh Ahmad al-Alawi his Spiritual Heritage and Legacy. In this work, the author, Dr Martin Lings, presents a vivid picture of the unforgettable figure of the Algerian Shaykh Ahmad al-Alawi through a short biography by his French doctor and the translation of the Shaykh al-Alawi''s own autobiography. These are followed by expositions of the Shaykh al-Alawi''s teachings which are based on pure metaphysics and gnosis. Finally, Dr Martin Lings translates selections from Shaykh al-Alawi''s aphorisms and mystical poetry. The whole work immerses the reader in the world of North African Sufism both as an intellectual tradition and a living reality.

This work, written by the foremost authority on the subject, includes an in-depth survey of the individual Islamic sciences from cosmology, philosophy, theology to alchemy, physics, mathematics, astronomy and medicine, concluding with a chapter on the gnostic tradition.