spirituality intelligence illuminations autobiography

books:

Early Sufi Women: Dhikr an-Niswa al-Muta'abbidat as-Sufiyyat

1 review
Abu 'Abd ar-Rahman as-Sulami

Fons Vitae, 1999

Where are the great women??
Where are they? Why aren't we like them? This ancient text leaves you with those questions, and has you drilling your heart over this final though...When will I become like them? The introduction gives insight to the ancient text that was recored by As-Sulami Rahimullah. The life of him, and the basic orginization of his text Dhikr an niswa al muta 'abbidat as sufiyyat. The introduction is ...

Me and Rumi: The Autobiography of Shams-I Tabrizi

3 reviews
Shams-i Tabrizi

Fons Vitae, 2004

long-awaited Autobiography - Shams, the strange Companion
"When a sincere man begins to dance, the seven heavens, the earth, and all creatures begin to dance." - Shams Little did we know about Shams Tabrizi, except that he was the enigmatic master of Maulana Jalalludin Rumi. Now we may get an inside picture through this wonderful autobiography, translated by a thorough scholar (William Chittick). Moreover, it may correct certain childish ...

Faith in Divine Unity and Trust in Divine Providence: The Revival of the Religious Sciences Book XXXV (The ...

1 review
Abu Hamid Muhammad al-Ghazali

Fons Vitae, 2001

A word on translation
Kitab al-Tawhid wa al-Tawakkul is a significant part of al-Ghazali's Ihya Ulum al-Din, so I purchased it the first time I saw its translation. Unfortunately, it is my humble opinion that the translation is a little disappointing in that it is hardly acceptable by scholarly standards, which does not allow the reader to enjoy what the author has to say about the subject matter of the book. In many ...

Al-Ghazali's Path to Sufism: His Deliverance from Error (al-Munqidh min al-Dalal) and Five Key Texts

3 reviews
Abu Hamid Muhammad al-Ghazali

Fons Vitae, 2000

Epitome of sincerity
As someone who enjoys al-Ghazali's work (espeically the Kimyaet Saada- Alchemy of Happiness, entirely translated into English by Jay Crook), I felt necessary to read this autobiographical work to further understand this great scholar. This book was much more than I expected. Although short, it conveys the development of one of the most brilliant minds of human history. One is most struck with the ...

The Lives of Man: A Guide to the Human States: Before Life, In the World, and After Death

1 review
Imam 'Abdallah Ibn Alawi al-Haddad

Fons Vitae, 1991

Will wake up the sleeping heart
This relatively short treatise of Imam 'Alawi al-Haddad is a piercing reminder of where we are and where we are going. This book is both enlightening and terrifying (in a good way). The Shaykh guides us from the time before our conception all the way to our endpoint in the fire or the garden and reminds us of what is important in each phase of our life and what our responsibilities are. This ...

The Name and the Named

1 review
Shaykh Tosun Bayrak al-Jerrahi al-Halveti

Fons Vitae, 2000

Beautiful and Inspiring
I'm currently reading this book...and I highly recommend it. A simplistic and inspiring reading it is. What this book is about: The significance of each of the 99 names of Allah swt. This book goes a step beyond a mere definition, but rather expounds on how each name is an attribute of Allah and thereby a reflection on to us. Prophet Adam was first taught and bestowed upon all of Allah's ...

The Book of Assistance

2 reviews
Imam 'Abdallah Ibn Alawi al-Haddad

Fons Vitae, 2003

Advice
The genius of this book is that it condenses the collected wisdom of centuries of Muslim spiritual doctors such as Imam-al Ghazali into a handy, brief manual. For centuries books like this have shaped men and women of all races, from Indonesians to Swahilis, into shining examples of godliness and beautiful conduct. Anyone who implements the advice here can become what Muslim mystics call a ...

The Spiritual Ascent: A Compendium of the World's Wisdom
Whitall N. Perry

Fons Vitae, 2008

Truly magisterial, this compendium of spiritual wisdom is organized according to the traditional religious concept of spiritual ascent—or, in Christian terms, the sequence of death, resurrection, and eternal life. Hundreds of selected passages represent many faiths and philosophical traditions, with insight from some of the world's greatest minds, including Black Elk, Confucius, Eckart, Muhammad, Philo, Rumi, and Shakespeare. The material ...

Three Early Sufi Texts: A Treatise on the Heart, Stations of the Righteous, The Stumblings of Those Aspiring ...
al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi, Abu'Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami al-Naysaburi

Fons Vitae, 2003

Some of the earliest, most rare, formative, and concise examples of Sufi methodology to appear in translation, these works examine the inherently defective nature of the soul, the roles it must assume, the path it must travel towards purification, and how to best manage that itinerary while avoiding the pitfalls and obstacles of the journey.

The Road to Mecca

32 reviews
Muhammad Asad

Fons Vitae, 2000

a very nice Read and incredible story
I read this book a while ago and can still remember some of the most thrilling parts of the book. Even thought the book is an autobiography it almost reads like a thriller. I reccomment this book to all Muslims. MUhammad Asad is truly an example for all.

Divine Governance of the Human Kingdom: Including What the Seeker Needs and The One Alone

2 reviews
Ibn Arabi

Fons Vitae, 1997

Divine Governance of the Human Kingdom, Including What the
May Allah Grant Him Peace. This book gives all of insight to the "power" that leaders in an Islamic society have. He goes over the rights, regulations, rules, limits and most importantly, desieses of the heart from many rulers, not only confined to the Islamic world, but all "rulers" in general. He quotes only from the Quran and Sunnah, and gives his blessed insight to devine rule, based on ...

A Portrait of the Prophet: As Seen by His Contemporaries
Imam Muhammad ibn 'Isa at-Tirmidhi

Fons Vitae, 2008

In Islam, two sources are used to explain the religion and its laws: the Qur'an, a revered text, and the hadith, the sayings and activities of the Prophet Muhammad as reported by friends and followers during his lifetime. This skilled translation, which includes the Arabic of one of the key Islamic texts, long-awaited in English, presents a fascinating selection of hadith compiled by the ninth-century scholar at-Tirmidhi that humanizes the ...

The Animals' Lawsuit Against Humanity: An Illustrated 10th Century Iraqi Ecological Fable
Ikhwan al-Safa, Rabbi Dan Bridge, ...

Fons Vitae, 2005

In this interfaith and multicultural fable, eloquent representatives of all members of the animal kingdom—from horses to bees—come before the respected Spirit King to complain of the dreadful treatment they have suffered at the hands of humankind. During the ensuing trial, where both humans and animals testify before the King, both sides argue their points ingeniously, deftly illustrating the validity of both sides of the ecology ...

Sacred Art in East and West (Wisdom Foundation series)
Titus Burckhardt

Fons Vitae, 2001

Defining the meaning and spiritual use of sacred art through its symbolic content and dependence on metaphysical principles, this work is wide in scope, covering Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Islamic, and Taoist art.

The Reflective Heart: Discovering Spiritual Intelligence in Ibn 'Arabi's 'Meccan Illuminations'

2 reviews
James Winston Morris

Fons Vitae, 2005

Masterful Introduction to Essential al-Shaykh al-Akbar
Morris is one of the foremost scholarly interpreters of al-Shaykh al-Akbar, "the Greatest Master," working in the English language. Along with Chittick whose own interpretations of the Meccan Illuminations is slowly revolutionizing the philosophical contexts for a traditional and intracultural appreciation of Sufi metaphysics and epistemology. Morris's study consists of five interconnected ...

Mystical Astrology According to Ibn 'Arabi (The Fons Vitae Titus Burckhardt series)

1 review
Titus Burckhardt

Fons Vitae, 2001

A classic work on sacred science
Titus Burckhardt's 'Mystical Astrology According to Ibn'Arabi' is a seminal work on 'sacred science' - which, in sharp contrast to modern 'profane' science, ties knowledge to a higher reality. The subject matter is the astrological doctrine of Sufi master Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi. Be warned that despite its brevity, this slim volume is a dense and difficult work. Before attempting to tackle ...

Merton & Buddhism: (The Fons Vitae Thomas Merton series)
Paul M Pearson, James A. Wiseman, ...

Fons Vitae, 2007

Divided into three sections, this insightful volume of essays by numerous scholars focuses on Thomas Merton’s interest in and transformation through Buddhism. In addition to analysis of how Merton's studies of Buddhism affected his work in the arts, the study also offers information about his Asian journey as well as a complete bibliography of secondary materials. Contributors include Judith Simmer-Brown, Roger J. Corless, Rubin L.F. ...

The Rationale Divinorum Officiorum: The Foundational Symbolism of the Early Church, its Structure, ...

1 review
Gulielmus Durandus

Fons Vitae, 2007

Rationale Divinorum Officiorum
With the recent increase in liturgical studies, one rejoices that important source material, such as Durandus' monumental opus, would be made available in English to those unable to work with the original Latin text. From the its title and pre-publication information, one would expect this particular volume to be a translation of the entire Rationale Divinorum Officiorum. Sadly this is not the ...

Beads of Faith: Pathways to Meditation and Spirituality Using Rosaries, Prayer Beads, and Sacred Words

2 reviews
Gray Henry, Susannah Marriott

Fons Vitae, 2008

A beautiful piece of literature and religious art!
This is THE book to get if you are remotely interested in prayer beads as a form of prayer and/or crafting. As a Rosary Artisan, I found the book to be vital to my craft (and my spirituality) as it reveals the meanings behind the beads from different cultures and religions. The pictures are stunning, the writing is fluid and beautiful, and the instructions/implementations are user friendly. I ...

Suhrawardi: The Shape of Light

1 review
Shihabuddun Yahaya al-Suhrawardi

Fons Vitae, 1998

fascinating
If you are interested in Sufi thought, or are open minded in general, this book is sure to be one of the most interesting you have read. If you are following Tassawuf, this book is a must!

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