TwelverShia.net Forum

Off Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Farid on August 26, 2014, 07:07:05 PM

Title: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Farid on August 26, 2014, 07:07:05 PM
Bismillah,

It's about time we had one of these.

Currently reading a book called Tawtheeq Al-Sunnah. It is a study of how Sunnis and Shias accept narrations. The practical examples in the book include Muta'a and Imamah. I'll update you guys if it turns out to be any good.

I'm currently reading Alfiyat Al-Iraqi. Pretty much a thousands lines of poetry in which he details uloom al-hadith. It is very enjoyable. However, an explanation of his book is often necessary to have since much of his poetry seems vague, especially for beginners.
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: lotfilms on August 28, 2014, 08:46:19 AM
ما شاء الله
Both are great
i'm having trouble finding the first one though.

Other than school related work, the only thing i've been reading other than the Quran is listening to hadiths being read lol. 
For example:
http://forum.twelvershia.net/hadith-rijal/majalis-for-reading-of-sahih-al-bukhari/ (http://forum.twelvershia.net/hadith-rijal/majalis-for-reading-of-sahih-al-bukhari/)
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Taha on September 12, 2014, 02:20:51 AM
Beware: I read a lot.

Note: None of the summaries (apart from "Memoirs of Aga Khan" and the very first part of "The Stranger") are written by me.  I nicked them from Amazon.  I haven't finished reading these books so how could I summarize them?  :P

(http://i.imgur.com/LGaD3Yb.jpg)
American Crescent: A Muslim Cleric on the Power of His Faith, the Struggle Against Prejudice, and the Future of Islam and America by Sayed Hassan Qazwini.

American Crescent vividly describes Qazwini’s efforts to show Americans how those who destroyed the World Trade Center had hijacked Islam as well, and that most Muslims were appalled by their actions. Yet he also takes the Bush administration to task for championing the prejudicial Patriot Act (after Muslims supported George W. Bush in the 2000 election) and deplores its conduct in the Iraq War.

Throughout American Crescent, Qazwini offers a revelatory look at the tenets and history of Islam, defending it as a faith of peace and diversity, and challenging stereotypes and misconceptions promulgated by the media. Iran, he points out, has a higher percentage of women in its parliament than the United States does in both houses of Congress. “If you want to learn about Islam,” he writes, “turn off the TV.”

At once a fascinating personal story and a heartfelt plea to integrate Islamic teachings into the tolerant traditions of America, this book is an important contribution to our understanding of all those who live among us, at a time when it matters most.

(http://i.imgur.com/olZQgAs.jpg)
Cover-up: How the Church Silenced Jesus's True Heirs by Lawrence Goudge.

The Christian church hides a multitude of secrets; it is, after all, a mysterious religion. For instance, what if Jesus did not start Christianity? What if Paul, who knew Jesus only through visions, created it? In Cover-Up, author and lay minister Lawrence Goudge disputes the Christian theology that has dominated the world for millennia.

Goudge, who has spent more than twenty-four years researching the suppressed history of Jesus's Jewish followers, demonstrates how the church has corrupted Jesus's message. Cover-Up takes an innovative and investigative approach to Christianity, St. Paul's credibility, and ways in which theological truths have been concealed for two thousand years. Goudge's analysis debunks the myths and provides alternative theories.

As hatred and heresy haunt Christianity's shadows, this study addresses the intolerant nature of the Christian church and sets out to right the wrongs by bringing the truth about the Nazarenes into the light of day. Goudge's message presents hope for a just world.

(http://i.imgur.com/UZsHYuH.jpg)
The Memoirs of Aga Khan: World Enough and Time by Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III.

The dude's memoirs.  Duh.

(http://i.imgur.com/he9LXm8.jpg)
The Stranger by Albert Camus.

I first read this in my high school Philosophy class.  Very interesting.

A young Algerian, Meursault, afflicted with a sort of aimless inertia, becomes embroiled in the petty intrigues of a local pimp and, somewhat inexplicably, ends up killing a man. Once he's imprisoned and eventually brought to trial, his crime, it becomes apparent, is not so much the arguably defensible murder he has committed as it is his deficient character. The trial's proceedings are absurd, a parsing of incidental trivialities--that Meursault, for instance, seemed unmoved by his own mother's death and then attended a comic movie the evening after her funeral are two ostensibly damning facts--so that the eventual sentence the jury issues is both ridiculous and inevitable.

(http://i.imgur.com/FA3sjOH.jpg)
Throne of Gold: The Lives of the Aga Khans by Anne Edwards.

A biography of the wealthy Aga Khan clan, leaders of the Ismaili sect of Muslims found throughout East Africa, Pakistan, and India, traces the dynasty up to Aly Khan, the playboy husband of Rita Hayworth, into the present day.

The Aga Khans have reigned as one of the 20th century's most extravagant lineages. The family--descendeds from Mohammed--owns homes and horse stables all over the world, and sits as the spiritual head of a sect of 15 million Muslims. Anne Edwards tells the Aga Khans story by focusing on three generations--the current Aga Khan, his father and his grandfather. These are men who lives are those of fairy tales. They live in lavish surroundings, are notorious in their pursuit of women and throw outrageous parties. Ripe material for a biography, and Edwards delivers it well.

(http://i.imgur.com/1dnWDTn.jpg)
The First Muslim: The Story of Muhammad by Lesley Hazleton.

Muhammad’s was a life of almost unparalleled historical importance; yet for all the iconic power of his name, the intensely dramatic story of the prophet of Islam is not well known. In The First Muslim, Lesley Hazleton brings him vibrantly to life. Drawing on early eyewitness sources and on history, politics, religion, and psychology, she renders him as a man in full, in all his complexity and vitality.

Hazleton’s account follows the arc of Muhammad’s rise from powerlessness to power, from anonymity to renown, from insignificance to lasting significance. How did a child shunted to the margins end up revolutionizing his world? How did a merchant come to challenge the established order with a new vision of social justice? How did the pariah hounded out of Mecca turn exile into a new and victorious beginning? How did the outsider become the ultimate insider?

Impeccably researched and thrillingly readable, Hazleton’s narrative creates vivid insight into a man navigating between idealism and pragmatism, faith and politics, nonviolence and violence, rejection and acclaim. The First Muslim illuminates not only an immensely significant figure but his lastingly relevant legacy.



As you can see, my interests are very diverse.  :P  Almost all religious history fascinates me.
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Nader Zaveri on September 12, 2014, 08:40:36 PM
Salaamun `Alaykum,

When one gives the book title, can they also give a quick summary of the book as well as some cool or interesting things that were mentioned in the book. That'll be beneficial for us all.


In the meantime, I am attempting to author my book on Usool al-Hadith, where it looks at both the Sunnis and Shias methodology, it'll be multiple volumes, inshaa'Allah, If Allah gives me the tawfeeq. Currently, I am reading a bunch of books, so I do not have an exact name for a book. (I have ADD when it comes to reading books, which is my major flaw as a student of knowledge).
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: jinn on November 16, 2014, 07:28:08 PM
Salam

Currently reading 'Saviours of Islamic Spirit', by Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi rahimullah
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Hani on November 16, 2014, 07:50:33 PM
Salam

Currently reading 'Saviours of Islamic Spirit', by Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi rahimullah


Wa `Aleykum al-Salam,


What's it about bro?
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: jinn on November 16, 2014, 10:18:49 PM
Salam

Currently reading 'Saviours of Islamic Spirit', by Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi rahimullah


Wa `Aleykum al-Salam,


What's it about bro?

Its a 3 Volume set bro on different Islamic personalities..

Volumes I

Umar ibn Abdul Aziz
Hassan al-Basri
Traditionists and Jurists of Islam (The Imams )
Ahmad ibn Hanbal
Abul Hassan al-Ash'ari
Decline of Dialectics
Al-Ghazal
Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani
Ibn al-Jawzi- Nur ud-din Zangi and Salah Ud-din Ayyubi
Sheikhul Islam Izz ud-din Ibn Abdul Salam
Tartars :The Scourge of God- Maulana Jalal ud-din Rumi.

Volumes II
Sheikh ul Islam Ibn Taimiyah
Sultan ul Mashaikh Khwaja Nizam ud din Aulia
Makhdum ul Mulk Sheikh Sharf ud din Yahya Maneri

Volumes III

Imam Rabbani Mujaddid Alf Thani.

This volume basically covers Islamic History in the Indian Sub Continent in the Tenth Centuary Hijri From Akbar to Jahangir and the eminent deputies of the Sheikh.
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Hani on November 16, 2014, 10:49:55 PM
Some big names there MashaAllah, have fun!  :)
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Maripat on November 17, 2014, 06:17:08 AM
Old SF guys may kindly reply to my Assalamualaikum.
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: dr76 on November 17, 2014, 08:17:29 AM

Wa Alaikum Assalam w.w Sir Maripat.. :-)
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Hani on November 17, 2014, 03:51:27 PM
al-Salamu `Aleykum,


So that no benefit would be lost, and since we're not posting the names of recently read books out of Taqseer, here's an old thread on another forum where we've posted:
http://islamic-forum.net/index.php?showtopic=14190&st=0
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Maripat on November 18, 2014, 07:03:35 AM
So it is Hani (Tripoli-Sunni), dr76 and me.

Coming to the topics of the forum. I was missing Hani's work and thus it is a relief to get connected with him again.

I do not intend to do much reading on the matters related to Shia faith but one has to keep an overall eye on the state of affairs and that is my intention here at this forum.
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Hani on November 18, 2014, 01:20:21 PM
So it is Hani (Tripoli-Sunni), dr76 and me.

Coming to the topics of the forum. I was missing Hani's work and thus it is a relief to get connected with him again.

I do not intend to do much reading on the matters related to Shia faith but one has to keep an overall eye on the state of affairs and that is my intention here at this forum.


Barak-Allahu feek bro, don't worry we don't post much you can easily keep up.


= )
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Farid on November 18, 2014, 06:27:55 PM
Nader, you might want to look up: Ilm Al-Rijal Al-Shi'ee by Ahmad Khathim Al-Akwash/Al-Akoosh. He basically expanded on Sanad's book. He's a pretty smart guy, even though I disagree with his conclusions.
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: al-Irshād on December 16, 2014, 03:27:32 PM
Salaamu `alaykum warahmatullah

I have started reading The Charismatic Community: Shi'ite Identity in Early Islam by Maria Massi Dakake.



Thus far it has been an interesting read. She highlights some eye opening issues that have forced me to re-think some assumptions and beliefs I have.

May Allah guide us to the truth, where ever that may be..

Fee amanillah,

al-Irshād
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Hani on December 16, 2014, 04:41:48 PM
Such as what brother? Offer us some examples if you may.
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Husayn on December 17, 2014, 01:19:15 AM
Here is a book I read as a young Rafidi - it is more a transcript of a series of lectures given by Murtada Mutaharri:

'Ashura - Misrepresentations and Distortions part 1

http://www.al-islam.org/al-tawhid/vol13-no3/ashura-misrepresentations-distortions-part-1-mutahhari

'Ashura - Misrepresentations and Distortions part 2

http://www.al-islam.org/al-tawhid/vol13-no4/ashura-misrepresentations-distortions-part-2-mutahhari

It is not a long "book", but to a 15 year old it was very eye-opening, and made me re-think alot of what I would hear when attending majalis & lectures.
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: al-Irshād on December 17, 2014, 03:40:54 AM
Such as what brother? Offer us some examples if you may.

Salaamu alaykum warahamtullah,

Namely Imamah and the Shi'i interpretation of the Prophet's (saw) statement concerning Imam `Ali (as) at Ghadir Khumm.



Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Hani on December 17, 2014, 02:39:05 PM
I was checking a couple of nice books recently, I'll list some:


1- Bayan-ul-Sabab al-Moujib Li-Ikhtilaf-ul-Qira'at, by abu al-`Abbas al-Muqri' (430 AH). Discusses why there seems to be confusion regarding the recitations and letters of the Qur'an and mentions the reasons for this.


2- Fada'ih al-Batiniyyah wa Fada'il al-Mustadhhiriyyah, by abu Hamid al-Ghazali (505 AH). Discusses the evils of the Batini sects especially the Isma`ili Imami Shia and their methods and tricks and exposes them.


3- Al-Jurdu al-Ghamidah fi Qawasim al-Rafidah, by ibn Bahliqa al-Daqqaq. Based on al-Jahidh's book al-`Uthmaniyyah, it's re-written and its points summarized with additions and benefits.


4- Al-Muqaddimah fi Idah al-Imamah-ul-Kubra, by al-Dhahabi (748 AH). The author technically took arguments against the Imami concept of Imamah from the books of an earlier scholar, either ibn Hazm or Shahrastani, a small book useful only for beginners.
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Hani on December 22, 2014, 12:40:23 AM
Three interesting books about what is being taught in Iranian schools and curriculum,


What their school books contain of myths and fables:
http://www.ahlalhdeeth.com/vb/showthread.php?t=343965


How their school books represent Ahlul-Sunnah:
http://www.ahlalhdeeth.com/vb/showthread.php?t=343961


What their school books teach concerning Arabs:
http://www.ahlalhdeeth.com/vb/showthread.php?t=343963
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Ebn Hussein on December 23, 2014, 10:22:52 PM
^None of the threads open readable.
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Hani on December 24, 2014, 01:22:30 AM
^None of the threads open readable.


They deleted the links so I replaced them with new ones.
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Ebn Hussein on December 24, 2014, 05:19:05 AM
Allah yibarek feek. There is no doubt that these crypto-Majoos hate on Islam and Arabs.
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Abu Zayd on December 28, 2014, 01:18:34 AM
The Story of the Qur'an: Its History and Place in Muslim Life by Ingrid Mattson.

http://eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-EHEP002845.html

A bit about the author (who reverted to Islam in 1987):  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingrid_Mattson

Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Hani on December 28, 2014, 02:47:38 AM
@Abi Zayd,


Looks interesting bro. Reverts offer some unique perspective on things.


I just went through this book:


-Fadeelat-ul-`Aadileen min al-Wulaat, by abu Nu`aym al-Asbahani (337-430h) A Hadith book containing a collection of narrations about the virtues of those in authority if they rule with justice and fairness.




Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Hani on January 12, 2015, 11:50:44 PM



"Masaadir al-Athaar" is a good book on Islamic lands of old and the condition of knowledge and its people in each land, then the unfortunate loss of knowledge in most of these lands, (mainly due to Gengis Khan):


Link: https://ia902701.us.archive.org/28/items/FP121281/121281.pdf
Title: The Official - What are you Reading? - Thread
Post by: Farid on April 17, 2017, 12:38:51 AM
Alsalam alaykum,

I can't believe that we forgot to have one of these. Last time I posted in something like this was in the old forums. The idea is to list what you are currently reading and perhaps share some interesting tidbits. The purpose of the thread is to encourage others to read the specific book you are reading or to actually read in general, since this is a generation that does not read much.

Currently reading: Al-Shi'r Al-Jahili by Yaseen Al-Jbouri

Interesting book about Jahili society and how society revolved around poetry. I have read some chapters here and there. I would like to recommend it, but I have not compared it to anything else in the field.
Title: Re: The Official - What are you Reading? - Thread
Post by: أبو ماريا المرزم on April 17, 2017, 06:11:39 PM
You didn't specify what kind of book  ;) ;), but I'm currently reading "1984'. I've also been binge watching some shows on netflix
Title: Re: The Official - What are you Reading? - Thread
Post by: Hani on April 18, 2017, 01:13:22 AM
Salam,

I'll post books I'm reading, books I read specific chapters from or books I'm planning to read.

Let me begin with this one:

The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate—Discoveries from a Secret World
by Peter Wohlleben.

This will change your entire outlook on plant life. Tough read for vegetarians ; p
Title: Re: The Official - What are you Reading? - Thread
Post by: Farid on April 18, 2017, 02:17:29 AM
^ Good to know.

I wonder if vegans are gonna start eating turbah soon.
Title: Re: The Official - What are you Reading? - Thread
Post by: lotfilms on April 18, 2017, 02:37:25 AM
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله
Super important thread, jzk Farid

Other than the Quran, a book i've really been interested in is a book on the writings of Ben Franklin, who lived in the 1700s ce.
It's about 1,500 pages and is filled with the various writing of Ben Franklin on life, science, religion, math, etc and is a wonderful look into the mind and world of one of the great polymaths in history (afterall, by Allah(swt)'s grace, then by Franklin's discovery, almost all tall buildings today have lightening rods to reduce the amount of people killed by lightening subhanAllah) and of American society at the time.

Because he grew up at the time where the Protestant Puritans still had an influence (who were basically like Christian Wahhabis), he was massively influenced by the "Protestant Work Ethic" (where laziness or idleness was massively looked down upon) and the Puritan concept of "Virtue" (doing good to benefit society) was very important.
So to help achieve this end, he would wake up in the morning and think about what good he would do during the day and before he slept, he would review his day to see what good he had done.  This is an example of his daily schedule:

[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]

And as a way of doing Jihad al-Nafs, he came up with this chart, where on the left side are various virtues (temperance, frugality, industry, etc) and on top are the days of the week; so if he violated one of those virtues, he would put a black dot next to that virtue on that day.  So if he overate and was gluttonous on Wednesday, he would put a black dot intersecting "T" (temperance) and "W" (Wednesday):
(http://www.diyplanner.com/files/franklin_industry.gif)

Temperance. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
(Silence. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
Order. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
Resolution. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
Frugality. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
Industry. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
Sincerity. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
Justice. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
Moderation. Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
Cleanliness. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
Tranquillity. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
Chastity. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
Humility. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.)



And on a side note, it's interesting how he compares the mercy of the Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) to prisoners of war to the savagery of some of the "Christian" American settlers when they slaughtered Native Americans mercilessly:
Quote
As for the Turks, it is recorded in the Life of Mahomet, the founder of their religion, that Khaled, one of his captains, having divided a number of prisoners between himself and those that were with him, he commanded the hands of his own prisoners to be tied behind them, and then, in a most cruel and brutal manner, put them to the sword; but he could not prevail on his men to massacre their captives, because in fight they had laid down their arms, submitted, and demanded protection. Mahomet, when the account was brought to him, applauded the men for their humanity; but said to Khaled, with great indignation: “O Khaled, thou butcher, cease to molest me with thy wickedness. If thou possessedst a heap of gold as large as Mount Obod, and shouldst expend it all in God’s cause, thy merit would not efface the guilt incurred by the murder of the meanest of those poor captives.”


And then he gives several examples of the mercy of the Muslims:
http://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/franklin-the-works-of-benjamin-franklin-vol-iv-letters-and-misc-writings-1763-1768

And on a side note, it's interesting how not only the Quran had managed to end up in English by the 1700s, but also some hadiths of the Prophet(pbuh) to the point that Ben Franklin actually quoted a hadith as a proof.

اللهم صل على محمد رحمة للعالمين وآل محمد

But yea really awesome book that contains his autobiography, many many wise sayings (see some here: http://www.rightattitudes.com/2011/01/17/inspirational-quotations-359/), and a fantastic look into the mind one of the great polymaths, as well as into early American society and history.
Title: Re: The Official - What are you Reading? - Thread
Post by: Zlatan Ibrahimovic on April 19, 2017, 03:18:53 PM
^ Good to know.

I wonder if vegans are gonna start eating turbah soon.

Yea you know eating turbah is not allowed, either by fatwa or obligatory precaution, according to most Shi'a Jurists?

Yea I know what you will say, Turbatul Husayn (alayhi al salatu walsalam wa'la'natu Allahi 'ala qatileeh wa mubghidheeh wa shi'atu mubghidheeh) is permissible to eat. However, it is only allowed for a minimum amount and for istishfaa.
Title: Re: The Official - What are you Reading? - Thread
Post by: lotfilms on April 21, 2017, 02:42:39 AM
Man i just thought of something subhanAllah.

It's pretty crazy that i can read a book composed of the letters and writings of Ben Franklin hundreds of years after his death and i can be almost 100% sure of the authenticity of this book, yet we have so much doubt about HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of hadiths attributed to the Prophet(pbuh) (even letters written by him[pbuh]!) because of the sheer amount of LIARS among so-called "Muslims" (let alone the zanadiqah).

i mean how messed up is that NON-MUSLIM Americans who theoretically would have no problem fabricating letters of Ben Franklin, Washington, Jefferson, etc. never did this on any significant scale, whereas so many "MUSLIMS", knowing that they could burn in hell for fabricating hadiths of our Prophet(pbuh), fabricated hadiths night and day.  How evil were some of those people, and how many people did they lead astray!
Title: Re: The Official - What are you Reading? - Thread
Post by: Hani on April 21, 2017, 03:14:04 AM

i mean how messed up is that NON-MUSLIM Americans who theoretically would have no problem fabricating letters of Ben Franklin, Washington, Jefferson, etc. never did this on any significant scale, whereas so many "MUSLIMS", knowing that they could burn in hell for fabricating hadiths of our Prophet(pbuh), fabricated hadiths night and day.  How evil were some of those people, and how many people did they lead astray!

These are my thoughts about every single non-Muslim history book. I feel sorry for them, they've carelessly lost their true history.
Title: Re: The Official - What are you Reading? - Thread
Post by: Farid on April 21, 2017, 04:01:38 AM
You cannot make haram into halal or vice versa by fabricating material and attributing it to Ben Franklin... so less power to the fabricators.
Title: Re: The Official - What are you Reading? - Thread
Post by: lotfilms on April 21, 2017, 05:00:29 AM
You cannot make haram into halal or vice versa by fabricating material and attributing it to Ben Franklin... so less power to the fabricators.
This is true, the religious aspect makes fabricating hadiths much more likely, but there were still many benefits to be gained from fabricating quotes and writings of the Founding Fathers, especially if you wanted the Supreme Court to rule a certain way on a certain issue (and their ruling will become the law of the land) and you fabricate "hadiths" of the Founding Fathers as supporting evidence.  And yet this apparently simply didn't happen on a wide scale wallahu a'lam
Title: Re: The Official - What are you Reading? - Thread
Post by: Zlatan Ibrahimovic on April 21, 2017, 04:55:31 PM
Hani's book
Title: Re: The Official - What are you Reading? - Thread
Post by: Hani on April 21, 2017, 07:35:31 PM
The Divine Reality: God, Islam and the Mirage of Atheism by Hamzah Tzortzis. It discusses Theistic arguments against Atheistic beliefs and how Atheism fails to provide good explanations to life.
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Hani on July 05, 2017, 07:13:33 AM
I finished "secret of Caliphate" by Mirza Ghulam Ahmed of the Qadiyanis.

It's a small book, Sunni in it's contents, consisting of a tiny number of arguments, the arguments are good but popular and known, nothing new, the English translation is eloquent and beautiful.

No need to recommend this book to anybody.
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Hani on July 05, 2017, 07:20:51 AM
The biography of Ali bin Abi Talib from Tareekh Dimashq, this was released in two volumes. It is useful as the researcher took great care to study the best manuscripts and provided expert Takhreej for every report. This is known as one of the biggest biographies for Ali if not the biggest.


Another book I'm checking is volume 8 of Mir'at ul Zaman by Sibt Ibn Al Jawzi. Contains tons of historical texts on Husayn's revolution, Ibn Al Zubayr's resistance and the events that followed.
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: ZulFiqar on July 06, 2017, 10:11:03 AM
I finished reading a 28 page article published by Oxford Journals (Oxford University Press) Sanctified Violence: Monotheist Militancy as the Tie that Bound Christian Rome and Islam by Thomas Sizgorich, Journal of the American Academy of Religion, Vol. 77, No. 4 (Dec., 2009), pp. 895 – 921

I have access to the Jstor database and occasionally download articles from there.

A short summary: It is a highly informative and fascinating read about a very controversial subject. Basically, says that the institution of Jihad in Islam is the answer to Christian monasticism and monkery. It gives a very good historical overview of the context and atmosphere in which Islam arose and the intricate relationship between violence and spirituality in that world. Very fascinating to learn about how the Christian monks were not as we think of them today. They too had a tradition of engaging in sanctified violence, and the author’s thesis is basically that Jihad in Islam is a sort of continuation of that trend, and how many of the Christian monks who converted to Islam immediately joined expeditions of Jihad seeking martyrdom as the completion of their spiritual journey.

Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: Zlatan Ibrahimovic on November 01, 2017, 06:34:48 PM
Memoirs of Mr. Hempher, The British Spy to the Middle East

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memoirs_of_Mr._Hempher,_The_British_Spy_to_the_Middle_East

Book makes sense.
Title: Re: Official Reading Thread
Post by: whoaretheshia on December 10, 2017, 05:35:49 AM
I'm reading the Tafsir of Qurtubi right now, as well as Sharh-Aqeedatil-Wasitiyah and a commentary (Salafi) of Aqeedah of Imam Tahawi.