Never in the history of mankind have nations and peoples been so close and yet so far apart. In the age of globalization and digital social media that connect us all, why are nations and races and religions still in conflict? Just fifty miles separate Alaska from Eastern Russia, and yet these great countries are clearly separated by the rift of a cold war. Muslims are slaughtering each other in Syria. Terrorist Shiites that belong to Hezbollah are leaving a tragic scar on the people of Lebanon, a country that has always been a melting pot of different cultures and a beacon of freedom of expression and religious practice. Islamic fundamentalism still cripples many countries, and Africa is mostly a mess, despite its enormous natural resources. Corruption and greed are wreaking havoc on the planet, and the terrible consequences of the stress we are placing on the environment and on wild animals are starting to become undeniably evident. Earth cannot support the exploding human population, yet the global population keeps growing. Relationships between men and women are breaking down, and divorce is at its highest rate ever. What is the common denominator in all this chaos? What is the reason for all this suffering? The answer might be spiritual ignorance. But there’s an antidote to this decadence, and it’s called Rumi. Once you taste Rumi’s passion, you will become a transformed human being, and your soul will be on fire. Rumi’s poetry tries to capture the sweetness and the joy of knowing God, or Allah, or the Truth, or the Infinite Energy. It tries to define and explain the mystery that Life is. And the fire of the Truth burns down all the petty barriers between human beings and their false constructs and idols of pleasure and prestige. Suffering ends when enlightenment begins. Rami Elias Kremesti, was born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon. To escape the brutality of civil war, as a kid, he used to go fishing and snorkeling. He graduated in Chemistry at the prestigious American University of Beirut (where he blew up the lab a couple of times), minoring in Philosophy and Art Appreciation. In the United States, he earned an M.Sc. degree from UNT. Later, Rami moved to California, where he spent six of the most beautiful years of his life. Here he also worked as a portrait photographer. Polyvalent and with numerous interests and hobbies, Rami is a traveler, polyglot, passionate reader, and amateur farmer. He loves DIY projects and to play the guitar, especially to entertain small children. He’s a talented cook and well versed in recipes from all around the world. He holds Lebanese and Bulgarian citizenship, and he’s currently applying for British citizenship as well. Nowadays, Rami spends his time between the UK, where he works, and Bulgaria, where he loves to spend time with his two beautiful daughters, Krassi and Lulu. He is also an environmentalist and peace activist, founder of the websites BONKA.BG and AMALID.ORG. His photography portfolio is online at http://kremesti.com/Ecce_Photo/

Turning the Other Cheek is a modest attempt to present the discussion on nonviolence in a clear and concise approach. It allows the reader to appreciate the foundations of teachings on tolerance and non-retaliation arguing that violence is not just an occurrence in our world, but an attitude that pervades our most common experiences. Using instructive examples from diverse spiritual and respected models of peace, Turning the Other Cheek presents nonviolence as an indispensable path to world peace amidst the reality of conflict, suffering and evil in the world.

Dr. Daniel Shayesteh's life journey took him from Islam to Christ. He was raised a practicing Muslim in Iran, involved in the Iranian Islamic Revolution and Muslim politics. When he lost favor with extremists, survived death row, but was released, and escaped to Turkey, he found Christians who led him to Christ. Here his story gives insights into the culturally rich Iran, its clash with Islamic culture, and the threat of radical Islam in the world.

A generation ago, most Americans had little or no contact with Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, or any other adherents of non- Christian religions. Now our culture is much more pluralistic. In addition to these “others,” many Westerners, disenchanted with Christianity, are more inclined than they were a generation ago to dabble in new spiritual alternatives that were not as readily available here before. Many Christians feel intimidated by these changes. Many Christians don’t know how to engage their newest non- Christian neighbors in conversation, partly because they feel ignorant about the religions practiced by others. Significant Others seeks to fill this knowledge gap so readers will become more acquainted with the religious backgrounds of devout non- Christians they are meeting, as well as with the growing number of American people who claim no religious affiliation at all. Each chapter outlines the major world religions according to their significant founders or leading figures, significant beliefs and practices, significant sects and developments, and significant points of contact and points of contrast with Christian faith.

This book provides an introduction to Islamic law for western readers. It explains the origin and development of the Shariah (Islamic law). It contains updated chapters on the Islamic laws of War and Peace, including juristic opinions on the legality of suicide bombing and the use of modern weapons of mass destruction. It explains the commonalities and the differences in family laws, and the differences in Muslim opinion concerning the status of women. It contains a completely rewritten chapter on Islamic finance and rounds off with a look at Muslim communities in Australia and the way they live their lives.

With nearly 1500 rich years of history and culture to its name, Islam is one of the world’s great faiths and, in modern times, the subject of increasingly passionate debate by believers and non-believers alike. Islam: The Basics is a concise and timely introduction to all aspects of Muslim belief and practice. Topics covered include: The Koran and its teachings The life of the Prophet Muhammad Women in Islam Sufism and Shi’ism Islam and the modern world Non-Muslim approaches to Islam Complete with a glossary of terms, pointers to further reading and a chronology of key dates, Islam: The Basics provides an invaluable overview of the history and the contemporary relevance of this always fascinating and important subject.

In "Islam Unveiled," Robert Spencer dares to face the hard questions about what the Islamic religion actually teaches--and the potentially ominous implications of those teachings for the future of both the Muslim world and the West. Going beyond the shallow distinction between a "true" peaceful Islam and the "hijacked" Islam of terrorist groups, Spencer probes the Koran and Islamic traditions (as well as the history and present-day situation of the Muslim world) as part of his inquiry into why the world's fastest growing faith tends to arouse fanaticism. "Islam Unveiled" evaluates the relationship between Islamic fundamentalism and "mainstream" Islam; the fixation with violence and jihad; the reasons for Muslims' disturbing treatment of women; and devastating effects of Muslim polygamy and Islamic divorce laws. Spencer explores other daunting questions--why the human rights record of Islamic countries is so unrelievedly grim and how the root causes of this record exist in basic Muslim beliefs; why science and high culture died out in the Muslim world--and why this is a root cause of modern Muslim resentment. He evaluates what Muslims learn from the life of Muhammad, the man that Islam hails as the supreme model of human behavior. Above all, this provocative work grapples with the question that most preoccupies us today: can Islam create successful secularized societies that will coexist peacefully with the West's multicultural mosaic?

A bold new conceptualization of Islam that reflects its contradictions and rich diversity What is Islam? How do we grasp a human and historical phenomenon characterized by such variety and contradiction? What is "Islamic" about Islamic philosophy or Islamic art? Should we speak of Islam or of islams? Should we distinguish the Islamic (the religious) from the Islamicate (the cultural)? Or should we abandon "Islamic" altogether as an analytical term? In What Is Islam?, Shahab Ahmed presents a bold new conceptualization of Islam that challenges dominant understandings grounded in the categories of "religion" and "culture" or those that privilege law and scripture. He argues that these modes of thinking obstruct us from understanding Islam, distorting it, diminishing it, and rendering it incoherent. What Is Islam? formulates a new conceptual language for analyzing Islam. It presents a new paradigm of how Muslims have historically understood divine revelation—one that enables us to understand how and why Muslims through history have embraced values such as exploration, ambiguity, aestheticization, polyvalence, and relativism, as well as practices such as figural art, music, and even wine drinking as Islamic. It also puts forward a new understanding of the historical constitution of Islamic law and its relationship to philosophical ethics and political theory. A book that is certain to provoke debate and significantly alter our understanding of Islam, What Is Islam? reveals how Muslims have historically conceived of and lived with Islam as norms and truths that are at once contradictory yet coherent.

The traces of God can be found in the most unexpected places--an Atlanta slum, a pod of whales off the coast of Alaska, the prisons of Peru and Chile, the plays of Shakespeare, a health club in Chicago--yet many Christians have not only missed seeing God, they’ve overlooked opportunities to make him visible to those most in need of hope. In this enlightening book author Philip Yancey serves as an insightful tour guide for those willing to look beyond the obvious, pointing out glimpses of the eternal where few might think to look. Whether finding God among the newspaper headlines, within the church, or on the job, Yancey delves deeply into the commonplace and surfaces with rich spiritual insight. Finding God in Unexpected Places takes readers from Ground Zero to the Horn of Africa, and each stop along the way reveals footprints of God, touches of his truth and grace that prompt readers to search deeper within their own lives for glimpses of transcendence.