Windows on the House of Islam: Muslim Sources on Spirituality and Religious Life [Paperback]

John Renard (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0520210867 | ISBN-13: 978-0520210868 | Publication Date: June 18, 1998 | Edition: 1

Over the centuries and across the globe, Muslim authors and artists have given moving testimony to their experience of being members of the Islamic community. Their many vantage points come together in this collection, one that represents major Islamic groups from the past through the present and covers a range of themes essential to understanding Islamic spirituality and religious life. More than thirty leading Islam scholars present translations originating from a dozen languages, including Arabic, Persian, Chinese, and Indonesian. Texts include samples of virtually every major literary form of significance to the Muslim faith: the Qur'an, hadith, scriptural commentary, letters, treatises, lyric and didactic poetry, hagiography, historical chronicle, aphorism, endowment deeds, and personal diary entries. In addition, over five dozen illustrations thematically document a full range of artistic forms and historical periods, from ritual objects and architecture to manuscripts of religious texts. This volume and its companion, John Renard's 1996 book, Seven Doors to Islam, are the only books available that integrate such a wide range of Islamic literary and visual forms. Together they offer a superb introduction to the primary religious sources as well as a general understanding of Islamic spirituality and culture.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

"An anthology of primary source material on Islam and Islamic culture that is far superior in the breadth of its coverage than any other work currently available."--Ali Asani, Harvard University

"[An] important book. Renard's anthology brings together new or hard-to-find materials which showcase the spiritual values, institutions, and communities that are at the very heart of Muslim religious experience."--Daniel Brown, Mt. Holyoke College

From the Back Cover

"An anthology of primary source material on Islam and Islamic culture that is far superior in the breadth of its coverage than any other work currently available." (Ali Asani, Harvard University) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 450 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 1 edition (June 18, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520210867
• ISBN-13: 978-0520210868
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #886,842 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Renard received a Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from Harvard University's Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations in 1978, specializing in medieval Arabic and Persian religious texts, art and architecture, and the history of Sufism. Since then, he has been teaching courses in Islam, history of religion, comparative theology, religious art, and medieval studies, at Saint Louis University, in St. Louis, MO, where he is Professor of Theological Studies.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Islamic Thoughts, March 8, 2010

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William Garrison Jr. (Bellevue, WA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Windows on the House of Islam: Muslim Sources on Spirituality and Religious Life (Paperback)

(from book's dustjacket): "Over the centuries and across the globe, Muslim authors and artists have given moving testimony to their experience of being members of the Islamic community. Their many vantage points came together in this collection, one that represents major Islamic groups from the past through the present and covers a range of themes essential to understanding Islamic spirituality and religious life. "Windows on the House of Islam" integrates a full range of literary and visual primary sources, representing major Islamic societies and communities from the past through the present, from Arabia to the United States, and covering a broad spectrum of themes essential to an understanding of Islamic spirituality and religious life. John Renard has united over seventy translations originating from a dozen languages-including Arabic, Persian, Chinese, and Indonesian-and contributed by over thirty of the world's top Islam scholars. In addition, more than five dozen illustrations thematically document a full range of artistic forms and historical periods, from ritual objects and architecture to manuscripts of religious texts. A companion volume to Seven Doors to Islam, Windows on the House of Islam is the first book of its kind to integrate such a wide range of literary and visual forms. It serves as both an introduction to Islamic religious primary sources as well as a supplement to general works on Islamic religion, spirituality, and culture. John Renard is the author of: In the Footsteps of Muhammad : Understanding Islamic Experience (1992), Islam and the Heroic Image : Themes in Literature and the Visual Arts (1993), and All the King's Falcons : Rumi on Prophets and Revelation (1994). He is Professor of Theological Studies at St. Louis University."

3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Diverse in its Scope, January 15, 2003

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Pragmatic Man "pragmaticman" (NYC, USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Windows on the House of Islam: Muslim Sources on Spirituality and Religious Life (Paperback)

The book tried to tell the story of muslim civilization, culture, practices and belief through out the muslim world from the point of view of notable Muslims..