Beyond Diversities, Reflections on Revelations [Paperback]

Aliaa, Aisha Rafea Ali (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 13, 2000

This book aims at initiating a dialogue between religions that aims at putting an end to misconceptions and strife based on religious conflicts. It is a new approach in the sense that it does not only aim at making people coexist peacefully through tolerance and compromise, but it goes further by calling for unity between humans in understanding that the origin of all revelations is one. Through an analysis of most well known revelations, prophetic and natural, the book shows that they all have their roots in one primordial religion that existed since the beginning of creation.

Going through Ancient Egyptian beliefs, Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the authors show that all these revelations are mainly based on three concepts:

1- The belief in the Supreme Power that is transcendent and One; a belief that frees human from being dominated by anything in the temporal realm.
2-The focus on the continuation of life and spiritual growth.
3- Guidance to live according to the Divine Law through relating activities on earth to the ultimate goal(s) of existence. The authors depend mainly on canonical texts of those revelations. Through the use of quotations that express the commonality of the basics of these revelations they attempt to bring a realization that people of various faiths should not focus of the superficial differences that divide. Rather the all religions are ultimately one. That primordial religion aims at helping humans realize the full extent of their humanity.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

He is also a prominent computor scientist and a professor at the American University in Cairo.He has ph.D from France. Aliaa, is an Anthropolgist and a teacher of Anthropology in an Egyptian university. She uses Anthroplogy in presenting a new concept of man where he should be aware of his spiritual depth; a belief that would change societies and thoughts. Aisha is a writer and journalist who has been working for several international and local mass media. She has written three books other than that one in the field of spiritual Islam. She also writes a column in an Egyptian prominent magazine under the title "moments of realization"

Product Details

• Paperback: 134 pages
• ISBN-10: 0533085861
• ISBN-13: 978-0533085866
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,769,283 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What Is Beyond Diversities?!, September 17, 2003

By 

Richard Andrew (Austin, Texsas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beyond Diversities, Reflections on Revelations (Paperback)

What Is Beyond Diversities?! The Spiritual Teacher, Master Ali Rafae and a New Hope to Humanity

As a reader, I have always believed that reading a new book is an invitation to visit the writer's mind. It is a way to meet a new human being and get acquainted with his/ her way of thinking and what he/she has to offer to all the readers.Master, Ali Rafae, the spiritual teacher of the Egyptin Society for Spiritual and Cultural Research, has a noble message that can help in bringing peace among all human beings regardless of names of religions, races, nationalities or cultures. He tells us in a very simple way that there are many religions and many religious people, but God is One. He is indeed guiding us towards a new hope.The basic spiritual teachings that he is sharing with us in this book can be summarized in the fact that all religions emphasize the same concepts and that there is one religion, namely the Primordial. This comes as a reminder to all people that the Divine can be manifested in so many different ways, but God is One . Master Ali Rafae is trying to help us to discover Unity amidst the multiplicity, and peace amidst conflicts.When we recall the verse,"The kingdom of heaven is within", we will immediately remember Jesus, the Christ, but it may not occur to us that Buddah, also said the same verse. And when we repeat what Tao said about the Sublime(God) as being" The Eternal, the Mystic Mother, Whose goodness is like water, the absolute vacuity, the Perfect Peace, the Sustainer, the Wholeness, the Original Face.", we will be able to relate this same saying to Jesus's ,"Before Abraham even was, I am", or to Muhammed's,"There is no god but Allah" , or to Krishna's saying,"There was never a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor any of these kings. Nor is there any future in which we shall cease to be." This is also much the same as what was revealed to Moses, " I AM THAT I AM". This book is full of examples that prove that the main message of all religions is the same.In many pages, you will find it easy to relate other religions to your own.
Based on a comparative and analytical study of many religions, Master Rafae presents a fresh reading to many faiths including the revelations of the Ancient Egyptians, Taoism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The reserch presented in this book is based on an objective study that doesn't hold any religion superior to the others.

I strongly recommend this book for the following reasons:

1) It has a noble call to achieve peace among all human beings by proving that all religions have the same concepts and that the similarities among different religions can help in creating peaceful coexistence in our world.

2) It is a guide to respect diversities and go beyond them to enjoy the Unity of all religions.

3) It has valuable spiritual teachings that can help in enhancing man's awareness of his spiritual potentials which, in turn, can guide him to achieve a meaningful and fruitful life on earth and in the extension of his ife after death.

4) It promotes our independent personality as we have to think for ourselves without being guided by false propaganda or presuppositions.

5) It can be used as a textbook or a reference to any study on comparative religion in any university or institution that is interested in developing its research in this field.

I have enjoyed reading this book very much and I am sure you will, too

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A treasure, October 3, 2003

By 

Péro (Spain) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beyond Diversities, Reflections on Revelations (Paperback)

This book is a treasure for those who seek the truth, for those who are striving to live according to the divine law not by the misconceptions accumulated throughout history. All revelations' core call is oneness of human kind beyond all, beyond even religions.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Liberation, October 3, 2003

By 

Mona (Egypt) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beyond Diversities, Reflections on Revelations (Paperback)

This book is a sign that cannot pass unnoticed. Finaly, there are people who know the truth and essence of all revelations, people who could transcend all illusions and liberate themselves and others. To them I say thank you and to all human kind I say please read this book, read with the light deep in your hearts and look beyond diversities.

Blessings,