By Bookreviews on
11-9-2010 6:03
Book Review: “Exploring Islam in a New Light” (author: Abdur Rab) – By Khaleel Mohammed, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Religious Studies, San Diego State University
[The review refers to the original version of the book published in 2008, but its substance applies equally to its second edition published in 2010 (see link below). Accordingly references given in the review relate to the original edition.]
Muslims, as do the adherents of other religions, generally realize that a religion has to come to grips with the changing of times. One of the functions of the mujtahid is precisely to fulfill this role: dealing with matters that are new to the Muslim umma, and have not been dealt with previously. In today’s world, it would seem that for all its youthfulness,...
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By Bookreviews on
3-1-2010 14:21
Are we the only highly intelligent and adaptable life form in the universe? Are we alone? This is one of the most fundamental questions, and if answered, can change our whole civilization. Because although we are with over 6 billion humans, we feel utterly alone in our position in the universe. Are we privileged (only life in the universe), or a freak by-product of the universe, or are we one of the many life forms which the universe is meant to produce?
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By Bookreviews on
8-11-2009 10:02
Moormann’s book is an interesting and pleasant work to read. It is a disclosure of the personal questions Moormann asked herself over the years about life and meaning, and these are questions shared by most humans on earth. Being a product of a pluralistic society and child of an ambassador, from childhood on the different ideas and beliefs mankind has were exposed to her which all claimed to be truths. From this, a list of questions emerged which she slowly found answers for. Questions as ‘what is religion?’, ‘is religion necessary?’, ‘does God exist?’, ‘there are so many religions, which is the right one?’, and many more of these common questions. Self-study and reflection created a set of answers, which she started to explain in her book, the first of a three volume series. As her questions are shared by many people, she wanted to help other people by sharing her own journey.
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By Bookreviews on
5-2-2009 12:57
By Magda Abu-Fadil
Director of Journalism Training Program at the American University of Beirut
In his inaugural address, a cosmopolitan and well-traveled President Barack Obama reached out to the Muslim world, acknowledging its presence, influence and contributions to Western society.
His gesture was mostly well received by Arabs and Muslims, all too often stereotyped as terrorists, underdeveloped and out to destroy the West.
His Western listeners and viewers would do well to read a captivating new book by an American journalist featuring the Arabs' contributions to the sciences and philosophy that helped catapult the West from Medieval and Crusading fundamentalism into "real" civilization.
"The House of Wisdom: How the Arabs Transformed Western Civilization" is a 320-page treasure trove of information for the uninitiated that packs a powerful punch of science, history, geography, politics and general knowledge at a time when so much disinformation about the Arab world is swirling around in various media.
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By Bookreviews on
28-1-2009 17:27
In Islamic Legal Theories by Prof. Wael B Hallaq, he discusses Muhammed Shahrour’s Legal theory. He calls Muhammed Shahrour's ideas the solution to the Muslim world. His insights are very intruiging.
Here is the PDF file:
Islamic Legal Theories by Prof. Wael B Hallaq on Muhammed Shahrour’s Legal theory
They are from this book by Professor Wael B. Hallaq who is professor at the Institute of Islamic Studies at McGill University. The same university of the famous Professor Toshihiko Izutsu who wrote "God and Man in the Koran".
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By Bookreviews on
28-1-2009 17:21
"Hadith as Scripture is the only book that covers both the earliest and most recent discussions on the authority of the Hadith. The authority of Hadith is a concern to Muslims in their daily lives, as well as a question of academic interest. Hadith as Scripture contains the first-ever Western language translation of the earliest extant text on the subject. This work explores the earliest extant discussions on the authority of the Hadith in Islam and compares them with contemporary debates."
In modern Islamic movements, a new trend has emerged, created because of the need to reform the Muslim society to make it progressive and 'to keep up with the times'. Famous reformers, Muhammad Abduh and Sayyid Qutb for example, were more focussed on the Qur'an and its message, than the Hadith and other historical materials deemed important as a basis for Islam. Their reason was that only the Qur'an could be seen as timeless...
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