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In a bridge-building exercise between Christians, Muslims, and other people of the book, David Bentley traces the Semitic pre-Islamic origins of Islam s 99 names of God. He points the reader to Old Testament counterparts of these names as well as to Jesus comparable representations of Himself."
In 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.
This book takes the reader into the heart of the mystery of the 99 sacred Names of Allah. It is a vehicle for understanding the infinite nature of God, and for discovering the divine potential in every soul. It is also a guidebook for progressing through the stages of the spiritual path and an instruction manual for teachers on how to work with students more wisely, as physicians of the heart. In the process of this voyage to discovery, the reader is systematically exposed to the universal mysticism encoded in the Qur'an and in the classical Sufi traditions, as well as to a modern psychological approach that works with the 99 Names to achieve individuation and wholeness.
After Jesus glanced at the temple coin, he said, "Render to Caesar." This book's title and theme are based upon Jesus' command to give allegiance to both the state and God. Coauthor David Bentley is the historian-theologian who reads and translates the coins' messages. Coauthor Brad Yonaka is the geologist-scientist who finds the copper, silver, and gold coins which are on display in nearly one hundred photo-figures throughout the text. Our God is represented by the Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam); his divine name has appeared on coins since biblical times. Even the most theologically astute readers will be surprised by our introduction of Paul, Priscilla, and Aquila as "tabernacle-makers" not "tent-makers." Greek and Roman gods and goddesses, a few ancient Persian empires, the Islamic caliphs, and Qur'anic messages are present in this book. Each stamped their impressions on civilization. When Lincoln added "In God We Trust" during the Civil War, was it as Jesus commanded, a combination of honoring divine and governmental authorities? Or was it a counterfeit trust in dead presidents or self?
A FIRST-HAND ACCOUNT OF THE STRUGGLE FOR POWER IN TODAY'S MIDDLE EAST God Has Ninety-Nine Names is a gripping, authoritative account of the epic battle between modernity and militant Islam that is is reshaping the Middle East. Judith Miller, a reporter who has covered the Middle east for twenty years, takes us inside the militant Islamic movements in ten countries: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Algeria, Libya, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Isreal and Iran. She shows that just as there is no unified Arab world, so there is no single Islam: The movements are as different as the countries in which they are rooted. Vivid and comprehensive, Miller's first-and report reveals the meaning of the tumultuous events that will continue to affect the prospects for Arab-Isreali peace and the potential for terrorism worlwide.
What’s in a name? The Names of God: 52 Bible Studies for Individuals and Groups offers a unique approach to Bible study by presenting a 52-week study focusing on the names and titles of God and of Jesus, one designed to help readers experience the Lord in fresh and deeper ways. . By studying such rich and varied names as Adonay, El Shadday, Abba, Yeshua, Lamb of God, and Prince of Peace, readers will encounter a God who is utterly holy, powerful, surprising, merciful, and loving. Each week’s study includes: • Background information to help readers understand the name • A key Scripture passage in which the name was first or most significantly revealed • A series of questions for individual or group study • A list of Bible passages for further reflection Based on Praying the Names of God and Praying the Names of Jesus but containing additional questions for reflection and study, this unique Bible study is designed to help individuals and groups explore the most important of God’s names and titles as they are revealed in the Bible. Also included is a helpful pronunciation guide to the Names of God in Ancient Hebrew and Koine Greek.
Recent manuscript evidence from al-Jami` al-Kabir in ?an ‘a’ suggests that the Qur’an took its final shape well before 671 CE. Irrespective, however, of who composed it or when it was compiled, questions remain about whether the Qur’an followed any kind of preconceived plan or compositional schema that makes sense in today’s world. In The al-Baqara Crescendo, Nevin Reda introduces a bold new avenue of research: the poetics of Qur'anic narrative structure. Focusing on Surat al-Baqara, the longest and most challenging of the suras, she explores the beauty and rationale behind the Qur'an’s unusual organization. Reda argues that the sura – often dismissed by Muslim traditionalists and Orientalist critics as a baffling collection of disjointed material – can be appreciated as a coherent composition if it is approached as a spoken text. Calling attention to oral organizational techniques such as repetition, this book’s repertoire of figures showcases Surat al-Baqara’s ingenious layout and pinpoints the sophisticated meanings that are embedded within it. Incorporating insights from literary theory and Biblical studies, the author advances inclusivity and intercultural bridge-building in the study of scripture. In an engaging narrative that is bound to captivate and challenge the reader, Reda communicates a deep love and thorough command of her subject, all while presenting a significant new development in Islamic feminist hermeneutics.
Humans have been chasing immortality since the beginning of history, seeking answers to sickness and aging, death and the afterlife, and questioning the human condition. Analyzing ideas from ancient Sumer, Egypt, Greece and India, as well as the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, this study explores how early religious models influenced later beliefs about immortality, the afterlife, the human soul, resurrection, and reward and punishment. The author highlights shared teachings among the most influential religions and philosophies, concluding that humankind has not substantially changed its conceptions of immortality in 6,000 years. This continuity of belief may be due to chromosomal memory and cultural inheritance, or may represent a fundamental way of conceptualizing the afterlife to cope with mortality. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.
