This is the definitive introduction to the writings of 'Ali, who was the son-in-law to the Prophet Muhammad, the fourth caliph to Sunni Muslims, and the central figure in Shi'a Islam. Two essays in this anthology won awards at the International Congress on Iman 'Ali, Tehran, 2001. Seyyed Hossein Nasr, pronounced them, among the best writings on this extraordinary figure in Western languages and are obligatory reading for anyone interested in 'Ali.

Very occasionally a book appears which provides a perfect bridge between amateurs and professionals. This event is usually less likely to happen in the somewhat arcane field of philosophy and almost beyond concept in the English speaking world when the subject is entwined with the history of Islam. The finer points of philosophical issues are also discussed and presented to enable anyone, whether a scholar or not, Arabic or Westerner, to understand the truths these ancients sought.

The book presents compelling evidence from the Qur'an and Sunnah to argue that Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib deserved to be the first caliph of Islam. It meticulously examines verses from the Qur'an, such as the Verse of Purification (33:33) and the Verse of Mubahala (3:61), which highlight the elevated status of the Prophet's household, including Imam Ali. Additionally, it analyzes key hadiths, including the Hadith of Ghadir Khumm, where the Prophet Muhammad declared, "Whomsoever I am his Mawla, Ali is also his Mawla," and the Hadith of the Two Weighty Things, which emphasizes following the Qur'an and the Prophet's progeny. The book also discusses the Hadith of Position, likening Ali's relationship to Muhammad as Aaron's was to Moses, underscoring his rightful leadership. Through these religious texts, the book argues that Imam Ali's close relationship with the Prophet, his unparalleled knowledge, and his unwavering commitment to justice make a strong case for his precedence as the first caliph.

Next to the Qur'an, Islam's holiest text is qudsi hadith. Based on this premise, Islamic scholars have always been fascinated with the collection and study of this type of hadith. We collected 1230 qudsi hadiths in a book we titled 1000 Qudsi Hadiths: An Encyclopedia of Divine Sayings. 1000 Qudsi Hadiths is not only the biggest collection of qudsi hadiths in English, it is the biggest collection of qudsi hadiths ever put together in any language including Arabic. It contains all the qudsi hadiths reported by major hadith reporters such as Al-Bukhari and Muslim as well as all the qudsi hadiths reported by auxiliary hadith reporters such as Al-Tabarani, Al-Bayhaqi, Al-Hakim Al-Naysaburi, Ibn-Hibban, Ibn-Khuzaymah, Al-Daylami, Ibn-Hajar, Al-Suyuti, Al-Muttaqi Al-Hindi, Al-Mundhiri, Al-Haythami, and Ibn-Kathir. The book derives its content from the biggest 216 hadith books ever written.

Classification of Historical events Analysis of historical events can be classified into two major types: 1. Analysis of events such that veracity (objectivity and correctness) of the analysis only affects our understanding of a particular minor issue. In this case correctness or incorrectness of the analysis does not benefit or harm our understanding of social issues overall and does not affect anything beyond that particular event itself. Let us assume for example that we commit a mistake in identifying Napoleon’s neighbor from a historic perspective in the following sense: The color of the cap of the Napoleon’s neighbor was brown and we identify it mistakenly to be blue. In this situation we know that this in no way will affect our understanding of the true personality of Napoleon, about whom study can be socially beneficial for us. Whether Napoleon had a neighbor or not and whether his neighbor wore a blue cap or a brown one, has no relation whatsoever to Napoleon’s personality. It is even possible that some other events in his life were also of this nature and had no role in the formation of his personality. So, even if we commit a genuine mistake or commit a mistake intentionally, in identifying or analyzing these events, or in other words, if we manipulate these events according to our personal inclinations, we have not compromised the final purpose itself because even after reaching such wrong conclusion ...

This Encyclopedia covers the full range of Islamic thought. It takes substantial note of contemporary trends across the Muslim world, and the material on historical Islam has contemporary reference.

Islamic civilization flourished in the Middle Ages across a vast geographical area that spans today's Middle and Near East. First published in 2006, Medieval Islamic Civilization examines the socio-cultural history of the regions where Islam took hold between the 7th and 16th centuries. This important two-volume work contains over 700 alphabetically arranged entries, contributed and signed by international scholars and experts in fields such as Arabic languages, Arabic literature, architecture, history of science, Islamic arts, Islamic studies, Middle Eastern studies, Near Eastern studies, politics, religion, Semitic studies, theology, and more. Entries also explore the importance of interfaith relations and the permeation of persons, ideas, and objects across geographical and intellectual boundaries between Europe and the Islamic world. This reference work provides an exhaustive and vivid portrait of Islamic civilization and brings together in one authoritative text all aspects of Islamic civilization during the Middle Ages. Accessible to scholars, students and non-specialists, this resource will be of great use in research and understanding of the roots of today's Islamic society as well as the rich and vivid culture of medieval Islamic civilization.

This first volume covers the development of Islam in the period from the birth of Muhammad in C.E. 570 through 1500, during which Islam grew to dominate the area which has come to be known as the Middle East. Along with their religion, Muslims carried their culture, their goods, and their innovations to the far corners of the globe. Their contributions to Western civilization-such as new kinds of agriculture (irrigation, oranges, sugarcane, cotton), manufactured goods (satin, rugs, paper, perfumes), and technology (astrolabe, compass, lateen sail)--are set out in detail.