Emerald Hills Of The Heart

The origin of Sufism -- Self criticism; Reflection; Privacy and seclusion; Heart; Hope or expectation; Asceticism. People follow the Sufi path when they sense that Islam has a deeper dimension. The resulting self-purification leads to this inner dimension of Islamic rituals, a deeper understanding of the Divine acts, and a greater knowledge and love of Him. After this, God draws the novice to Himself. With the help of a spiritual guide, the novice begins the life-long journey back to God. This continual process of spiritual development along a path of the innate human poverty, helplessness, and powerlessness before God is undertaken in the knowledge that everything comes from God. Each novice does what is necessary to grow spiritually, and God bestows the appropriate blessings and stations. "The highest aim of creation and its most sublime result is belief in God. The most exalted rank of humanity is knowledge of God. The most radiant happiness and sweetest bounty for jinn and humanity is love of God contained within the knowledge of God; the purest joy for the human spirit and the purest delight for the human heart is spiritual ecstasy contained within the love of God. Indeed, all true happiness, pure joy, sweet bounties, and unclouded pleasure are contained within the knowledge and love of God." And Sufism is the school where people can realise the highest aim of creation.

Concluding a textually long but spiritually endless journey toward insan al-kamil?the perfect human?this fourth volume approaches Sufism through the middle way, an approach that revives the legacy of the Prophet Muhammad. With an awareness of the social realities of the 21st century, concepts such as tranquility, the truth of divinity, life beyond the physical realm, the preserved tablet, the glorified attributes, and the beautiful names are delicately explained.

his second compelling volume includes an introduction to the heart and its dynamics, as well as detailed examination of such concepts as freedom, altruism, wisdom, sainthood, intoxication and sobriety, wakefullness, and the universal man.

This valuable work on the methodology of exegesis by Dr. Recep Dogan will serve as an important source of future works in the field. With his expertise in the history and exegesis of the Qur'an, as well as his familiarity and comprehensive understanding of Islamic disciplines, Dr. Dogan has managed to combine both classical and modern acquis. Presenting a variety of different approaches, Dr. Dogan also offers a broad range of Western approaches in reading the Qur'an.

Renewing Islam by Service offers a theological account of the contemporary Turkish faith-based service movement started by Fethullah Gülen, and placed against the backdrop of changes in modern Turkish society. The life and works of Gülen are analyzed against the background of developments in Turkish society, and of spiritual Islamic tendencies in the transition from the Ottoman empire to the secular republic. Pim Valkenberg includes stories of his personal experiences with supporters of this movement, in a number of dierent countries, and analyzes the spiritual practices and the faith-based service of this movement that is also compared to some important Christian religious movements.

Islamic Spirituality: Theology and Practice for the Modern World examines and explores the inner dimension of Islam. The writings of important figures in the historical development of Islamic spirituality are examined, as well as the major sources of religious authority in Islam, the Qur'an and Hadith. Both classical Sufis and Sufism are explored as well as contemporary mystics. Key figures discussed include medieval Islamic theologian al-Ghazali (d.1111), and Said Nursi (d.1960), arguably one of the most important modern theologians in the Islamic spiritual tradition. Discussing both historical and contemporary dimensions of Islamic spirituality allows the author to ground classical Sufi texts in contemporary ideas and practices. Exploring spirituality in relation to key contemporary issues such as ecology, Zeki Saritoprak demonstrates how, when, and where people can practice Islamic spirituality in the Modern world. Providing an overview of the intellectual and theological basis of Islamic spirituality, and including the author's own translations of a selection of key texts, this volume is ideal reading for courses exploring Islamic spirituality and mysticism and anyone interested in the spiritual practices of nearly a quarter of the world's population.