Allah, God in His Infinite Wisdom has given human some understanding of His creation. Allah is the Creator of everything that is. He wills and it is. He is beyond human comprehension and His Divine systems do not conform to human concepts, creed, or dogma. Allah, God, the Creator has created the universe of galaxies, worlds, stars, the Sun and the moon and the little atoms, protons, neutrons, and the tiny particles which show the complexity of His Genius. Allah the Lord of creation sends water from the heavens for sustenance of life on earth. Allah directs sunshine to the earth to provide the warmth and light to sustain human, plant and animal life. Allah formed the sun, moon, and stars to create equilibrium in the universe, with every object in its intended place revolving in its fixed orbit in perfect harmony and balance. Allah created the secrets and the mysteries of the heavens and the earth, the so-called sciences, the knowledge of particles, elements, cells, mitochondria, chromosomes, gravity, black holes, only a minute portion of which he revealed to man. Allah clearly provided humankind with a mind to wonder at Allah’s infinitesimal wisdom. Yet humans are conceited and arrogant if they believe that God is driven by man-created creed, testament, dogma, Sunna and Sharia. Allah does not require a shrine, temple, tent, or a talisman to live in. His presence is everywhere. He is present in the smallest particle and in the greatest expanse. He is accessible to each and every object He has created. Every object obeys Allah’s will except for humankind, who has been given a free will. The Covenant of Allah presents us with the scope of the freedom of choice that humankind has in doing what is wholesome and beautiful or that which is corrupt or ugly, in the human role amongst the creation. It reminds us of how the scales of Allah’s justice, the two hands of Allah, His mercy, and His wrath, are reflected in the human domain, where people have been appointed Allah’s vicegerents. Deeds of goodness and wholesomeness are associated with mercy, wholesomeness, paradise, and the beautiful. Evil and corruption is rewarded with wrath, hell, and the ugly.

The Prophet Muhammad s treaties with the Christians of his time, which John Andrew Morrow has rediscovered in obscure collections and often newly translated, uniformly state that Muslims are not to attack peaceful Christian communities, but defend them until the End of the World. Authored by the Prophet himself, they represent a third foundational pillar for Islam outside of Qur an and hadith. The Covenants Initiative within the book represents a movement by Muslims, both prominent and unknown, in support of Christians under attack. These treaties desperately need to be better known among Christians, Muslims, and the general public. For scholars, this book provides much difficult-to-obtain material: facsimiles of primary sources in Arabic and Persian; corrected versions in modern Arabic typescript; and alternate translations. They now have all they need to study the covenants in depth. "This narrative has the power to unite Muslim and Christian communities. A work of scholarship, its release is timely, and its content critical in fostering mutual respect and religious freedom."--IMAM FEISAL ABDUL RAUF, Chairman, Cordoba Initiative "In his indispensable contribution to the study of the Abrahamic faiths, John Andrew Morrow tells the story of how the Prophet Muhammad used his desert experiences of hospitality and protection to bring Muslims and Christians together."--JOSEPH HOBBS, University of Missouri "These letters from the Prophet Muhammad to Christian communities can serve to inspire both Muslims and Christians about our ability to live together as God's people, as friends, as neighbors, and as custodians of the same small planet."--OMID SAFI, University of North Carolina "With painstaking effort and much dedication invested in this groundbreaking work, Professor Morrow will surely manage to attract the attention of Islamic studies students and specialists."--AMAR SELLAM, Mohamed I University "This book documents what is possibly the third foundational source of Islam: the Prophet's treaties and covenants among people of the Abrahamic faiths. Dr. Morrow brings forth exceptionally important findings that dictate peaceful coexistence among Jews, Christians, and Muslims."--BRIDGET BLOMFIELD, University of Nebraska

America’s leading religious scholar and public intellectual introduces lay readers to the Qur’an with a measured, powerful reading of the ancient text Garry Wills has spent a lifetime thinking and writing about Christianity. In What the Qur’an Meant, Wills invites readers to join him as he embarks on a timely and necessary reconsideration of the Qur’an, leading us through perplexing passages with insight and erudition. What does the Qur’an actually say about veiling women? Does it justify religious war? There was a time when ordinary Americans did not have to know much about Islam. That is no longer the case. We blundered into the longest war in our history without knowing basic facts about the Islamic civilization with which we were dealing. We are constantly fed false information about Islam—claims that it is essentially a religion of violence, that its sacred book is a handbook for terrorists. There is no way to assess these claims unless we have at least some knowledge of the Qur’an. In this book Wills, as a non-Muslim with an open mind, reads the Qur’an with sympathy but with rigor, trying to discover why other non-Muslims—such as Pope Francis—find it an inspiring book, worthy to guide people down through the centuries. There are many traditions that add to and distort and blunt the actual words of the text. What Wills does resembles the work of art restorers who clean away accumulated layers of dust to find the original meaning. He compares the Qur’an with other sacred books, the Old Testament and the New Testament, to show many parallels between them. There are also parallel difficulties of interpretation, which call for patient exploration—and which offer some thrills of discovery. What the Qur’an Meant is the opening of a conversation on one of the world’s most practiced religions.

The Holy Qur'an EBook version English Translation and Commentary - Detailed commentary with extensive references to standard authorities, both classical and modern - Comprehensive introduction deals with Islamic teachings and the collection and arrangement of the Holy Qur'an - Extensive Index Reviews "There is no other translation or commentary of the Holy Qur'an in the English Language to compete with Maulvi Muhammad Ali's Masterpiece." -- Al-Haj Hafiz Ghulam Sarwar, translator of the Holy Qur'an "To deny the excellence of Maulvi Muhammad Ali's translation, the influence for good it has exercised and its proselytizing utility would be to deny the existence of the light of the sun." -- Maulana Abdul Majid Daryabadi, leader of Orthodox Muslim opinion in India) ...has all the merits of what is desired in a translation." -- The Anjuman Himayat-e-Islam, Lahore, Pakistan ..".By far the best text currently available in the English language...incontestably one of the finest interpretations of the scared scripture of Islam. I have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending this translation to students and others seeking to understand the essence and epitome of the Quranic message." -- Prof. T. Hargery, Director, African Studies, Northeast Missouri State University, Kirksville ..".an austerely faithful translation in English...based on a close study of commentaries of the Qur' an - the work of my learned name-sake Maulvi Muhammad Ali of Lahore...The translation and the notes...all demonstrate the labour of love and devoted zeal." -- Late Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar of "The Comrade" "It is certainly a work of which any scholar might legitimately be proud." -- The Quest, London

With: Historical commentary Biographical info Appendix with further readings For nearly 2,000 years, Christian mystics, martyrs, and sages have documented their search for the divine. Their writings have bestowed boundless wisdom upon subsequent generations. But they have also burdened many spiritual seekers. The sheer volume of available material creates a seemingly insurmountable obstacle. Enter the Upper Room Spiritual Classics series, a collection of authoritative texts on Christian spirituality curated for the everyday reader. Designed to introduce 15 spiritual giants and the range of their works, these volumes are a first-rate resource for beginner and expert alike. Writings of Augustine compiles some of the most profound and moving writings of the 4th-century African Christian who had a vast influence on the Christian church and Western culture. Included are excerpts from Augustine's Confessions and other writings.

Islam and the People of the Book features three dozen scholarly studies on the treaties that the Prophet Muhammad concluded with Jewish, Samaritan, Christian, and Zoroastrian communities, along with translations of Six Covenants of the Prophet in over a dozen languages. The combined effort of over forty-five academics, intellectuals, and translators from around the world, this work powerfully confirms the conclusions drawn by Dr John Andrew Morrow in his critically-acclaimed book on The Covenants of the Prophet Muhammad with the Christians of the World, offers unprecedented insight into the original intent of the Messenger of God, and sheds light on the pluralistic nature of the constitutional state that he created.

Divine Way to Succeed in Life"the way of those on whom You (Allah) have bestowed Your Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who go not astray." (Surah Al-Fatihah 1: 7).God created people, gave them wisdom, free will, and guidance, and appointed each one of them, male or female, rich or poor, to be His trustee (if they will so) on earth and to serve Him by implementing His commands in managing their affairs, in order to build a just human society in this world. The Qur'an has been revealed for the guidance of humanity. It contains the instructions, which if followed will help people to establish a prosperous and peaceful human society based on justice and mutual respect. Life in this world is a test so that people may prove who can utilize one's life to its best purpose and potential. This requires that one should know one's duties and should live accordingly to the divine laws. God has provided the required guidance for the fulfillment of one's duties as God's trustee on earth. This guidance has been given within the human gene in the form of human conscience, and it has been taught and implemented by His messengers who lived their lives as human role models. The commands given in the Qur'an encompass all moral, economic, and socio-political areas of human activity that are required to be implemented to develop and protect human character and society. Before implementation, one must know what is required. This can be learned from the Qur'an.