The Illuminated Prayer: The Five-Times Prayer of the Sufis (Hardcover)

by Coleman Barks (Author), Michael Green (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
With only a few exceptions, the mystical tradition of Sufism has received little attention outside Muslim countries. Ernst's carefully constructed anthology and Barks and Green's entertaining volume are among the best recent examples of new interest in--and improved publications about--the subject. Ernst (religious studies, Univ. of North Carolina) uses translations from primary sources and his own fine connecting material to shed crucial light on topics such as ethics, music, the mystical understanding of the Qur'an, and saints. (He is especially good on the lives of Sufism's women saints.) This book, which does not dilute or Westernize the originals, should become an essential introduction. Barks and Green's work is more popular in approach and limited in scope, but it is a delightful, skillfully written, and imaginatively illustrated book; it too seems indispensable for a beginner in the mystical traditions of Islam. For most collections.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description
The Prayer is a drawing of the curtain, an invitation to a secret place that is discovered and explored. . . .

According to tradition and the testimony of Sufi mystics, The Prayer--or Salat--was first taught by the angels, who themselves practiced it in celestial adoration. The Prayer is God's gift to all humankind, and in this gorgeously illustrated volume, its simple, archetypal practice unfolds like a fragrant, many-petaled flower, joining words and movements into a single luminous event that engages our entire being.

These ancient rituals are presented here as a gift for anyone with a heartfelt desire to set aside for a moment the concerns of every day and enter a sacred time and space in which to explore the beckonings of the spirit. The authors take us through the words, movements, and hidden meanings of the Call to Prayer, the Ablutions, The Prayer itself, and the Peaceful Embrace afterwards. Faithful practice lends a sacred rhythm to each day and creates a psychological force that helps us nurture and express a profound inner harmony.

This first, marvelously accessible interpretation of The Prayer also offers a compelling introductin to the wisdom and teachings of the beloved contemporary Sufi master Bawa Muhaiyaddeen, who brought new life to this mystical tradition by opening a passage to its deepest, universal realities. It is the loving handiwork of two of Bawa's best-known students, Coleman Barks and Michael Green, who also created The Illuminated Rumi.

Like a jewel given extra brilliance by its setting, The Prayer is surrounded by the wisdom and understanding of the thirteenth-century Sufi master Rumi, whose generous poetry has become an essential canon for modern-day seekers in the West. The final gift is the Primeval Kalima, the core practice and most profound teaching of the Sufi, the "open secret" that leads to Divine Luminous Wisdom.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; 1 edition (January 25, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345435451
• ISBN-13: 978-0345435453
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #233,758 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enter this sacred space, January 29, 2000

By	Salim Chishti (New Lebanon, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This is definitely one of the best books on Salat that I have ever seen. I read it cover to cover without setting it down. Barks and Green have put together some of the most beautiful images with some of the most beautiful words and come through keeping all the sacredness of the prayers. They cover all the essentials of the Muslim prayers, explaining in very accessible terms the hows of what to do. But more than that, they also make the prayer palpable to even those that may never have done it. By combining art and the poetry of Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi they create the atmosphere of the connection with God that one feels during the deepest salat.

I think that almost anyone, after reading this book will at least want to try out salat for a few days. Maybe even make a strong comitment to doing it for a long time. But even if not, after reading this book, more people will understand the heart of Islam, the prayer we repeat at least 5 times every day and what really is going on inside, what depth of feeling is during this prayer.

Recomended without reservation to anyone.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Heart of the Matter, January 20, 2001

By	Netman1 (Between Here and There) - See all my reviews

This slender book contains profound insights into the nature and essence of prayer. Based largely on the teachings of Shaikh Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (? -1986), a Sufi Shaikh from Sri Lanka who lived and taught from Philadelphia for the last 15 years of his life....

While written in the context of Muslim prayers, it's relevant to prayer in all religions. It is also an excellent guide to salat - ritual prayer in Islam.

The book explains in detail (with pictures) the various steps in salat. But more than that it relates the times of prayer and steps within prayer to spiritual development and awareness. And it is here that the real value of the book comes forth.

Using this as a base, the authors then describe a meditative prayer exercise - similar to Vedic "follow the breath" meditations.

In short this is not an academic description of prayer or theory but an invitation to readers to embark on the path.

The only negative - and this is a very very minor quibble - is with some of the transliterations of Arabic and grammatical comments.

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have book for ANY spiritual seeker!, February 22, 2000

By	Doc H "How" (USA) - See all my reviews

I was deeply impressed by the depth and poignant nature of this ecumenical work. This wonderful book embraces, lovingly, the essential truths of prayer and meditation found within all religions and also outside of religious traditions. I was especially moved by the powerful quotes from Sufi Sage Bawa Muhaiyaddeen, a towering giant among Masters of Wisdom. Both Green and Barks are to be congratulated for their uncompromising clarity and depth. Whether you believe in a particular religious path, God, Allah, Buddha, Jesus, Krishna, the Tao is not at issue here. The core of the material presented concerns the everlasting benefits of prayer regardless of ones religious leanings. Prayer ultimately guides one to that 'open space' where all religions, all truths merge into One. I cannot say enough about the exalted content of this gem!