The Qur'an and Sayings of Prophet Muhammad: Selections Annotated & Explained (Sohaib Sultan)

ISBN: 1594732221
Author: Ali, Yusuf (Translator), Smith, Jane I (Foreword by), Sultan, Sohaib N (Annotations by)
Publisher: Skylight Paths Publishing (April 2007)
Pages: 204 Binding: Paperback

Description from the publisher:

For over 1,400 years the sacred book of Islam, known as the Qur'an, has served as an ocean of wisdom and nourishment for the human soul. The Qur'an gave birth to one of the world's most powerful civilizations that spanned from the depths of Asia and Africa to the borders of Europe. Some historians have even credited the Qur?an for bringing Europe out of the Dark Ages and into the Renaissance with its interwoven ideas of faith and reason, which allowed religion and science to flourish side-by-side during much of Islamic history. For many in the West, teachings of the Qur?an are enshrouded in mystery and fear. Their only exposure to Islam comes via dramatic world events or the media, both of which represent distorted images of the world's second largest religion.

This book presents the foundational wisdom of Islam, found in the teachings of the Qur?an and Prophet Muhammad, in an easy-to-understand and easy-to-access format.

The timeless insight of Islam’s sacred writings can enrichyour own spiritual journey.For many in the West, the teachings of the Qur’an often are enshrouded in mystery and fear. Yet Islam’s holy book gave birth to one of the most powerful and enlightened civilizations the world has ever seen. By the sixteenth century, Muslim culture stretched from India to Africa to Europe, preserving with it the ancient learning that helped spawn the Renaissance. With its interwoven ideas of faith and reason, justice and mercy, the path of Islam—which literally means “surrendering to God’s will”—offers a uniquely focused and balanced approach to living life with a profound awareness of God.With gentleness and insight, Sohaib N. Sultan leads you through the central themes of both the Qur’an and the collected sayings of Prophet Muhammad, known as hadith. These teachings dispel common misconceptions about Muslim beliefs and offer practical guidance for your own spiritual journey, from understanding the merciful nature of God; to cultivating peace and justice in the self, family, and society; to answering questions about the afterlife and how to attain it.Now you can experience the wisdom of Qur’anic teachings even if you have no previous knowledge of Islam or Muslim writings. Insightful yet unobtrusive facing-page commentary explains the texts for you, allowing you to enter into the path of surrender to God.———————————————————————————————————

“A superb guide ... intelligently illuminates each thematically arranged passage and concisely summarizes centuries of Islamic interpretive wisdom.”

—Scott C. Alexander, PhD, associate professor of Islam anddirector of Catholic-Muslim Studies, Catholic Theological Union“Lays before us ... the insights and beauty of one of the world’s great sacred texts. A valuable book for any reader who honestly wants to understand the Qur’an and what it teaches.”

—Michael Wolfe, author of The Hadj: An American’s Pilgrimage to Mecca“Takes complex, wide-ranging aspects of Islam and makes them clear and accessible for the non-Muslim and Muslim alike. Comes alive with thoughtfully presented insights and reflections. Whether you have a passing interest in Islam, or have serious questions about this community of faith, you will want to consult [this book].”

—Rev. Steven Blackburn, PhD, Duncan Black Macdonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations———————————————————————————————————

Sohaib N. Sultan is the author of The Koran for Dummies. In 2005, he was appointed as the first-ever Muslim chaplain at Yale University, and now serves as a Muslim chaplain at Trinity College and Wesleyan University. He is a freelance journalist and public speaker.Jane I. Smith is professor of Islamic studies and co-director of the Macdonald Center for Christian-Muslim Relations at Hartford Seminary in Connecticut. She is co-editor of The Muslim World, a journal dedicated to the study of Islam, and editor of the Islam section of The Encyclopedia of Women in World Religions.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali (1872–1953) was a highly respected scholar of Islam from India who also studied in England. As a child, he memorized the entire Qur’an and was an ardent student of early Qur’anic commentaries. He had the distinct honor of serving as vice chancellor of Islamia College in Lahore, Pakistan.