We are surrounded today by many spiritualities - Native American, Buddhist, Sufi, from the Kabbalah, to name a few. But how does one discern the truth in them? Paul Evdokimov's spirituality is open to God, the world and to the neighbour. It is the spirituality of the Church and is rooted in the Bible and liturgy, but entwined with everyday life, a spirituality that is truly for the life of the world.

Refine your heart and mind with the wisdom of Islamic spirituality "To live a meaningful life--one that brings us joy, contentment and fulfillment--we have to do the inner spiritual work of becoming a more complete human being." --from the Introduction Over the centuries, Islamic sages have gleaned timeless spiritual insights and practices from sacred texts, meditation and knowledge of the heart--gems that have been passed down from generation to generation. This book invites you--no matter what your practice may be--to access the treasure chest of Islamic spirituality, particularly Sufism, and use its wealth to strengthen your own journey. The riches include guidance drawn from the Qur'an, sayings of the Prophet Muhammad and Sufi poets such as the thirteenth-century Rumi on cultivating awareness, intentionality and compassion for self and others. This book also features entertaining wisdom teaching stories, especially those of Mulla Nasruddin, Islam's great comic foil, to expand the mind and heart. It breaks down barriers to accessing this ancient tradition for modern seekers by dispelling myths about the Muslim faith concerning gender bias, inclusivity and appreciation for diversity. Regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey, you will find these gems worthy additions to your own treasure chest within.

The mystical Qur'an commentary attributed by the Sufis to Imam Ja Spiritual Gems is the first ever full translation of this important corpus from al-Iadiq. Complete with analytical introduction and scholarly notes, the book contains detailed exposition of the methods and levels of scriptural interpretation used in this commentary and of the cognate ontological continuity between the levels of the human microcosm. The in-depth analysis of the exegetical comments reveals a process of subtle alchemy in keeping with Ja The spirituality of this text is a truly mystical encounter with the truths enunciated by philosophy and religion. In addition to surmounting temporal differences, the inner landscape of the commentary rises above formal differences; by virtue of consisting purely of qualities, it is as relevant today as it was in earlier times.

Contains the reports of state departments and officials for the preceding fiscal biennium.

Contains the reports of state departments and officials for the preceding fiscal biennium.

The Sufis is the best introduction ever written to the philosophical and mystical school traditionally associated with the Islamic world.Powerful, concise, and intensely thought-provoking, it sums up over a thousand years of Eastern thought - the product of some of the greatest minds humanity has ever produced - into a single work, presenting timeless ideas in a fresh and contemporary style.When the book was originally published in 1964, it launched its author, Idries Shah, on to the international stage, attracting the attention of thinkers and writers such as J. D. Salinger, Doris Lessing, Ted Hughes and Robert Graves.It introduced to the Western world concepts which have subsequently become commonly accepted, varying from the psychological importance of attention and humour, to the use of traditional tales as teaching instruments (what Shah termed 'teaching-stories'), and the historical debt owed by the West to the Middle East in matters scientific, literary and philosophical.As a primer for the many dozens of Sufi books that Shah later produced, it is unsurpassed, offering a clear window onto a community whose system of thought and action has long concerned itself with the advancement of the whole of humankind, and whose ideas about individuals and society, their purpose and direction, need to be understood now more than ever before.