Islam and the destiny of man
"Islam and the Destiny of Man is a wide-ranging study of the Muslim religion from a unique point of view. The author, a former member of the British Diplomatic Service, was brought up as an agnostic and embraced Islam at an early age after writing a book (commissioned by T. S. Eliot) on Eastern religions and their influence upon Western thinkers. As a Muslim, he has retained his adherence to the perennial philosophy which, he maintains, underlies the teachings of all the great religions. "The aim of this book is to explore what it means to be a Muslim, a member of a community which embraces a quarter of the world's population and to describe the forces which have shaped the hearts and minds of Islamic people. After considering the historic confrontation between Islam and Christendom and analysing the differences between the three monotheistic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), the author describes the two poles of Muslim belief in terms of Truth and Mercy--unitarian truth which is the basis of the Muslim's faith and the mercy inherent in this truth. In the second part of the book he explains the significance of the Quran and tells the dramatic story of Muhammad's life and of the early Caliphate. Lastly, the author considers the Muslim view of Man's destiny, the social struccture of Islam, the role of art and mysticism, and the inner meaning of Islamic teachings concerning the Hereafter." --taken from dust jacket
Print Book, English, 1985
State University of New York Press, Albany, N.Y., 1985
242 p. ; 24 cm.
9780887061615, 9780887061639, 0887061613, 088706163X
1155629366
"Published in association with the Islamic Texts Society."
Includes index