Resources

It should be enough review to say that Alif the Unseen made it to the NY Times’ 100 Notable Books of 2012 or maybe that Neil Gaiman himself has sung its praises. It is the story of Alif, a hacker, who lives and works in the digital shadows in an unnamed Gulf state on the brink of […]

A gorgeous children’s book for ages 3 and up about the life of the Prophet Muhammad. The story focuses on the magical, the ethical, and the goodness of the Prophet’s life and mission. It stresses good relationships with the Muslims’ neighbors in Medina and mutual generosity of spirit. The illustrations are lush and done in […]

If you put aside Fred M. Donner’s argument that Islam only began to know itself as a distinct religion a hundred years or so after the death of Muhammad, this book makes credible claims about the early community’s self-understanding. In short, Muhammad did not see himself leading a community wholly distinct from the faith communities […]

While theology seeks to ascertain sacred truth, it may also serve to be a source of contention. All too often competing doctrines result in sectarianism and separation rather than realization of tawhid. Media such as story and poetry — not to mention music — can, on the other hand, heal those wounds of separation. No […]

What a beautiful book! Word and image are seamlessly brought together in this superb adaptation of Attar’s Conference of the Birds for children. Like the original, it uses a light touch to teach universal ethical values and so the book is appropriate for secular and religious audiences. Lumbard’s adaptation and Demi’s illustrations feed the imagination […]

Valerie Hoffman’s The Essentials of Ibāḍī Islam is the first English-language book to present the main subjects of Ibāḍī theology in a way that is accessible to a broad audience. Among its many strengths are its readability, making it appropriate as a textbook for undergraduate courses, but also as a general introduction to Ibāḍī thought. […]