Reddit mentions: The best books about islam

19 year old Muslim at a Western University here. I'll be taking a year off for 2017 but I've still experienced two years of the lite university life.

I say lite because in comparison to you I commuted from home and really didn't end up going to any parties.

I've only went to two from what I remember, my Computer Science cohort's end of camp party and a close friend's 18th.

My close friend is Hindu with a lot of Muslim friends, so he kept it alcohol free and I definitely appreciated that.

Can't say the same thing about the end of camp party but I only got a few odd looks and comments, 'you don't drink?'

I know it seems hard right now. I know you might think the only way to make friends is by parties but it's definitely not.

You have to look with effort and genuinely entwine your hobbies, careers and interests with people to spark up a friendship.

I met good friends from classes, at the praying place, doing hackathons as a team and even doing projects together.

Not going to parties hasn't bothered me at all honestly. I advise you that you stop going to them and transition to more productive events. As a warning though, you are risking your faith by continually being in that environment.

I still am surrounded by alcohol during some events. I'm fine with it considering that it's the culture here. I just people I don't drink. I even make a few alcoholic references or jokes! Thanks to The Simpsons!

So it'll be fine. The Muslim event you went to, pleaaase stop thinking of everyone as hardcore religious Muslims - perhaps that's the problem.

The people there are just normal guys like you and me. Some consider themselves as gamers, others are sporty with soccer or cricket, a lot love movies and a little may hate movies.

So my point is to not think of it as a hardcore religious event if it's just a socialising one. Just chill, say Salam and open up a conversation. Perhaps a few friendships will be born that day.

Oh yeah, and of course which 19 year old doesn't think about sex.

A few tips with that would be to start researching on the nikkah and proper Islamic route to a relationship (marriage). This isn't to make you marry but to make you understand what the future can entail. And to realise the wisdom and advantages over conventional dating.

Try fasting, always lower your gaze, keep busy and cut off all masturbation. The latter not because it's Haram but it increases your chances of zina. A sexualised mind will often not lower its gaze.

Also, a recent thing that's been surprisingly helping is studying some Islamic philosophy and history. Al-Ghazali has the perfect book for you.

It's difficult, it really is. Especially in a sexually liberal place like college. However it'll be eventually worth it.

Let's all do dua for NW97.

The Qu'ran says:

> "They are not [all] the same; among the People of the Scripture [Jews and Christians] is a community standing [in obedience], reciting the verses of Allah during periods of the night and prostrating [in prayer].

> "They believe in Allah and the Last Day, and they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and hasten to good deeds. And those are among the righteous.

> "And whatever good they do - never will it be removed from them. And Allah is Knowing of the righteous."

—Al-Qur'an Al-Kareem (The Noble Recitation), Surah (Chapter) 3, Ali 'Imran (The Family of 'Imran): ayat (verses) 113-115:
https://quran.com/3/113-115

> "And there are, certainly, among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), those who believe in Allah and in that which has been revealed to you, and in that which has been revealed to them, humbling themselves before Allah. They do not sell the Verses of Allah for a little price, for them is a reward with their Lord. Surely, Allah is Swift in account."

—Al-Qur'an Al-Kareem (The Noble Recitation), Surah (Chapter) 3, Ali 'Imran (The Family of 'Imran): ayah (verse) 199:
https://quran.com/3/199?translations=18

However, Allah ("the God [of the Prophet Abraham]") also warns in the Qur'an those who believe in a trinity, or who say that Jesus, upon whom there is peace, is the son of God, or who offer prayers to the Virgin Mary, may Allah be pleased with her, or who take saints as people to be worshipped:

> "O People of the Book! Do not go to extremes regarding your faith; say nothing about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger of Allah and the fulfilment of His Word through Mary and a spirit created by a command from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers and do not say, 'Trinity.' Stop!—for your own good. Allah is only One God. Glory be to Him! He is far above having a son! To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And Allah is sufficient as a Trustee of Affairs."

—Surah (Chapter) 4 of al-Quran al-Kareem (the Noble Recitation) - An-Nisa (The Women), ayah (verse) 171
https://quran.com/4/171?translations=101

> "They have certainly disbelieved who say, 'Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary' while the Messiah has said, 'O Children of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.' Indeed, he who associates others with Allah - Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers.

> "They have certainly disbelieved who say, 'Allah is the third of three.' And there is no god except one God. And if they do not desist from what they are saying, there will surely afflict the disbelievers among them a painful punishment.

> "So will they not repent to Allah and seek His forgiveness? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

> "The Messiah, son of Mary, was not but a messenger; [other] messengers have passed on before him. And his mother was a supporter of truth. They both used to eat food. Look how We make clear to them the signs; then look how they are deluded.

> "Say, 'Do you worship besides Allah that which holds for you no [power of] harm or benefit while it is Allah who is the Hearing, the Knowing?'

> "Say, 'O People of the Scripture, do not exceed limits in your religion beyond the truth and do not follow the inclinations of a people who had gone astray before and misled many and have strayed from the soundness of the way.'

> "Cursed were those who disbelieved among the Children of Israel by the tongue of David and of Jesus, the son of Mary. That was because they disobeyed and [habitually] transgressed.

> "They used not to prevent one another from wrongdoing that they did. How wretched was that which they were doing.

> "You see many of them becoming allies of those who disbelieved. How wretched is that which they have put forth for themselves in that Allah has become angry with them, and in the punishment they will abide eternally.

> And if they had believed in Allah and the Prophet and in what was revealed to him, they would not have taken them as allies; but many of them are defiantly disobedient.

> You will surely find the most intense of the people in animosity toward the believers [to be] the Jews and those who associate others with Allah ; and you will find the nearest of them in affection to the believers those who say, 'We are Christians.' That is because among them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant.

> "And when they hear what has been revealed to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of what they have recognized of the truth. They say, 'Our Lord, we have believed, so register us among the witnesses.

> "'And why should we not believe in Allah and what has come to us of the truth? And we aspire that our Lord will admit us [to Paradise] with the righteous people.'

> "So Allah rewarded them for what they said with gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. And that is the reward of doers of good.

> "But those who disbelieved and denied Our signs - they are the companions of Hellfire."

—Surah (Chapter) 5 of the Noble Quran (Recitation) - Al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread), ayat (verses) 72-86
https://quran.com/5/72-86

> "And they say, 'The Most Merciful has taken [for Himself] a son.'

> "You have done an atrocious thing.

> "The heavens almost rupture therefrom and the earth splits open and the mountains collapse in devastation

> "That they attribute to the Most Merciful a son.

> "And it is not appropriate for the Most Merciful that He should take a son.

> "There is no one in the heavens and earth but that he comes to the Most Merciful as a servant."

—Surah (Chapter) 19 of al-Quran al-Kareem (the Noble Recitation) - Maryam (The Virgin Mary), ayat (verses) 88-93
https://quran.com/19/88-93

> "Indeed, the example of Jesus in the sight of Allah is like that of Adam. He created him from dust, then said to him, 'Be!' And he was!"

—Surah (Chapter) 3 of the Noble Quran (Recitation) - Ali 'Imran (The Family of 'Imran), ayah (verse) 59
https://quran.com/3/59?translations=101

> "[All] praise is [due] to Allah, who has sent down upon His Servant the Book and has not made therein any deviance.

> "[He has made it] straight, to warn of severe punishment from Him and to give good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a good reward

> "In which they will remain forever

> "And to warn those who say, 'Allah has taken a son.'

> "They have no knowledge of it, nor had their fathers. Grave is the word that comes out of their mouths; they speak not except a lie."

—Surah (Chapter) 18 of the Noble Quran (Recitation) - Al-Kahf (The Cave), ayat (verses) 1-5
https://quran.com/18/1-5?translations=20

There are so many more instances of this topic being explained in the Qur'an. I suggest reading it for oneself and then deciding whether or not one believes it to truly be the word of God. This is the first one I ever purchased, and I found the footnotes it has that explain the historical context of some verses very beneficial: https://www.amazon.com/Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957/

> A problem only gets bigger if we don't talk about said problem.

100% agreed. And as an example, to come back to the very initial point of the thread, the main issue with most Muslim countries is that they are not within a government allowing freedom of speech, effectively hindering that immensely important action that is talking about the issues and solving them

> Genuine question, you see religion as something more good then bad but at what point would you consider that religion is doing more bad then good?

Genuine answer, religion to me is immensely more good than bad. The bad coming from religion is the bad that stems from people creating justifications to do bad powered by religion - not from "the religion". My general view on it is: if there was no such thing as religion, the very same people will find other ways to hurt others, it just so happens that religion is a great propaganda tool towards the uneducated> A good, harmless example would be to go to South Africa where poor villages are Christian and following "self-declared prophets" who basically preach random stuff and get all the money they can from them. Will you blame religion, or the self-declared prophet for such an evil deed? I blame the latter. Oh by the way if you're interested in the Muslim side of the things I'd recommend you read Misquoting Muhammad by Jonathan AC Brown. It's a great book recollecting the history of governments openly using different interpretations of Islamic texts to drive their country towards the direction they wanted (both good and bad examples are listed, I found it to be a pretty amazing historic book tbh!)

As someone who lived in a religious society and visited several countries, you can very easily see the good that comes immediately from religion. The feeling of brotherhood, the tendency from people to naturally help each other. Random football comparison there but I guess you heard how Dortmund fans housed Monaco fans last week? That's something you'd naturally see in every place where people follow a religion: their religion taught them to look out for others. I've been housed by complete strangers in Peru (amazing Christian family), Morocco and Mauritania (Muslim families), South Africa (Christian family) and others. They were just genuinely looking out for me, it was their natural trait, and all of them insisted that it was part of their religion. I didn't even ask for anything, they insisted they wanted to take care of me! Now to draw a parallel, I have never seen someone genuinely caring that much in countries like France, Norway etc - and it's generally much more rare to see it happening in Western countries. Could this be a good argument towards what religion does good? I think so. And that's just an example. But overall you'll find that religious societies are super welcoming, caring etc - a VERY common trait in religious societies. In less educated places, religion is the best cohesive factor: it gives everyone something to strive for, and a feeling of brotherhood. Aside from all that, the impact religion has on me and my surroundings has been immensely positive.

> My best guess is is because I have lived my entire life without it and you with it and we are both having a great time.

Definitely. All in all the real focus is: if both of us are having a great time, why would any of us be wrong in the way we are having a great time? We should all aim at living together rather than ostracizing ourselves more due to separations we deem are big enough to rule people out of our life!

---

_____INTRODUCTION TO ISLAM__

• [Web] Islam Explained - brief 1-page explanation of Islam and other Islam-related topics.
  
  
• [Video] The DeenShow - a talk show that introduces many of the basic teachings of Islam and addresses common misconceptions. Their website here.
  
  
• [Book] The Complete Idiot's Guide to Islam - Yahiya Emerick, Ignore the title, it's a decent clear-English guide to explaining what Islam is about and it's practices.
  
  
• [Video] The Purpose of Life - Khalid Yasin, gives a comprehensive lecture on the fundamental question that every human being must ask: "What is the purpose of life?"
  
  
• [Video] Foundations of Islam -Hamza Yusuf, discusses Quran compilation & preservation, articles of faith, ihsan, and the signs of the Last Day.
  
  
• [Web] Al-Aqidah at-Tahawiyyah - Islamic Creed written by the popular, 10th century scholar: at-Ṭaḥāwī
  
  
  
• [Book] Islam and the Destiny of Man - Charles Le Gai Eaton, introduction to Islam aimed at the Westerner.
  
  
• [Web] What is Islam? - Jamaal Zarabozo, if you're looking for a more concise introduction to the fundamental beliefs and practices of the Islamic faith, then try this free ebook.
  
  
  
  
• [Video] Understanding Islam Video Series - Abdal Hakim Murad, discusses the Qur'anic view of Christianity & Jesus, historical Muslim tolerance of Jews, free will vs. determinism, the problem of evil, etc.
  
  ---
  ___QURAN____
  
  
• [Web] Quran - The Noble Quran in various translations.
  
  
• [Book] The Message of the Qur'an - Muhammad Asad, if you're looking for the Quran in book form, this has helpful commentary to provide a thorough understanding.
  
  
• [Book] Quran - Abdel Haleem, another Quran in book form, this one is written in extremely clear modern English that makes it easy and pleasurable to read.
  
  
  
• [Web] English Tafsir -Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, English commentary of each chapter of the Quran in clear English. Extra link
  
  
• [Audio] Bayyinah Quran Commentary Podcast -Nouman Ali Khan, highly recommended audio commentary of the last 37 chapters of the Quran. Entire Quran commentary with BayyinahTV purchase.
  
  
  ---
  ____LIFE OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD___
  
  
• [Book] Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources - Martin Lings, very detailed and thorough biography based on the earliest sources. Recommended by many, (but relies on a few unauthentic sources).
  
  
• [Book] Muhammad Man and Prophet - Adil Salahi, a Complete Study of the Life of the Prophet, from birth in the Arabian desert to the triumph of Islam and its gaining a permanent hold on Arabia.
  
  
  
• [Video] Biography of Muhammad (pbuh) Video Series - Yasir Qadhi, detailed, very lengthy biography video series. Condensed video series here, Mufti Menk
  
  
• [Book] In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad - Tariq Ramadan, presents the main events of the Prophet's life in a way that highlights his spiritual and ethical teachings.
  
  
• [Audio] The Life of the Prophet Muhammad - Hamza Yusuf, brilliant narration that was originally presented in a twelve week course based on the above book by Martin Lings.
  
  
• [Book] Muhammad (Critical Lives) - Yahiya Emerick, a simple concise, informative biography.
  
  
  
  
• [Web] The Sealed Nectar - Saifur Rahman al-Mubarakpuri, Popular and accurate account of the life of Muhammad (pbuh). Alternative link.
  
  
  ---
  
  ____CHRISTIANITY, JUDAISM AND ISLAM___
  
  
• [Video] How the Bible Led Me to Islam - Joshua Evans, former Christian youth minister conveys his journey to Islam.
  
  
• [Book] The Cross & The Crescent - Jerald Dirks, former minister (deacon) of the United Methodist Church explains how coherent Islam is with the roots of Christianity, provided with verifiable proofs.
  
  
• [Video] Early Christianity From Jesus to Muhammad - Jerald Dirks, discusses the roots of Christianity and the transition to the emergence of Muslims.
  
  
• [Book] MisGod'ed: A Roadmap of Guidance and Misguidance in the Abrahamic Religions - Laurence Brown, examines Judaism, Christianity, and Islam for truth in revelation, and trace the chain of revelation to its logical conclusion.
  
  
  
  ---
  ____ATHEISM AND ISLAM____
  
  
• [Video] The Purpose of Life - Jeffrey Lang explains how he came to Islam after being an Atheist.
  
  
• [Book] The Divine Reality: God, Islam & The Mirage Of Atheism - Hamza Tzortzis, Islamic arguments for God's existence, oneness and worship, while thoroughly addressing popular and academic objections.
  
  
• [Book] Even Angels Ask: A Journey to Islam in America - Jeffery Lang, a former atheist takes the reader along the path by discussing conflicts between faith and reason.
  
  
• [Book] Struggling To Surrender : Some Impressions of an American Convert to Islam - Former atheist, Jeffery Lang, gives a personal account of his search for God when he found out that his inherited religious beliefs could no longer answer his questions.
  
  
• [Video] From Strong Atheist To Islam - Tim, a former atheist used to debate religious people and tried to convince them that there is no God, until he met a Muslim.
  
  ---
  ____LEARN TO PRAY (SALAH)____
  
  
  
• [Web] Prayer Booklet - Easy and concise guide that explain the prerequisites and actions of prayer. Goes well with prayer videos below.
  
  
• [Video] Step by Step Guide to Prayer - Video explains the necessary steps needed to pray.
  
  
• [Video] How to perform all 5 prayers - Demonstration of all 5 mandatory prayers.
  
  
• [Web] How Do I Pray? - Interactive tutorial of all 5 prayers. Includes English transliteration.
  
  
• [Web] Prayer Mat - Contains all the necessary Arabic sayings that are needed for prayer. Print it out and place in front of you for ease. Convenient!
  
  
• [Web] Prayer Times - Online tool for calculating prayer times based on your exact GPS location
  
  
• [Web] Mosque-Finder - helpful tool that lets you locate your closest mosque.
  
  ---
  ____HADITH/SUNNAH____
  
  
• [Video] An Introduction to Hadith - Jonathan Brown, 1 hour introduction to the narrations of Muhammad (pbuh). Some questions about hadith answered.
  
  
• [Web] Imam Nawawi's Forty Hadith - Learn and study 42 popular hadith compiled by the famous al-Nawawi with audio commentary. Notes on al-Nawawi and his compilations for more clarity.
  
  
• [Book] Riyad-us-Saliheen - Imam Al-Nawawi, A popular and useful compilation of authentic hadith, covering every aspect of Islamic belief and moral conduct. Read it online or listen to audio.
  
  Full list here
  
  

>I cannot trust that someone is the one true prophet of God solely because they said they were. I cannot just trust every book that says that it was divinely inspired by God. I perceive things critically, I cannot accept something just because someone told me to.

The Prophet ﷺ said he was the last prophet of God. He also backed up what he claimed. See: The Prophetic Truth: Proving Muhammad ﷺ's Prophethood.

What do you mean by "critically"? Naturalism?

>I also have no reason to believe in an afterlife. I care about my effect on this world and the people within it, not about some abstract afterlife. I wish to be good not to be rewarded with eternal bliss, but to help people live a better life, and to help them find God in their life.

What do you mean by "reason" exactly? Scientific evidence? Do you believe scientific evidence is needed in order to believe in a proposal? Without God, we are purposeless meaningless matter. It seems that you do believe in God, which is great, but why do you care about your effect on others and how do you know what good entails in the first place without Divine Revelation? One cannot simply rely upon society because that would be an appeal to popularity.

>Can I still convert?

No, you don't believe in what the Shahada entails and so it will be a hollow statement.

>I find the religion beautiful, I have absolute faith in God and I wish to embody the values that Islam encompasses.

Thats great.

> I won't believe in things that I cannot prove, though.

See above.

Consider listening to:

MGP#23: Thinking of Converting to Islam?

and reading:

The Divine Reality : God, Islam and the Mirage of Atheism

Islam and the Destiny of Man

Boy was that the wrong question to ask. Wall of text inbound.

Judaism is my least-studied religion, but as I understand it Rabbinic literature is basically all commentary. The Mishnah, Tosefta, various Talmuds etc, they're all commentaries on the Tanakh. Of course, they are so old as to basically need their own commentaries, but there you have it. why_nn_doesnt_study_judaism.jpg

We Christians have a really different view on the 'Old Testament', and inter-commentary is pretty common in our scriptures. The New Testament may come at the end of our Bible, but it's the key to our way of reading the old scriptures as well, so start there. William Barclay was not super-dee-duper orthodox in his views, but he was a good Biblical scholar and I still like his 'Daily Study Bible' New Testament commentary for beginners. Patristics is a study of the development of early Christian orthodox thought, and consists mostly of reading post-NT commentaries by the Church Fathers, but those books are a giant money-sink so I'll let you get into that in your own time. 'Dogmatik' may be a bit heavy, but it's a good summary of our thought on our whole religion, scripture and all.

Islam is tricky, because the Qur'an is taken much more literally than orthodox Christians and Jews treat their scriptures, i.e. it cannot be translated out of Arabic, only interpreted. Maybe one of our Muslim friends can chime in with a better suggestion, but the version of the Qur'an used by my classes (which has some light commentary) is the Oxford World's Classics version. Quran.com can also be pretty useful since you can hover over an Arabic word and get its direct translation.

As far as Buddhism goes, I think the BDK English Tripitaka has some big flaws (it's also way incomplete), but it's pretty academic and a lot of its texts are the only versions available in English. Individual sutras are around, I always appreciate the work of the Sanskrit scholar Red Pine, he's done the Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra and maybe some others, from a Japanese Zen perspective. Buddhist scripture is sorta endless.

The only other religious texts I've read extensively are the European esoteric stuff I hope to do my graduate work in, in which case all the texts are weird, and all the commentaries are as weird or weirder. It's religious studies on Hard Mode.

I hope that gives you some places to start! And I hope I haven't scared you off! Good luck!

The problem with any argument based on the life and actions of Muhammad is that such actions are hotly contested. Historically speaking, there is little trustworthy evidence covering his life - and western historiography has struggled to make anything of what is left (scholars such as P. Crone, M. Cook and more recently Tom Holland have done a lot of work on this).

If you're interested in this topic, I suggest you get your hands on J. A. C. Brown's book 'Misquoting Muhammad'. At a fundamental level it will demonstrate how elements of the prophet's life were reinterpreted (read: rewritten) by later scholars to justify certain acts, but it also (and Patricia Crone, Michael Cook and Tom Holland concentrate on this) covers the very serious problems faced in looking at Muhammad's life historically.

It goes like this:

In Islam, one aims to be like Muhammad. He is the role model and his actions determine how one should act. Thus you have hadith telling you whether he urinated standing up or sitting down, just as a silly example. Extremist groups like IS take this to the extreme (hence they are 'extremists'). Most Muslims are willing to accept, just as Christians are in reference to the Bible, that their prophet lived within a historical context and that God's revelation was relevant to that context. For many Muslims, it is compatible that they deviate from Muhammad's example in some ways, for he lived in a different time. They focus on the positive aspects of his character, of which there truly is many - he is by all accounts a great man, kind and generous, diplomatic and peace-loving. The negative aspects of his character are ignored, for to acknowledge them would be to undermine his importance and sanctity as a messenger of God. It's around here that I personally unsubscribe from religion - I find this idea incompatible. But to many, many people, this is okay, and they remain believers. I, and all, should respect that choice.

Anyway, herein lies a very strange historical phenomenon. Usually, the further we get from a historical event, the less is known. For the life of Muhammad, however, it seems the opposite is true: the further we get from his life the more and more detail there is about him. This can be explained, but the explanation is uncomfortable for a lot of Muslims. His life was not recorded at the time. It was remembered orally - thus you have the isnad chains of the hadith - as was the qur'an which was not codified until Caliph 'Umar at the earliest. Oral transmission is not a reliable way to preserve historical truth, especially when we're talking about centuries of oral transmission. Muslim scholars of the 10th and 11th centuries, when the life of Muhammad was codified, tried their utmost to determine what was legitimately true and what was not. But a significant amount of these 'true' hadiths have been found to be problematic (see Ignaz Goldziher, for one).

I could go on, but the general moral of the story here is that the life of Muhammad is a fascinating historiographical phenomenon. Here we have possibly the most detailed account of the life of any historical individual: few humans in history have had so much written about them. Yet all of that knowledge is on incredibly shaky ground, and in reality we are left with very little, if anything, about his life.

In relation to your questions, this is just a background understanding which I think it is important. I wish to respond to them, though, on an understanding (for sake of argument) that the early Islamic historical tradition is reliable (which it is not). For the record, I'm a Western Historian with no religious biases either way, interested only in historical fact and the implications of that fact.

> Didn't Muhammad collect sex slaves

He certainly had at least one: Maria al-Qibtiyya, who was a Coptic slave (Christian from Egypt) and bearer of his only son, Ibrahim, who died as a child. The two were not married, and she was in servitude to him, having been a gift from al-Muqawqis, the Christian ruler/governor of Egypt.

Now we return to historical context, which I'm sure you would agree is hugely important. Groups like IS, being 'extreme' (as I discuss earlier), ignore historical context. But the majority of Muslims worldwide are happy to accept that this was appropriate at the time, but no longer is. For in 7th century Arabia - and indeed across the world from China to Constantinople, from Balkh to Rome - sex slaves were an accepted part of society. The Christian monarchs of medieval Europe had sex slaves. By modern standards even, almost all of those monarchs were sexual abusers - their wives were usually younger than 18, often younger than 16.

My point here, as in the next couple of points, is that context is everything. What Muslims do celebrate though is that Muhammad's treatment of women was actually far, far better than that of the cultures which preceded him. Islam gave women property rights, for example. Women in China, Iran and Europe did not have property rights. Many contemporary observers in Europe from the 7th century onwards actually express surprise at the high status given to women in Islamic society - it is unusual to them.

>"Strike at the neck" to his enemies

This is from Qur'an 47:4, and is one of many massively misunderstood passages explained by this helpful infographic. Ironically, you'll find this if you browse the top of all time on this very subreddit.

> A religious tax

This is a seriously long and complicated subject and i've already babbled on enough, but I will make one important point here: the level of tax imposed by the Arabs on the empire established under the Rashidun was significantly better than the level of tax imposed prior. Those who lived in Iran, Iraq, Syria, Egypt etc. actually found that under Islamic government they had a far better deal than under Byzantine or Sasanian rule.

Furthermore, there was no concerted effort of conversion. The idea that Islam was spread by the sword is historically false. In Western historiography we call the conquests 'Arab', not 'Islamic', in order to make this clear. In fact, we find the opposite is true: the Arabs were very reluctant to let non-Arabs convert to Islam. The Abbasid revolution in 750, one of the great historical junctures in the political history of Islam, was a direct result of non-Arab converts (mawali) being angry that Arab Muslims were not treating them like Muslims. The conquests, and the rule of the 'Islamic' world from the 7th century until about the 10th, was 'Arab', not 'Muslim'. After ~10th century, with the Shu'ubiyya and rise of Persian dynasties, it became 'Persian', rather than Arab - but still not 'Muslim'. This idea of 'Islamic conquests' and 'Islamic rule' is historically unfounded.

I could go on, but Islam has an incredible political, cultural and religious history which I highly recommend you read about. I'm not a Muslim and not a die-hard defender of religion, nor am I anti-religious or anti-Islam. The more I learn about it, the more I find ignorance and misunderstanding on both sides. The more I realise that, as with all history and cultural development, the truth is murky and somewhere in the middle.

TL;DR: From a historical perspective, we have to be careful when talking about the life of Muhammad. Some of what you claim is true, but must be contextualised. Some is not, and represent major misunderstandings of Islam found in the west. Overall, we should all be a bit more critical of what we think we know and understand. That goes for anti-Islamic people and Muslims alike. Perhaps the world would be a better place if everyone just accepted that we all have different worldviews, and none of them are perfect.

Welcome to /r/Islam :)

About the basics of Islam, read this
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Firstly, Praise to God. I am sure alot of other people will answer better than me, but I'll try. First off, for Muhammed (saw) in the bible, here is a very interesting video by a former Christan youth minister titled - "How the Bible Led me to Islam"

His story is so interesting because he figured out that a through read of bible itself made him realize something, and convinced him to study other religions in which he found finally found Islam, his story is something every typical Christian should hear.

Secondly, You said:

>I'd like recommendations for a quran translation.

I personally believe that people willing to learn about Islam should read the biography of Muhammed (saw) first to get a grasp of the message of Islam, how it spread, and how we come to respect this man as the greatest of all creation. The best book I recommend is Tariq Ramadan's Book about Muhammed and his life.

Once you've done that, I recommend an exegesis over a translation because your understanding is enhanced.

But a good translation is: http://quran.com
An exegesis (recommended) is: http://www.amazon.com/The-Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957

Hope that helps.

The Qur'an can be a confusing text for beginners, especially its English translation. It isn't a "book" in the traditional sense. It's meant to be lived, interacted with, and recited out loud often. Hence, you'll find a lot of repetition, as repetition is one of the hallmarks of oral recitation; the best way to emphasize a point orally is to repeat it again and again. The Qur'an isn't a book that one is meant to simply read, and no translation can match up the majesty, eloquence, and utter elegance of its original Arabic.

I'd recommend keeping that in mind when approaching the Qur'an! It might seem daunting and inaccessible at first, and you might think, "OK, I get it," when you read the repetitive descriptions of warnings of hellfire, pleasures of paradise, mercy of Allah, etc again and again and again. Just remember: this isn't a traditional book, it's a lived, interactive text :)

Also, I'd highly recommend The Study Qur'an. It not only provides commentary and historical context to every single verse, but includes maps and many other useful tools. One of my favorite features of The Study Qur'an is its extensive collection of essays in the back of the book, ranging from topics such as Islamic art and architecture and medieval Islamic philosophy to women in Islam and Islamic eschatology. If you're in the US, it's available at most Barnes & Noble stores as well!

Most importantly, if you have any questions, come seek us! I am by no means an expert of the Qur'an, but a lot of things can be taken out of context and Islamophobes love to cherry pick certain verses that appear outwardly violent. This is a super handy infographic to explain some of them, and most English Qur'ans with commentary (including The Study Qur'an) will provide explanations and context as well!

Best of luck! Let us know if you need anything at all and what your honest thoughts are!

As people have mentioned here, Sufism is incredibly misunderstood on multiple level by various types of people. It would be good to discuss some terms first:

1. Tasawwuf and Tazkiyah - these are common terms that are associated with Sufism. They both share similar meanings, I won't go into the details but basically both mean achieving spiritual purification. In essence, practicing tasawwuf is what Sufism is supposed to be about. To people who misunderstand these terms, or who look historically improper connotations associated with it, hearing the term "Tasawwuf" can mean running for the hills in fear of bidah (improper innovation in Islamic practices/worship/etc.). Unfortunately, tasawwuf as a term has the same problem that the terms "Islamic fundamentalism" have (Note that there is nothing wrong with wanting to follow the fundamentals of Islam, but clever wordplay by folks in the media have redefined this to mean "supports terrorism" in the same way that tasawwuf is associated with "practicing bidah"
   
   
2. Tariqah - This is the following of a sheikh or equivalent spiritual master to help achieve tasawwuf and the like. Consider this the same way that one might go to the same psychiatrist for therapy. The psychiatrist grows to understand your condition, and suggests exercises and approaches to help you deal with the problems. In the same way, following a tariqah allows one to use a path (like how 12 step programs work) in order to achieve spirituality. Tariqah is not necessary for tasawwuf. And not all tariqahs are equal, there are many that follow deviant ideologies and practices.
   
   
3. Ihsan - Here's a term that people are more likely to agree with. Ihsan is a difficult word to deal with, but everyone knows there are three dimensions to a Muslim - Iman, Islam, and Ihsan. Iman is faith itself (although that is such a limiting definition), Islam is the "what" (think the other 4 pillars) and Ihsan is the "how." It isn't "how" in terms of the action, but rather the state of your heart and intention. It's about purity in action. Tasawwuf is ultimately about attaining a high state of Ihsan.
   
   
4. Zuhd - This is another important term. Also difficult to explain, but in essence it is about avoiding attachments to this life. Zuhd is not about monasticism, and it's not about just refusing everything in this life. It's about understanding the big picture. The afterlife is the true life, this is just fleeting. If Allah gives you rizq and you earned it through halal means, enjoy it, provided you fulfill your obligations first. But if your happiness is focused on the accumulation of wealth, like our consumer society is, there is a problem. Zuhd is in many ways the opposite of riya, which is arrogance or showing off.
   
   
5. Shariah - Now here is a term that one accustomed to the popular (in the Western sense) impressions of Sufism. Shariah is the limits. Islam is not a religion where the ends justify the means. It sets the limits according to what Allah ordains is permissible and not. Feeding one's family is a requirement and an act of worship. Feeding one's family by stealing from your employer is not. Making dawah is incumbent on every believer. Forcing conversion is not. In the same manner, achieving a higher state of spirituality is of course something expected of the believer. Performing this outside the boundaries of the Shariah is not. Thus some practices that can be associated with Sufism (whirling dervishes, the use of narcotics, abandoning prayer on the pretense that you have achieved a higher level of spirituality, etc.) are impermissible.
   
   So what is Sufism really? In its true form, it is attaining spirituality within the bounds of the Shariah. There cannot be Sufism without Fiqh. Anything other than that is neither Sufism nor is it Islam. It becomes a sin. Sufism is not about monastic isolation, it is not about changing Islamic law, and it is not about having hallucinations of seeing Allah.
   
   What are good bases for achieving spirituality and tasawwuf? It all starts with purifying one's character. There are many great books on this topic. A lot of them are written by several scholars from the subcontinent, such as students of Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi. They had collections of ahadith and primers on tasawwuf to counteract the growing movement that was attacking Sufism from two sides: First, those who were so apprehensive about bidah that they rejected any notion of tasawwuf in Islam, and secondly, those who were so into spirituality that they abandoned the core responsibilities ordained to them by their maker.
   
   I've got titled in Urdu, but some good books in English are Purification of the Heart and Prohibitions of the Tongue (this might be out of print, I'll look for a PDF. It's translated from Mawlana Mawlud from Hamza Yusuf). In both books, the core is to first and foremost improve our character. If our character is poor, we cannot possibly achieve any spirituality. Oftentimes when people go abroad to study under scholars, they will find themselves forced to observe their teachers, and clean up the masjid, etc. The intent is to have the students first and foremost learn proper character before even opening a single text. That is what inculcates spirituality and tasawwuf.
   
   One thing to clarify when it comes to Sufis and Sufism. By following the Shariah, we all are trying to achieve the same destination, which is Jannah. Spirituality comes naturally to some, and is more difficult for others. The goal is not the trance. The goal is not to have visions and dreams of pious predecessors. The goal is Jannah.
   
   A great analogy that Sheikh Rami Nsour gave me was to look at life like a plane trip. The Shariah is our ticket, and it lets us board the plane. Some people have window seats, where along the way they might have a nice view of all kinds of amazing things along the way. Some have middle seats, where their view isn't as great. Others have aisle seats, who don't have any good view of things along the flight. However, what the passenger sees along the way does not change the destination. All the passengers, Insha Allah, are on the flight to the same destination, Jannah.
   
   I have some more that I could add to, but I'll leave it here. Anything that is good and true comes from Allah, and anything that is incorrect is a fault from my own self and I ask for forgiveness from you all and from Allah.
   
   Edit: added definition for zuhd

You'll have to forgive me I'm neither the most knowledgeable, intelligent or even the best choice as a role model. I am only someone who wants to help even if its weighted in terms of an atom.

In the name of the most gracious, the most merciful.

You won't turn into an imam overnight unfortunately however we are humans and intended to err. It is by design we commit sin, the only difference is those that ask for forgiveness afterwards. You seem to intend well and fortunately you have a goal which is miles ahead of some of your peers. In my experience (yes I have highs and lows) starting with the simplest thing than work your way up. First and foremost should be porn. That's a abyss without end so be extra careful. Try to quit slowly and inshallah days turn to weeks and on. As in try to maintain yourself for a bit then if you err your err but double your efforts next time. Fast if you have to until you succeed one day so on and so on. Second Start praying just the morning prayer than work your way gradually up but don't drag your feet and don't push too hard. Allah may give you a hard time now but thats only to lesson any punishment and possibly reward you. Your young and inshallah have a long and prosperous life ahead of you. Your fear of Allah probably stems from a lack of knowledge however you wanting him to be happy is something to think about. I say spend some time reading the Quran. A easy translation like oxfords MAS abdel haleem. If its okay with you I'll buy you a kindle copy. Educate yourself by reading some of the background info on chapters in the Quran then work your way up. There are free online courses or you can consider applying to the Zaytuna institue. Only You can hold yourself back. May Allah forgive us both and grant us patience, knowledge and save us from even the mere warmth of hellfire.

Edit: Typos and some wording.

I respect what you’re doing despite being an atheist. There’s a saying of the Prophet Muhammad peace be him which says

“None of you will believe until you love for your brother what you love for yourself." So honestly the greatest thing we possess as Muslims is this religion of ours. Therefore we want to invite others to it. There’s a lot of great contemporary speakers out there who focus on atheism like :

Mohammed Hijab - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHDFNoOk8WOXtHo8DIc8efQ

Abdullah Andalusi

Hamza Tzortzis

Hamza in particular has a book called “ Divine Reality” I would really recommend you give it a read .

The Divine Reality: God, Islam and the Mirage of Atheism https://www.amazon.com/dp/0996545387/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_gU5sDb0ZR486R

If you want, you can dm me and I’ll buy the book for you.

It takes time to research and learn about any theology. Islam is no exception.

I'd recommend looking into Scott Atran. Scott Atran is one of the worlds leading anthropologists. His publications are great and I'd recommend them all, but because we're on the interwebs I'll diversify it a bit.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5701806759199654816
^Scott Atran at Beyond Belief in '06. 40 minute lecture. Must watch. A crash course on Islam in the context of politics, news, and the West.

http://nationalinterest.org/bookreview/sam-harriss-guide-nearly-everything-4893
^His most recent publication- a review of Sam Harris' new book. I highly recommend reading this it's well worth it.

For an understanding of Islam, you have to turn to the Qur'an. But it really is not easy to just pick up and read. It requires a lot of knowledge about context, translation, format and other things.

http://www.ted.com/talks/lesley_hazelton_on_reading_the_koran.html
^Lezley Hazelton's introduction to get you motivated. Good watch.

I also recommend "Approaching the Qur'an" by Michael Sells. It explains context, significance of translation, and the importance of interpretation. It's a great short book that is pretty widely available.

http://www.amazon.com/Approaching-Quran-Revelations-MIchael-Sells/dp/1883991692/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1308671898&sr=8-1

More? Nouman Ali Khan's story is interesting and you might find it worth watching if you're interested. A Muslim who became an atheist but turned back to Islam and became a scholar. His videos are all over youtube and very informative. His story: http://youtu.be/FD8AWqMUv18

OK, in the interest of full disclosure I am not Muslim. However I have a degree in Islamic studies, studied Arabic in the Middle East, and have weekly Quran studies in my home.

So, first of all it is important to know that the original Qur'an is in Arabic, and many Muslims believe that in order to truly be able to understand the message of the Qur'an, you must read it in Arabic. That said, there are countless translations (some refer to them as "interpretations") of the Qur'an.

Two things to know about the Qur'an before you start. 1) As far as we know, the text of the Qur'an we have today is believed to be the same as the one recited during the life of the Prophet Muhammed. (PBUH). Unlike the Bible, the Qur'an is not a collection of stories from various sources of hundreds of years. The Qur'an as it is today is as far as we know exactly the same now as it was during the life of Muhammad. 2) The Qur'an itself is organized more or less in order from the longest chapter to the shortest. So for someone unfamiliar with the Qur'an it can be a little intimidating to start reading from beginning to end.

So, since I have lots of experience with the Qur'an, both in Arabic and English, and I have lots of experience with teaching others about it, I have learned a couple things to make it easier for people who are reading it for the first time that you might find helpful.

First, rather than read the Qur'an in the order it is traditionally arranged in, I find that it is better to read it in chronological order that the chapters were revealed in, meaning you will read it in the order that the Prophet Muhammad received the chapters from Allah. Just imagine yourself as a Arab in the 7th century who was used to hearing about pagan religion, so this on God concept is new to you. So if you look at this list you will see in the column on the far right the number of the chapters, 96 being the first one, 68 being the second one, etc.. So you will pick up your Qur'an and turn to chapter 96, then go to chapter 68 and so forth.

Second, you need to decide on a translation. Everyone has an opinion in this matter as to which translation is the best. Honestly no translation is perfect, and if you want to really understand the Qur'an you will need to read it several times. But based on my experience I have found Western English speakers do best with is the Haleem translation. The Haleem English is easy to understand, and the notes are just enough to give you some context for each chapter. So my advice is to pick up that translation and begin reading it in chronological order. I literally own dozens of translations, and have tested them all with English speakers and people new to the Qur'an, Haleem's really stands out as the easiest to understand for people new to the Qur'an.

For an idea of what your journey will be like reading the Qur'an, check out this video from Lesley Hazelton.

Did you find a place to ask a similar question about the Bible? I would be interested to know what people tell you.

Not every Verse in the Qur'an will have a Hadith assigned to it. However, the Study Qur'an was just released, and it will provide you 'tafsir' on every single verse. I have yet to purchase it, otherwise I would have shared with you here the exact explanation specified in that book.

> I don't know how to respond when what it is clearly stating in English is that slaves are exempt from 4:24

My friend, Verse 4:24 clearly states in English "those your right hands possess". In Verse 4:25, it clearly states in English "And whoever among you cannot [find] the means to marry free, believing women, then [he may marry] from those whom your right hands possess of believing slave girls.".

Let's review this one more time, for my English speaking friend.

The second verse tells you, if you do not have the means to marry the women specified in the earlier verses (including "those your right hands possess" as specified in Verse 4:24), then you may marry from those whom your right hands possess of believing slave girls. Gasp! A distinction was made! Didn't you present me with a distinction in the other post? Surely you understand this concept.

> Do you not accept that slavery exists in the Koran?

The Qur'an accepts that slavery was an institution and fabric of society. The Qur'an was revealed during a time when slavery existed. Yet, not once in the Qur'an is the believer commanded to beat the slave, or to force conversion on the slave.

And do not compel your slave girls to prostitution, to seek [thereby] the temporary interests of worldly life. (24:33)

Instead the Qur'an consistently reminds you that God is watching, and promises a heavenly reward for the freeing of slaves.

C'mon, it's so obvious man! I'm trying to help you out here. I want you to understand the truth! I know you don't think you need what I have to offer, but I am sharing this all with you for the sake of my Lord, and for your sake, out of the love I have for you—even if you perceive it to be a fruitless effort. The Prophet Muhammad used to cry for those who would declare themselves as his enemies, and he prayed that they would be guided. One of the Prophet's first companions was a HUGE dude, who initially wanted to kill the Prophet when he discovered that Muhammad was preaching of God different from what the Meccans worshiped (until he heard the Qur'an for the first time and began to weep, then instantly submitted to Allah).

> In any case, I'm glad that you don't support slavery. Alas, I wish all Muslims of humanity shared your sentiment.

Most Muslims around the world already do share my sentiment, my friend. Muslims believe all humans will be judged for every single little thing, and can be punished for every little thing, if we are not forgiven through God's mercy. Many Muslims are hesitant to even kill a fly in their home.

Nonetheless, we will agree to disagree. You are reluctant to share my understanding of Islam, as your mind has already generated a negative perception of Islam and the Prophet Muhammad. I would not follow a religion which I knew was inherently evil. I am confident that your interpretations of the Qur'an false, but if you are sincere with your understanding of Islam, and if you are sincere to know the truth, then there is no judgement upon you.


Lastly, if you are sincere about wanting to learn the truth, it couldn't hurt to listen for five minutes or so. You should at least be presented with what we believe is divine language. Just 5 minutes :D

This is correct in terms of both contemporary Sunni and Shi'i Islam. Scholars are generally recognized by their erudition and contributions to the theory and/or application of Islamic (as well as other areas such as theology, Qur'anic exegesis, spiritual practice, etc.).

I can comment more on the situation in Twelver Shi'ism, as I am a Twelver Shi'i Muslim myself. Twelver Shi'ism will appear to have more of a hierarchical structure or at least exhibit more centrality than what is seen in the Sunni world, but it's still very far form the central hierachy of the Catholic clergly. While often finds comparisons between the Shi'i scholars and the catholic clergy in the media and even in the academic literature, these comparisons are often misguided, and at the very least reductive. Basically, within Twelver Shi'ism since the late eighteenth (or perhaps more accurately/practically, the mid-nineteenth century), the common practice has been for the laity to follow the rulings of the most learned scholar that has the authority to exercise independent legal judgements (although these are still, at least nominally, only derivations made from the source material, the Qur'an and ahadith, rather than original legislation); they would also pay the khums tax to this scholar if applicable, which among other things, funds the seminaries. At various points in time one figure would be seen by the vast majority as the most learned, but at other points in time (such as the current era), there would be multiple figures with large followings. Virtually anyone could announce themselves as a learned scholar, but to be taken seriously by much of the population, and indeed by ones peers, one would typically need to study in one of several seminaries (which today would primarily be those in Qum, Iran and to a lesser extent in Najafi, Iraq) under well-known teachers (generally, the most recognized scholars of the previous generation). Things have become more complicated since the Islamic Revolution in Iran, where the lines between scholarship and public service (i.e., holding positions of political power) are becoming blurred.

The situation within contemporary Sunni Islam is even more decentralized. For one things, there are four major legal schools within Sunni Islam, and then there's also the Salafi movement that exists outside of those legal schools. Moreover, scholarship even within the same legal school can be quite different based on geography. For example, the Hanafi school is the primary school followed in both Asia Minor (e.g., Turkey) and Central/South Asia, but as I've heard there's quite a difference between the practice of the religion, even in its more legal dimensions, between say Turkey and Pakistan; in fact even within South Asia, there are multiple approaches taken by Hanafi Sunni Musilms that lead to quite different expressions of religion, and each will have their own scholars.

Moreover, the prestige of centers of learning within Sunni Islam have also been in flux lately. One of the issues in Sunni scholarship today is that whereas in Shi'i Islam centers of learning are primarily funded through khums, in Sunni Islam they've historically relied mainly on awqaf (charitable endowments, the singular form is waqf), and these were regulated if not outright taken by modern nation states in the contemporary era. In fact, modern (often secular) nation states in the Islamic world began to increasingly oversee and regulate the formal practice of religion and its scholarship within their borders. Therefore, scholars became increasingly dependent on the state for support, so you have something like national hierarchies forming, with say, a grand mufti at the head. This in term led to the prestige of centers of learning such as Al-Azhar university in Cairo, Egypt to fall in the eyes of many, as they were seen as being co-opted by the state (although the relationship between scholars and temporal power has always been tenuous and tricky in both the Sunni and Shi'i traditions). Simultaneously, we've seen increasing prestige associated with the Salafi expression of Islam (with centers of learning in Saudi Arabia), which ostensibly eschews all hierarchy even more rigorously than what's seen in other expressions of Islam, by rejecting the legal schools. However, some would contend that effectively, much of Salafi practice comes from treating a small number of contemporary scholars as authorities.

Of course there are other Muslim groups, so we can briefly cover them. Zaydi Shi'ism also has a rich history of scholarship, based primarily in Yemen, but I'm less familiar with that to comment (and at various times throughout history the lines between Zaydi scholarship and Sunni scholarship have become blended), and I know virtually nothing about Ibadi scholarship (which is a school of thought that is neither Shi'i nor Sunni, largely based in Oman), and ditto for Zahiri scholarship (sometimes considered a fifth school in Sunni Islam). I should add that the Nizari Ismaili Shi'i community does feature a type of hierarchy, in that they have a present living Imam who carries the charismatic authority of the Prophet (saws), as opposed to the hidden Imam of the Twelver Shi'is; this Imam can act as an infallible. But really this is one charismatic figure, who essentially acts like a head of state without a territory in the modern world, surrounded by a bureaucracy. For more information, you can look up the Agha Khan Development Network (AKDN). I should add though that Nizari Isma'ilis today resemble something that is basically unrecognizable when compared to normative Sunni, Twelver/Zaidi/Shi'i, and Ibadi Islam.

There are also Sufi groups, most of which fall within Sunni Islam legally speaking, but some of which are not strictly speaking Sunni (and might actually be affiliated with Twelver Shi'ism, even though Sufism is generally viewed upon negatively in that tradition). Here you might have some hierarchy within a tariqa but that's different. There are also antinomian Sufi groups, which do their own thing and don't really follow Islamic law. These may exhibit some cult-like tendencies, where you have a charismatic community built around one or a small group of leaders, but here I'm just speculating as this is pretty far from the areas I'm knowledgeable about.

In short, aside from these mystical/antinomian persuasions, in theory, a scholar in Islam is really no different than a member of the laity in religious/theological terms, except for their ability to issue rulings on religious law. Although I don't know much about Catholicism (so take this with a grain or few of salt), I guess you can think of Muslim scholars as something in between a lay theologian and a canon lawyer I guess. In practice, of course, they serve in a distinct social/cultural role, and do things like leading prayers, officiating marriages, handling burial rites, counseling people and giving them advice, etc., although a qualified lay individual can fulfill all these functions too.

For further reading on Sunni scholarship, see Jonathan A.C. Brown's Misquoting Muhammad: The Challenge and Choices of Interpreting the Prophet's Legacy, and for further reading on Shi'i scholarship, see Roy Mottahedeh's The Mantle of the Prophet.

Wa `alaykum,

I'll let others recommend websites. In terms of books, there's a lot of material in English available, but it can be tough to find stuff that's well-written. I've found many books to unfortunately be written in very dry and unengaging language due to the challenges of translations.

That being said, here are a few gems that I've come across:

• Suzanne Haneef's book What Everyone Should Know About Islam and Muslims serves as an excellent primer on Islam. The author is a female convert, and I think she offers a unique perspective female readers will appreciate.
  
• Martin Ling's Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources is an excellent English biography of the Prophet (s.). The book reads like a story as opposed to a dull recitation of dates and incidents. You'll encounter many names as the book progresses, but don't get overwhelmed. Lastly, the author made some mistakes that have been corrected by respected Islamic scholars (feel free to ask or PM if interested and I'll post/forward a link for more info) but for the most part I think it represents an excellent resource for the English reader.
  
• I have not read the translation in full myself, but I have heard a lot of praise for M.A.S. Abdel Haleem's translation of the Qur'an from Muslims involved in introducing non-Muslims to Islam.
  
  Hope this helps!

"The Study Qur'an" cites multiple tafsir, which I quite like.



The problem is that many of the more readily available tafsir are more conservative, or have a wahabi bend to them, which can give you a false impression that all Muslims agree with certain statements. The Hilali-Khan translation/tafsir is just a summarized version of Ibn Kathir, which is a Salafist interpretation. (Again, I urge that anyone study tafsir from multiple schools of thought, and I am not bashing any one sect, it's just that there are many, many, many interpretations of the text and a knowledge of more than one is beneficial.)



Yusuf Ali's commentary is good, and in fact his Qur'an was the gold standard for the last 100 years in English. It's probably a bit old fashioned for most, though.



Muhammad Assad's is very good. Extremely good, and the one 90% of people would reccomend, and one you should just get anyway. Though some of his commentary is not inline with Islamic thought (his views on Jesus, for example, are controversial in general), but you should read any tafsir with a grain of salt.


Ma'ariful Qur'an is an excellent modern tafsir. Usmani was a Hanbali or Hanafi, I believe, but manages to be neutral and quite moderate in his commentary. The cost of the full 8 volume set is a bit much, but you can get a cheap version from India for a low price if you don't mind imperfect binding (I found all 8 volumes in a local shop for around 60$ CAD, which is awesome.).



If you want to read an AMAZING Shi'a commentary (you likely are not Shi'a, but still.....people should understand multiple views on any topic whether or not you agree), then Tafsir al-Mizan is incredible. It's not 100% translated into English yet, but it is available for free online. Whether Shi'a or Sunni, I think it can be agreed that Muhammad Husayn at-Tabataba'i was a great scholar.


The only work in English which includes multiple tafsir from multiple schools and multiple writers is the Study Qur'an, and it is insanely exhaustive, listing all of the sources and even telling the reader where to go and read most of the tafsir cited on the internet. It's amazing. Spend the money and also buy some "Bible highlighters" (the kind that work on thin pages). (I have been using a regular Staples brand "Hype!" highlighter and it doesn't bleed through, though, so the pages are quite tough despite being thin. Pen doesn't go through either, as I have been underlining quite a lot and have had no problems, but I would still recommend a .005 fine line marker just in case.]


If you are a cheapskate, go to altafsir.org, which is what "The Study Qur'an" advises also. You can either search for individual verses and pull up different classical tafsir for that verse, or just download/read a PDF of an entire tafsir if you prefer. Tafsir al-Jalalayn is, as I understand, the most universally used in teaching Qur'an because it is short, and only provides the context of revelation for verses. You may want more in-depth tafsir, but al-Jalalayn has been the jumping off point for Muslims for 500 years. And is available on altafsir.


tl;dr - "The Study Qur'an"

>rejecting anything in Islam that does not go along with their subjective morality

You are assuming here. Do you know the amount of disagreement traditional scholars and schools of thought have on almost anything? Were they using their subjective morality? No of course not. They were victims of their cultural and historic backgrounds. You can say the same about liberals but i would suggest you don't ascribe intention to them in a blanket statement like this. Otherwise you will be calling Mufti Abu Layth, Dr. Shabir Ally, even Dr. Brown liberals who just follow their whims. (btw, please read this)

>you cannot do so while hand waving away things like modesty and hijab, the difference in roles of men and women, the role of shari'ah in our lives, etc

Thats not what the problem is at all. First of all, things are not black and white as you seem to think. Also the issue is spending 99.999% of time in these issues. Spending our lives doing nothing but following rote dogma. The world is crumbling around us and all we seem to want to do is close our eyes and recite Allah HoAkbar 30 times, 3 times a day and after each prayer and before sleeping and after waking up immediately and before wudu and ... Is that the Islam you think God wants you to practice? Or the balanced one where you wake up thinking to yourself how you can help those around you while saying your prayers and dressing modest?

>You also then cannot pick and choose the most liberal opinion on every issue simply because you agree with it

lol, nobody does that. Thats just a convenient strawman the traditionalists set up to attack. The truth of the matter is that we have a rich history of diverse opinions on anything, wine from grapes vs other sorts of wine, music, apostasy, punishment for adultery, definition of modest dress etc. We even have a huge diversity in philosophical thought. I mean for heaven's sake the Mutazilites were the state sponsored religion for over 30 years! and this is early Islamic history. Then you have philosophers like Ibn Sina and Averroes amongst others who were rationalists and this is all early Islam. How can you now come 1400 years later and say that the earliest muslims had it completely wrong? Its not about right or wrong. Its not about black or white. Religion, like anything in life is nuanced.

>then rejecting the same scholar on another issue simply because they disagree with his conclusion

God gave you intellect. God asks you to question things and to find out the truth using your intellect. You agree with one scholarly opinion based on his/her evidences and you disagree with another because a lack of evidence or because another scholar has a stronger evidence in that case. What is wrong with that? Or do you want to disobey God and just follow a scholar blindly? I agree with the case Dr. Brown makes for why women can lead men in mixed congregation from behind as he laid out in his book. I have not found any sensible rebuttal to that yet. I disagree with Dr. Brown on the age of Aisha. Whenever he has talked about the age, he has never once addressed the multiple other evidences such as her joining Badr, her conversion to Islam etc. So how can I just close my intellect, become a dumb animal, and say that since Dr. Brown opines it, i believe it?

Ultimately, I alone will answer for my beliefs and actions in front of God. May God guide me to what is right and correct and protect me from ideas and thoughts that are against His will.

(courtesy of /u/lightnlng):


Check what you like from this list of Resources. I recommend starting with the Quran and a biography of prophet Muhammad (pbuh). If you want books, these ones are popular:

• [Book] The Message of the Qur'an - Muhammad Asad, if you're looking for the Quran in book form, this has helpful commentary to provide a thorough understanding.
  
  
• [Book] Quran - Abdel Haleem, another Quran in book form, this one is written in extremely clear modern English that makes it easy and pleasurable to read.
  
  
• [Book] Muhammad Man and Prophet - Adil Salahi, a Complete Study of the Life of the Prophet, from birth in the Arabian desert to the triumph of Islam and its gaining a permanent hold on Arabia.
  
  
• [Book] In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad - Tariq Ramadan, presents the main events of the Prophet's life in a way that highlights his spiritual and ethical teachings.
  
  ----
  
  Introduction book to Islam:
  
  
• [Book] Islam and the Destiny of Man - Charles Le Gai Eaton, introduction to Islam aimed at the Westerner. Online PDF
  
  -----
  
  Some popular videos on YouTube:
  
  
• [Video] How the Bible Led Me to Islam - Joshua Evans, former Christian youth minister conveys his journey to Islam.
  
  
• [Video] The DeenShow - a talk show that introduces many of the basic teachings of Islam and addresses common misconceptions. Their website here.
  
  
  
• [Video] The Purpose of Life - Khalid Yasin, gives a comprehensive lecture on the fundamental question that every human being must ask: "What is the purpose of life?"

Other posters are correct, feel free to read the book front to back. A Muslim friend of mine recommended to me The Message of the Qur'an it's a very good modern translation into English and has an extensive scholarly apparatus and footnotes. It is not a "readers" copy, it's intended for serious academic study. I also bought The Book of Hadith at the same time.

A few points worth keeping in mind:

1. From the point of view of Islam, "translation" of the Quran is not technically possible. All translations are, functionally considered something akin to paraphrases or commentaries on the original classical Arabic.
   
2. Although the Quran is perfectly approachable read front to back, your suspicions are correct, the text is not chronological. This is important because some passages have the function of abrogating other passages in chronological manner.
   
3. There text, in a way, assumes knowledge on the part of the reader that you won't have. All religious texts and many historical texts do this too. So, I suggest getting used to reading haditha and various events in the Quran. These are legends surrounding Muhammad. Be advised there is a "sorting system" that hadith have that rank their credibility. Roughly, someone who claims to be an eye witness to an event is given more weight than an individual asserting a fact writing 200 years after said event, and so-forth.
   
4. I may be getting confused here, but if memory serves, there is a sacred (or quasi-sacred) biography of Muhammad that might help you wrap your mind around the historical goings on in the text of the Quran as well. I can't recall the Arabic name of this commentary off the top of my head. Perhaps /u/Comrox or /u/TheOneFreeEngineer would do me the kindness of supplying the name of that text or clearing up my confusion. This text is distinct from a source critical biography in the modern scholarly sense, which surely would also help you, but bear in mind it is a religious document and contains its own religious bias.
   
   I hope this helps. Good luck wrapping your mind around the texts.

You should read the Qur'an. That might help increase your faith. Also, read about Imam Ali (a.s) the son of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him and his progeny). There is a good book called "In the footsteps of the Prophet (a.s)". You can look it up to see how our Prophet lived. Also look up the Nahjul Balagha, or "Peak of Eloquence" which is about Imam Ali (a.s). This book has strengthened countless people's faith in God. There is a hadiths which I roughly translate saying "If I am the city of knowledge, then Ali is the gate".

We are translating from Arabic to English, so if anything upsets you please send me a message. I have come across bad translations, and passages which need clarification. That said, this is my favorite English Qur'an, because it is so well translated, and it's language is not Old-English.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957

This is a free online link to the Nahjul Balagha. I have not read it, but I do have two copies of this book with different publishers. One of them slanders Imam Ali (a.s), because of the terrible printing job they did. Know that this man did not commit any sins, because he is a part of the household of the Prophet that was purified by God. This is a major event, and you can research it. Tell me if there are errors, and I can try to send you a better link InshaAllah. I highly recommend going to the sayings, and then going back to the lessons.
http://www.al-islam.org/nahjul/index.htm

Again Arabic can be poorly translated, and context is often left out in these quotes. For ex. There is a saying where he compares women to scorpions. I told my friend, and he told me it meant bad women, and not all women. ( phew )

http://www.amazon.com/Footsteps-Prophet-Lessons-Life-Muhammad/dp/0195374762/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372348452&sr=1-1&keywords=tariq+ramadan

This book is pretty clear, and is also popular. The guy is an excellent translator.

My boyfriend came back from the c-stop shop with a small surprise. Earlier we had been talking about Doritos (he works at Taco Bell) and I mentioned that my favorite were Cool Ranch. Typically, he's pretty absentminded so I never expected him to remember that, but he brought a bag home with some Vanilla Cokes, which are my favorite soda as well. It was just a really sweet gesture after a super busy day of work.

This book on Sacred Geometry would be a real treat as well!

>Could you kindly point me to any content which I have copied and pasted from anti-Islamic websites please.

Here
and here

If you did the research yourself, then you didn't do a very good job of it and it would be quite obvious that you were looking for something to hate about Islam. Probably because you think all religions are the same, and Islam MUST be exactly like Christianity. Your lack of knowledge in Islam shows that. All of those "arguments" you posted are EASILY findable in Google, probably within the first page of results. It's the same arguments over and over again and it's become cliche to the internet Muslims. We just roll our eyes, like how you roll your eyes when a Christian comes to you preaching about Jesus. These so called "issues" have been refuted over and over again, and many of them can simply be refuted with just a basic understanding in Islam.

>If your holy book makes you look silly, why not pick a new one?

Looks silly to who? Someone who isn't Muslim? Why should I listen to them for?

>Please point me to better translations so I can learn.

Here is a good translation, with some commentary. If you want to go all out on commentary then get this. And this is the abridged version. It's translated from 11th century Arabic, but at least its 400 years newer than the Qur'an. You might be able to borrow a volume or two from your local mosque. However, do not make the claim that just because you read a couple of books on Islam, you are some sort of scholar. If I read "A Brief History of Time", it does not make me an astrophysicist.

>If pointing out what it says in your holy book is so irritating to you, what does that tell you about your holy book?

It tells me that the Qur'an was correct about non-Muslims after all. But since you read the entire Qur'an, you already know what I mean.

>further comment on your remark on the fairness of the Qu'ran's translations and scientific accuracy: why is it that the salt and fresh water thing and creationism are still taught in modern Islamic schools even in Europe?

I can't access youtube since I'm at work. Creationism in Islam is different than creationism in Christianity. Read this if you're interested.

As for the fresh water/salt water thing, this thread does a pretty good job explaining it.

Open mind, remember.

Hadith book collections such as Al-Buhkari are basically a collection of hadiths organized topically. It doesn't provide much in the department of context and what rulings can be derived from each hadith. some hadiths were valid for a set period of time for specific circumstances and then the rule changed later. Scholars call this "Al-Nasikh wa al-Mansukh" and it is found in the hadith as well as the Quran.

My point is that books like Al-Buhkari are meant as raw data for scholars who study the context and the reasons and the conclusions of rulings in the hadith. Not for the layman to causally read through.

If you want to read hadiths that are organized for the layman here are a few suggestions from the sidebar:


---
____LIFE OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD____

• [Video] Biography of Muhammad (pbuh) Video Series - Yasir Qadhi, detailed, very lengthy biography video series. A condensed video series here.
  
  
• [Book] Muhammad Man and Prophet: A Complete Study of the Life of the Prophet of Islam - Adil Salahi, from birth in the Arabian desert to the triumph of Islam and its gaining a permanent hold on Arabia.
  
  
• [Book] Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources - Martin Lings, very detailed and thorough biography based on the earliest sources. Recommended by many, (but relies on a few unauthentic sources).
  
  
• [Audio] The Life of the Prophet Muhammad - Hamza Yusuf, brilliant narration that was originally presented in a twelve week course based on the above book by Martin Lings.
  
  
• [Book] Muhammad (Critical Lives) - Yahiya Emerick, a simple concise, informative biography.
  
  
• [Book] In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad - Tariq Ramadan, presents the main events of the Prophet's life in a way that highlights his spiritual and ethical teachings.
  
  
• [Web] The Sealed Nectar - Saifur Rahman al-Mubarakpuri, Popular and accurate account of the life of Muhammad (pbuh). Alternative link.
  
  
  ---
  
  ---
  ____HADITH/SUNNAH____
  
  
• [Video] An Introduction to Hadith - Jonathan Brown, 1 hour introduction to the narrations of Muhammad (pbuh). Some questions about hadith answered.
  
  
• [Web] Imam Nawawi's Forty Hadith - Learn and study 42 popular hadith compiled by the famous al-Nawawi with audio commentary. Notes on al-Nawawi and his compilations for more clarity.
  
  
• [Book] Riyad-us-Saliheen - Imam Al-Nawawi, A popular and useful compilation of authentic hadith, covering every aspect of Islamic belief and moral conduct. Read it online or listen to audio.
  
  
• [Web] Sunnah - Hadith books. Note: some of these hadith compilations are specialized books and not for the layman to causally read through. This link is for reference.
  
  
• [Book] Hadith: Muhammad's Legacy in the Medieval and Modern World - Jonathan Brown, provides a detailed exploration of the collection and criticism of hadith and examines the controversy surrounding its role in modern Islam.
  
  ---
  
  
  ^^credit ^^for ^^preparing ^^the ^^list ^^goes ^^to ^^/u/LIGHTNlNG
  ^

Easily the most outstanding translation of them all is the Muhammad Asad (Leopold Weiss) translation of the Quran. It can be found here

After that I'd have to say Allamah Noorruddin's translation here. Excellent translation. And as a book itself, probably the best. Leather bound. It's something to pass on to children and read many times.

After that I prefer Arberry's translation. He was a Cambridge linguist. He was non-muslim, but he had excellent command of the language.

Following that I prefer Mohammad Marmaduke Pickthall's translation. He was one of the first English muslims. Converted, learnt the language, translated it.

After that I'd go with Yusuf Ali, an Indian-born muslim with a western education. For some odd reason, his translation and Shakir's translation are the 2 most common ones, although easily out done by Muhammad Asad's. Asad was born Leopold Weiss, a Polish Jew. He moved to the middle east, spent time with the bedouin, learnt the language, and created an utterly brilliant translation that I've linked to.


EDIT: Just a note on myself. I've read about 5 english translations. I would avoid the Sahih International, as well as the Shakir one. They are influenced too much by the Saudi authorities. I've skimmed through Haleem's version, which others have mentioned here. It seemed really good. But go with Asad, you won't regret it.

> He says the Bible is the true word of God because every book in the Bible has the same topic

That's not a good litmus test. Having the same topic or message is not a miracle. You would have to include books like Frankenstein into the canon since it was also a continuation of the story of Adam and his fall.

>He also says that everything prophesised by the Bible eventually came true, like the destruction of Babylon

Every empire crumbles. This is not hard to predict.

> I still consider myself an atheist but I want to know God.

Ask God to guide you. If He guides you to the Quran (and it sounds like He has) then pour over it like any researcher looking for answers. When you feel you've exhausted it, move on. You don't need to learn Arabic, but you should know how to read the genre of literature that is the Quran. I highly recommend to everyone Carl Ernst's How to Read the Quran. I assigned this to my university students along with Michael Sells Approaching the Quran.

But to answer you question in brief, the first revelation of the Quran begins "Read! In the Name of your Lord who creates, He creates humanity as an embryo"

You are still an embryo in the womb of the Quran where all your human faculties are being nurtured. If you become aware of your fleeting and transitory existence, then God's message to you has succeeded in transforming you.

heres for your 4:34 here you go, these are passages from the study quran book that i have. i'm sure youll find your answers here

Heres a video from nouman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1azySjz4edk

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 628 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah The Prophet (saws) said: Among the Muslims the most perfect, as regards his faith, is the one whose character is excellent, and the best among you are those who treat their wives well


idk the answer to your first question allah knows best.

I like these kinds of questions coz I get to use bulletpoints. I love bulletpoints.


Is it okay to use a video of a guy praying certain prayers....

• Starting to Pray
  
• Can I Say The Prayer in English?
  
  
• Learning to Pray, Will My Prayers Be Accepted??
  
  What is the obligatory length I must trim.....
  
  
• I'd say take things easy in the beginning, as you grow and learn, application becomes natural.
  
• But to answer your questions ==> Ibn Umar relates that Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said: "To shave the pubic hair, to clip the nails, and to cut the moustaches short, are all characteristics of the natural way (fitrah)." ~Bukhari
  
  What are the requirements for a marriage to a Christian woman....
  
  
• I don't know. But you best consult a scholar beforehand because Christian women have scared rights when married to Muslim man. You'll be a thousand times better off asking all sorts of questions before you get married so that both of you have no misunderstandings.
  
• For scholars, submit questions here: http://aboutislam.net/ask-the-scholar-submit-question/
  
• For counselors (if you prefer advice): http://aboutislam.net/ask-the-counselor-submit-question/
  
  
  Where can I read more into the authentic ahadith....
  
  
• Dr. Jonathan A.C. Brown - An Introduction to Hadith (video)
  
• Dr. Jonathan A.C. Brown - Hadith Filters - Verifying and Understanding Hadith (video)
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Hadith-Muhammads-Legacy-Medieval-Foundations/dp/1851686630 (book)
  
  Where does the idea of praying 5 times a day come from in the ahadith? The Qur'an only mentions 3.
  
  
• Some hadith about the 5
  
• Here are the verses that mention the 5
  

>Very grateful for your reply, uwootm8. I googled "criterion of multiple attestation" in an attempt to learn more about this method. "Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim" will definitely take a look at those too. You mentioned "Ibn Ishaaq", are there other ((early)) Muslim historians who were more scrutinizing to Seerah than him? historians who made sure their stories are (as correct as it can get given the available resources of that time)? Thanks again.

Just FYI the subreddit filters out all submissions from new account, nobody can see them except if they click your username.

I am not certain of how much scrutiny was put in. Given the massive size of ibn ishaaq's collection, I tend to think he wrote everything he heard. There is another early historian named Tabari. He flat out just says that he is not judging anything he hears, he's just writing it down. Perhaps that could indicate how the early historians approached seerah. But, ibn ishaaq is pretty much the primary source nowadays. If you are critical of the work I think you can puzzle out the general life of the Prophet. The Qur'an helps in this regard, as do the hadith.

If you're interested in learning more about hadith, I would recommend this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Hadith-Muhammads-Legacy-Medieval-Foundations/dp/1851686630/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411856221&sr=8-1&keywords=jonathan+brown+hadith

It's one of the best intro's I've read.

Additions:

Lives of other Prophets Series

• [Video] Lives of the Prophets - Series of 31 lectures by Sheikh Shady on the lives of the Prophets from Adam (AS) to Isa (AS).
  
  
• [Video] Stories Of The Prophets - Series of 30 lectures by Mufti Menk on the lives and stories of the Prophets from Adam (AS) to Isa (AS).
  
  End times, Death, Hereafter
  
  
• [Video] Death and the Hereafter - Series of 10 or so lectures by Sheikh Shady on what happens during and after death. Also, the minor and major signs that would occur until the end of times.
  
  
• [Video] Signs of Day of Judgement - Series of multiple lectures on the signs of the day of judgement by Sh. Yaser Birjas.
  
  Seerah (Life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
  
  
• [Video] Seerah - Series of 47 lectures on the signs of the life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) by Sheikh Shady.
  
  Understand the Quran
  
  
• [Video] Story Night - How Allah(swt) wrote/directed the Quran with analogies to popular works of flim and stories. Another way of looking at it is that why does it seem the Quran is out of order sometimes? Noman Ali Kahn mainly talks about the story of Musa (AS) and how ayats pertaining to his story are written.
  
  
• [Book] The Qur'an by M. A. S. Abdel Haleem - Translation of the Quran with modern English vernacular.
  
  
• [Book] Approaching the Qur'an: The Early Revelations by Michael Sells - There's a chapter that goes in depth about how the pre-Islamic Arabs previved the concept of love and the female beloved character layla and what Islam changed about this concept.
  
  
• [Book] No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam by Reza Aslan -- Covers lots of topics, excellent writing overall.
  
  
• [Audio] Fahm al-Qur'an - Tafseer of the entire Quran in very simple English. The commentary is by a female scholar, Amina Elahi so it's a good tafseer for gatherings with a lot sisters but obviously anyone can listen. Best way to make the most of this tafseer and others like it is to have a translated copy of the Quran in front of you and some highlighters, sticky notes and a dedicated notebook and just scribble away as you listen. BTW, if you have a Muslim friend(s) who is/are interested in Islam and you don't have access to a teacher or w/e, have a listening party/gathering with these lectures once a week. Since each lecture is 2 hrs long, in 30 weeks, you will have finished the tafseer of the entire Quran and you have a notebook filled with notes and a translated Quran that is now colorful and filled with notes.

Make sincere du'a to draw closer to Allah. He is the turner of hearts, and one of the most frequent du'as that the Prophet saw made was for Allah to strengthen his heart on Islam.
Dua here: http://muslimmatters.org/2010/07/08/the-supplication-series-the-forgotten-piece-of-flesh/

Read the Qur'an! I recommend this translation by Emerick SO Highly http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1450549535/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687502&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1451506910&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0WG5P7TSGY6RSPY18RRT

It has tafsir and context of the ayahs, and it makes you feel like you are really understanding it for the first time. I would read it and shake because it was like Allah was really talking to me. If you find another version that does that for it, connect with it.

Dhikr - keep you mind and tongue busy with remembering Allah - recite Qur'an, listen to Qur'an, make dua (in English is fine, or any language!), even just subhanallah wa bihamdihi (http://sunnah.com/bukhari/83/59)

Don't despair of Allah's mercy! Indeed He forgives all sins. http://quran.com/39/53

cyber hug

It's not easy but it's part of the test. Remember Allah is aware of Everything you do. I'd recommend reading books such as Controlling your Desires by imam Ghazali.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Al-Ghazali-Disciplining-Soul-Breaking-Desires/dp/0946621438

Or something like this to increase your connection with Allah.
http://www.khanqah.co.za/pdf/connection_with_allah.pdf

Not sure about your personal situation but is marriage an option?

Personally for me it would be a combination of not even letting the thoughts enter my mind (seeking refuge from shaytan) combining with some dhikr.

Also, try to attend congrational prayers and dhikr, as being around others with the same focus can strengthen the heart.

Ultimately pray that Allah gives you the strength to persevere.

No God but God by Reza Aslan is a great scholarly view on the history of Islam.

The Study Quran is a great Quran and Quranic analysis/annotation.

However, with religion, it is important you are critical of everything you read, and you try to check sources on everything, because there is a lot of misinformation out there due to 1400 years of translation and interpretation errors. Even my own interpretation could be wrong, although I've tried to make it as accurate as possible.

Also, be open to having your own interpretation of the Quran instead of looking for others'. The whole point of Islam is that it's a personal spiritual journey, so the interpretation has to be your own. That doesn't mean you can choose to misinterpret clear directions (like don't kill people), but it does allow for some flexibility in the belief system. In the end, a holy text is only what you want it to be - it's a reflection of your own state of mind. Misguided people will have a misguided interpretation, while good people will have a good interpretation.

You may not like my answer, but in the end it's up to you how you feel about this issue. First let me say that wikiislam is a propaganda islamophobic website. If I were to want information on Christianity, I would ask a Priest or a scholar of Christianity. So please don't read what you find on propaganda websites, some things are outright fabrications, others are taken out of context, others are misattributed etc. etc. So please don't read from those websites, but read from Muslim sources. If you are really sincere in what you say, you can do various things.

Read ''In the Footsteps of the Prophet'' by Dr. Tariq Ramadan, Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at Oxford University. He's a Muslim. He's well versed. He writes amazingly.

Read ''Muhammad: Man and Prophet'' by Adil Salahi. Book is somewhat expensive, but just read the top review by 'Mary' and I think that will tell you everything you need to know, haha. A biography on the life of the Prophet SAW! What more would you want!

You can always read the Qur'an - but that can be taken out of context. Muhammad Asad has a great translation of the Qur'an containing many footnotes describing the context of many verses. After all, in a book that was revealed over 23 years every verse has a context of its own.

The issue with all the above is that they cost money.

So in that case here is Dr. Yasir Qadhi's ongoing series about the life of the Prophet Muhammad SAW discussing many many things going on around his life from beginning to end. There are 98 videos and each has 1 hour.. And it's still going, so this can be really time consuming.

In the end I want to say: If you don't have the time to watch the series, or the money to buy and read the books (which are all sourced from Muslim scholars and even then the muslim scholars cite muslim scholars, the companions of the Prophet, and even the Prophet SAW himself) - then please hold your judgement on Muslims and do not let yourself be distracted by anti Islamic sources. To learn about vaccines, we learn from Doctors, not from anti-Vaccination supporters!

Dar-Us-Salam located at 486 Atlantic Ave in Brooklyn.

They have a wide collection. If you are looking for easy-to-read Arabic, I would say it is best to read an English translation separately along with a Qur'an with large Arabic font, since the translations are usually by each line. One good translation is the Oxford World Classics edition of the Qur'an, by M.A.S. Abdel Haleem. It's highly recommended.

If you want both English and Arabic, the most comprehensive exposure I've personally had is with the following two:

1. Holy Qur'an by Abdullah Yusuf Ali - It has a great commentary of historical narratives in addition to the translation.
   
   
2. The Noble Qur'an by Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali and Muhammad Muhsin Khan - It's pretty comprehensive in explaining the translation.
   
   All 3 books can be found at that book store. You may call them to confirm, just in case.
   
   

You asked for everything really, but here is a selection I personally like that is more focused on the biography of Muhammad.

For Muslim books on the biography of the Prophet, I highly recommend:

A Biography of the Prophet of Islam: In the Light of the Original Sources, an Analytical Study

In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad

Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources

On the more academic side of his life and following centuries, I recommend:

Muhammad: A Very Short Introduction

Hadith: Muhammad's Legacy in the Medieval and Modern World

In God's Path: The Arab Conquests and the Creation of an Islamic Empire

The Death of a Prophet: The End of Muhammad's Life and the Beginnings of Islam

For the four best primary sources of his biography translated into English:

The Life of Muhammad: Al-Waqidi's Kitab al-Maghazi

The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Al-Sira al-Nabawiyya

The Life of Muhammad

The Expeditions: An Early Biography of Muhammad

Abdul-Haleem's translation of the Quran is very good. He also wrote a good companion book "Understanding the Quran: Themes and styles" which I also recommend. If you prefer something a bit more archaic and poetic, I really like the Arberry "Koran Interpreted". You can get Arberry's (and many other translations) here: http://arthursbookshelf.com/koran/koran.html

As for Sufism, some of the best books, in my opinion, are:

Lings, Martin. What is Sufism?
http://www.amazon.com/What-Sufism-Islamic-Texts-Society/dp/0946621411/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335349461&sr=1-1

Helminski, Camille Adams. Women of Sufism: a Hidden Treasure
http://www.amazon.com/Women-Sufism-A-Hidden-Treasure/dp/1570629676/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335349480&sr=1-1


A practical guide for diseases of the heart:

Yusuf, Hamza (tr). Purification of the Heart
http://www.amazon.com/Purification-Heart-Symptoms-Spiritual-Diseases/dp/1929694156/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335349415&sr=1-1

Something more academic but fascinating. You might consider this if you want to really get into the guts of things:

http://www.amazon.com/Sufism-Theology-Ayman-Shihadeh/dp/0748626050

Although there are a lot of people recommending Ibn Kathir, the best translation with a complete set of footnotes that works for myself and a lot of non-Muslims are by Muhammad Asad. Here's are some very helpful reviews on the book: link

Here's a link to the copy at Amazon: link

That's just my opinion if you want as much historical information and context of revelation and related footnotes as possible, this book does an amazing job. Also, as a graphic designer I have to commend the publisher on their artwork and organization as well :)

>How can I, somebody who doesn't see it as authoritative, realize that it is actually true?

By reading it? I'm serious. I assume being Jewish you've read the Talmud/Torah or at least part of it? Read the Qur'an along with an accompanying tafseer/explanation and make up your mind.

People here can post long explanations and reasons, but you'll have take our word for it, that what we are saying about the Qur'an is true. By reading it yourself, you can see and know for yourself.

It's not too long, about the length of a fantasy novel these days. The Qur'an is best able to speak for itself and the religion I feel. I've heard very good things about this translation and commentary and coincidentally, I believe the translator was Jewish before converting to Islam.

So I had a similar though not exact issue. My problem is my defection was the result of a great deal of biased anti religious literature. To give it a bit more of a fair chance I looked around for pro/neutral to islam books (not just Quranic but around the theology and myth) and found a couple of interesting ones (that have yet to change my mind back):

The first, a bit heavy on rhetoric and logical leaps is: A young Muslims guide to the Modern world

Second interesting but haven't fully gone into yet is Humanism in Islam

*One thats been recommended as dry and information heavy is Vision of Islam (Visions of Reality). This is one I'm going to read into next as it looks promising.

I realise this isn't specifically Quran based but hope it helps.

Welcome Castro

"Understanding the Qur'an: Themes and Styles" by M. A. Abdel Haleem from Oxford is a useful book:
http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Quran-Muhammad-Abdel-Haleem/dp/1845117891

Prof. Abdel Haleem also produced a translation of the Qur'an which I have not yet read, but understand to be one of the best so far:

http://www.amazon.com/Quran-English-translation-Parallel-Arabic/dp/019957071X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411451704&sr=1-2

Happy reading :)

I linked a paper that debunked the argument that human beings and chimps share a common ancestor because of genetic similarity. I have not engaged in any fallacy whatsoever, you, however, engaged in two in your comment. The first is a straw man because you misrepresented what I said, I specifically said that it debunks genetic similarity. Your second fallacy committed here is called the vested interest fallacy which is as follow:

>The Vested Interest Fallacy occurs when a person argues that someone’s claim or recommended action is incorrect because the person is motivated by their interest in gaining something by it, with the implication that were it not for this vested interest then the person wouldn’t make the claim or recommend the action. Because this reasoning attacks the reasoner rather than the reasoning itself, it is a kind of Ad Hominem fallacy.

http://www.iep.utm.edu/fallacy/#VestedInterest

By saying that the paper is on an Islamic website in no way whatsoever degrades the quality of the research or the arguments presented. Indeed, to say that homo sapiens and chimps share a common ancestor due to genetic similarity has, in fact, been debunked. As for evolution in general see my previous comment. I won't repeat myself.

>How do you know that Islam is true? What is the reason you believe Islam is true?

There are plenty of reasons, I recommend checking out Hamza Tzortzis book, The Divine Reality.

>And your claim that Islam is true is unsubstantiated.

Your claim that the 7 year old who memorized the Quran is being abused and indoctrinated is unsubstantiated. Moreover, your substantiation requires scientism and naturalism which cannot be substantiated itself, because, they are, of course, self refuting and conflicting with one another.

Edit: Fixed an error.

Read the Qur'an with a commentary.


A really, really, really good place to start is "The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an in Today's English" by Yahiya Emerick". Written by an American Muslim for Americans with no background knowledge on Islam at all. It's really, really, really well done, and the best for people going in blind.


Yusuf Ali's translation and commentary is the standard, and the new Study Qur'an is wonderfully done and also recommended - but the notes may be a bit too specialist in tone. Pick it up in a book store and read a bit of it to see.


But yes, reading it front to back is perfectly fine. I have suggested maybe starting at "Joseph", as it's the only traditional style narrative in the whole book, and you skip the first 8 or 9 chapters that are a bit heavier in legalistic and ritualistic stuff, which some find challenging without any aides.

>Is there any difference between a Jew converting, and a follower of another religion converting?

A Jew is a "person of the book." As such, if you convert to Islam, you will get a double reward.

>Third, I have read about people choosing a new Muslim name when they convert. How does one go about this?

It is not obligatory, but you can choose any name you want if you choose to take an Arabic name, as long as it has a good meaning. Names of prophets and "servants of" a particular attribute of Allah are common.

>Also, in your opinion, what is the best and closest English translation of the Qur'an for me to read? Maybe someday I will finally be able to master Arabic... :)

This one.

For your case I recommend a great book. It’s called “the divine reality” by Hamza Tzortis. It selves into the philosophy of existence, purpose, and god, not only from an Islamic POV but from an atheist POV as well. It’s a very good read as well. Highly recommend reading it.
https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Reality-Islam-Mirage-Atheism/dp/0996545387

But do you see the key distinction?

The difference between massacring and executing? Muhammad didn't "rape" anybody (even by today's standards). Take a look at the Hadiths according to Aisha. Do you think if a woman were raped especially one of her age would be in any right state of mind to be talking about what Muhammad did in his personal life?

Moderate Muslims should be able to do whatever they want. But they need to take a really hard look at themselves and adopt the true practices of Muhammad: like greeting strangers with a smile, visiting people who literally lay thorns in his path, praying 5 times a day, speaking kindly to/of people. Point is, if Muslims actually followed the tradition of Muhammad accordingly, there would be no such thing as "moderate" or "extremist" Muslim, they'd just be Muslim. Nobody's holding a gun to anybody's head telling them to marry someone the age of Aisha. Likewise, nobody should be holding a gun/legislation to anybody's head telling them to not practice their faith (so long as it doesn't violate federal laws).

Any Muslim worth their salt will recognize that the true teachings of Islam aren't to practice their faith by the sword (or AK...or C4). Islam places much more emphasis on the soul and the relationship to God.

If you're interested, you should read Vision of Islam by William Chittick and Sachiko Murata. I took a course taught by him at my University. It's a really nice break down of the core of the Islamic faith and talks about the political movements of the 19th and 20th centuries that's led to the warped interpretation of the religion by Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

PM me for PDFs of his other works. I'm not an expert on this but I would definitely like to talk more.

https://www.amazon.com/Study-Quran-New-Translation-Commentary/dp/0061125865

I recommend this as you're first quaran. It's practically a textbook on Islam bundled with a quaran. It includes commentary from a respected Muslim scholar, and study guides.

If you feel like you just want the English text, Abdel Haleem's translation for OXford World Classics is excellent. https://www.amazon.com/Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=D4JB076JEGW58RRZXPEV

Mustafa Amur has written an entire step-by-step guide on converting to Islam, that's free on Kindle and very cheap on paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Islam-Step-Step-Muslims-ebook/dp/B008FRA60E/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478505547&sr=1-1&keywords=islam+convert

If you want something more comprehensive though, Ella Richardson wrote a more expansive book about it: https://www.amazon.com/Islam-Beginners-Basics-Muslim-Customs-ebook/dp/B01759SQF4/ref=pd_sim_351_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=BE51FXHRD5TXEHBKE01F

Quick overview of my thoughts about the Islamic World (Obviously I may be biased when it comes to Turkey). This all comes down to Islamic Countries developing actual modern mercantile economies (not OIL). Trade brings in diverse thought and encourages education and cultural exchange. You see the first real Muslim Middle Class emerging in Turkey and hopefully they do to Islam what Christians did to Christianity years ago. So long as the secular nature of the constitution is maintained I don't frown upon people wanting to be religious. For example on the Turkish side of my family wearing the Hijab is an actual choice. I have cousins(sisters) who wear it and some who do not. Some Syrian refugees are actually turning back to Turkey after they arrive in Germany because the Arabs are so conservative.

Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE are the most vulnerable in my opinion. They made their bed with extremism and eventually it will collapse. If you go to London rich Saudis are obsessed with wealth and eat Foie Gras claiming its "halal". This sort of behavior will eventually result in the extremists taking over. I do not think Iran will collapse although they are a Theocracy they are changing and have a lot more latitude in their society. Turkey will become more Islamic as the decades go by but not in the sense of becoming extremist. You are going to see the first Muslim Middle Class emerge and hopefully it modernizes in a similar fashion that Christianity did. Erdogan is more like a religious conservative in the US rather than an Extremist. A lot of Europeans like to trash Turkey and a lot of times it is warranted but to be honest this is the first time Turkey has been an actual democracy in years. I believe there have been 4 military coups and 3 Military threats of Coup in the last 50 years. The secular Military even hanged a former President. No matter what you think about the religious debate you cannot call a state a democracy when the Military exerts that sort of control on society. Ataturk did some great things for Turkey but he was a dictator and did kill and torture a lot of people. Civilian control of the Military is one of the things that makes America Great. We seriously need Turkey to define what being Muslim in the modern world means because they actually have a modern economy that is not based on Oil. Erdogans power is mainly based in the fact that the opposition parties are incompetent most people who voted for him did it because the other guys were just so stupid. Hopefully Erdogan is removed from the picture through the next election and somebody new is in charge. Oman is not going to change much they were founded by an Islamic sect that is not Shia or Sunni that actually frowns upon most extreme interpretations of the religion. I'm not sure about Pakistan it depends who controls it in the end the Wahabbified Tribals or the Hanafi Majority. I don't know enough about African Muslims but I do know they are Maliki which is a very conservative version of Islam. I think the Pacific Island Islamic Countries will do good they have a lot of Chinese and Western influences which will help them secularize.

This book outlines the historical and modern problems Islam faces very well. Of course it is selling a certain point of view but it was well done.
https://www.amazon.com/Islam-without-Extremes-Muslim-Liberty/dp/0393347249

I am in a similar boat to you and trying to connect back to Islam coming from an irreligious Westernized liberal Muslim household. My approach is to learn from the lessons of early Islam and how it was gradually adopted by the early Muslims. They focused on the core principles and basics and then gradually adopted more practices. The challenge for new converts or reverts is that it feels that you are literally drinking from a fire hose of things you need to memorize and practice and made to feel guilty for not observing this ritual or the next.

One of the most helpful books on Islam that I have run across is William Chittick's Vision of Islam which provides an excellent overview of the religion's vision for humanity and society. Chittick describes Islam in a way that none of the modern Muslim writers have been able to do who all seem lost in the weeds of rituals, rules and regulations, fear of punishment. https://www.amazon.com/Vision-Visions-Reality-Sachiko-Murata/dp/1557785163/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=vision+of+islam&qid=1570902335&sr=8-1

It gave me a perspective that was more holistic that allowed me to put the big picture into context. My objective is to get the basics of the core beliefs right and the core basic rituals before worrying about the rest. The essence of a man's faith and spiritual path is the inner belief and connection between you (God's creation) and God (the Creator).

I spent my life essentially outside the faith and I am not going to feel guilty that I am not doing enough on my journey back to reconnecting with God. I really don't care what other people or Muslims think of me because their opinions are entirely irrelevant since God is the only judge. I have also learnt that there is nothing that anyone can do in this life to earn enough points or blessings to make it into heaven...even the most devout will be deficient in their deeds and will have to depend on God's mercy. What is important is your personal core belief in the oneness of God (First Commandment) and your personal spiritual connection to God which is developed through prayer and meditation.

Keep it simple. Focus on your connection to God. Don't feel guilty about taking your time to walk your path.

This edition is specifically written for Americans with none of the cultural background. It's very, very, very helpful, and worth the money.



Yusuf Ali's translation and commentary has been the standard, and is quite good.


A really amazing translation and commentary is Muhammad Assad's "The Message of the Qur'an". It's expensive, but not hard to "legally obtain" on the internet as a PDF.


Also, check out altafsir.org for a searchable database of tafsir ("tafsir" is the word for an explanatory or exegetical text) from multiple schools. It includes most of the best classical tafsir that have been used in Islamic education for centuries. I recommend that highly.

Its not offensive at all. I do recommend if you want to fast and learn/read Quran that you find someone from a mosque or Muslim Student Association in your area willing to guide you through those processes. I am Muslim and I no longer read Quran WITHOUT a secondary reading guide known as "Tafseer," which is basically interpretation support. Some Quran's come semi equipped with this. There is nothing worse than reading out of context and since the Quran doesn't read like a novel or in sequence it can become confusing. This is great for fear mongers who cherry pick words or lines from religious text to castigate Muslims for their faith, but really can be done with every religious text. I have this version which is easier to digest than some of the older translations. I don't like reading Shakesperian style literature. Finally, as an online resource, www.quran.com is great for 1) selecting multiple translations to compare words for more nuance, 2) listening to quran recitation if youre curious 3) viewing the Arabic text. Finally, fasting is not incumbent upon the young, sick or the infirm as well as nursing or menstruating mothers and its certainly not incumbent upon a non-Muslim so if abstaining from water is too difficult for you then drink water. If you're committed to having the full experience, even just for a day, see if you can do it. Whatever you want really. My husband is also Muslim, we don't discuss our religious "shortcomings" because its neither of our business but I'm fairly certain when he works 15 hour days in the sun, he will drink water if he feels ill. Fasting isn't meant to harm you. Some Muslims would NEVER and all the power to them, again, its considered "between you and God."

I recommend you read Misquoting Muhammad by Jonathan Brown. It's not perfect but very good and definitely great for intro reading.

Misquoting Muhammad: The Challenge and Choices of Interpreting the Prophet's Legacy https://www.amazon.com/dp/1780747829/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_SNk7AbN3K3351

• 
  Incoherence of Philosopher- Al Gazali
  
  
• 
  The Road To Makkah - Muhammad Asad
  
  
• 
  In the Footsteps of the Prophet-Tariq Ramdan
  
  
• 
  Musnavi-Rumi
  
  
  
  
• 
  The Burda of Al Busiri
  
  
• 
  Islamic Caliphate - Shah Wali Ullah
  
  The First Book separates the subject of philosophy and religion very well, the second is an excellent biography of a journey of man to Islam, Third book is a very good start to know about the prophet, fourth and fifth are very beautiful 100 level Sufi books, The last book does a very good job in explaining what an Islamic Empire actually is.
  
  
  
  
  

>is Sahih Al Bukhari considered totally checked and true by all Muslims? What about specifically Sunni?

Sahih al-Bukhari is one of many compilations of hadith. All the ahadith within are sahih (authentic) according to the conditions of Imam al-Bukhari. Every hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari is accepted as authentic by all Sunni Islamic scholars, not Shias.

>if you disagree with something that is supposed to be a totally sahih hadith -- is that "haram"?

Yes, to deny a sahih hadith is fisq (transgession). To deny a hadith that is mutawatir (sahih through multiple chains) is kufr (disbelief).

>Is Sahih al Bukhari considered THE definition of the Prophet?

No. Firstly, Sahih al-Bukhari does not contain every sahih hadith - there are hundreds that are not found in Sahih al-Bukhari or even Sahih Muslim (which are together known as the Sahihayn - the two Sahihs). Secondly, we do not reject all other ahadith just because they are not at the level of sahih.

FYI most hadith compilations are not intended for use by layman. There are volumes of books devoted to the interpretation of hadith - Ibn Hajar's Fath al-Bari, for example, is a sharh (commentary) on Sahih al-Bukhari.

Edit:

(Your comments aren't showing up since you're using a new account)

>Do different schools of Islamic thought differ on the answer to these questions? For example Hanafi vs Maliki?

No. Scholars of all four madhhabs accept the ahadith in Sahih al-Bukhari as sahih. However the different madhhabs differ on the interpretation and applicability of individual ahadith.

>I understand compilations like Bukhari were made 100-200 years after the Prophet.

Clarification: Bukhari was not the first compiler of hadith.

>What is the common answer to the question of - how do we know that these actually were his sayings? I know there is the "chain" of relayers, but what is it beyond that?

A hadith has two parts - the sanad/isnad (chain of narrators) and the matn (the text). Scholars of the past memorized thousands of hadiths word for word along with their isnads. The authenticity of a hadith is judged primarily on evaluation of its isnad. It needs to be possible for each narrator to have met each successive narrator. There are volumes of books devoted to ilm ar-rijal - biographical evaluation - which include details of each narrators memory, trustworthiness, piety, knowledge, students, teachers, date of birth and death, etc. Narrators are judged as strong, rejected, unknown, trustworthy, etc. The strength of a hadith is judged by its weakest link. Multiple isnads strengthen a hadith, as do supporting narrations. There is much more to it, please take a look at this book:

Studies in Hadith Methodology and Literature by Mustafa Azami

>I understand Kufr to be when one denies the oneness of God or his prophet. Anything else, isn't Kufr -- correct?

Kufr is disbelief. Each verse of the Qur'an is mutawatir (mass-transmitted at every level of transmission). Similarly if a hadith reached the level of mutawatir there is no possibility for error. So just as denying a single verse of the Qur'an is kufr, so too is rejection of a mutawatir statement of the Prophet SAW.

Edit 2:

>thanks very much for the updated reply -- very thorough and i plan to check out the book. Did you ever read this book? If so, thoughts? I read it, but it was my first book on the topic.
http://www.amazon.com/Hadith-Muhammads-Legacy-Medieval-Foundations/dp/1851686630

Glad to be of help. No, sorry, I haven't read Brown's book, but I've seen others recommending it and I've heard only good stuff about his work.

>I want to go with a physical copy, so if I can find that particular one in a hardcover i'll go for it.

Read a chapter off the link and see if you like the translation style, if you do, buy it. It's pretty cheap, here's a link to buy it:

>http://www.amazon.com/Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957

.

>Do you think a commentary is neccesary? Ive noticed most versions have a commentary as well, what do they provide that the text itself can not?

Kinda. I mean it will help if you're confused in certain parts. For example, in Chapter Mary (19th Chapter), after Mary gives birth to Jesus she returns to her family:

>Then she brought him to her people, carrying him. They said, "O Mary, you have certainly done a thing unprecedented. O sister of Aaron, your father was not a man of evil, nor was your mother unchaste."

Christian apologists would say Muhammad got Mary the mother of Jesus, confused with Miriam the Sister of Aaron and Moses. A commentary would help clear these silly misconceptions up.

I am Catholic and learned most of what I know about Islam though university classes and independent research. I can give you a list of books I have read about Islam that will get you started.

Oxford English Koran
Obviously the primary text is important to have and the book is pretty small. Much smaller compared to the bible.



Hadith of Bukhari: Volumes I, II, III & IV


Half of Islamic law is derived from the Koran and the other half from the Hadith. The Hadith is the collection of events, and quotes by Mohammad and his followers. This book is huge and you shouldn't try to read the whole since it is just list quotes and who they are by. But it is a good reference source and something to page through.

Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources
Biography of Mohammad using historical sources. Good reference.



Destiny Disrupted: A History of the World Through Islamic Eyes



Brief 350 page run of Islamic history until now as told by a Muslim. I felt the book was a bit preachy and accusatory towards the end but I read it 6 years ago so my memory might be hazy. Still a good read if you want to try to understand how mainstream moderate Muslim scholars see things. It has a good bibliography too.




There are probably a bunch of other ones I am forgetting. Take a look through Amazon and see what else they have. I would only buy books from university presses or published by academics though. They can be dense and difficult but they are peer reviewed which is important since there is so much anti-Islam, pro-Islam publishing out there.

Salam bro, i hope you're being sincere in your path, but i urge to look at things objectively.

Also, maybe ask specific questions, because you're asking us a research paper.

As for the stupidity of people, i think you're being a pessimist, just like in the story of creation of men, God has appointed mankind as khalifas on the earth but the angels ask God:

> And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority." They said, "Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we declare Your praise and sanctify You?" Allah said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know."

Then God said:

> He said, "O Adam, inform them of their names." And when he had informed them of their names, He said, "Did I not tell you that I know the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and the earth? And I know what you reveal and what you have concealed."

They acknowledged the bad side of humanity, but they didn't acknowledged the good, intellectual side of it. You're doing the same.

I'd recommend wathcing this the purpose of life by Jeffrey Lang.

And check out his books:

Losing my religion: A call for help: http://www.amazon.com/Losing-My-Religion-Call-Help/dp/1590080270

Even the angels ask: http://www.amazon.com/Even-Angels-Ask-Journey-America/dp/0915957671

Struggling to surrender: http://www.amazon.com/Struggling-Surrender-Impressions-American-Convert/dp/0915957264/ref=sr_1_16?s=english-books&ie=UTF8&qid=1333097284&sr=1-16

First of all, can I just say how much I love giving and receiving book recommendations? I was a religious studies major in college (and was even a T.A. in the World Religions class) so, this is right up my alley. So, I'm just going to take a seat in front of my book cases...

General:

1. A History of God by Karen Armstrong
   
   
2. The Great Transformation by Karen Armstrong
   
   
3. Myths: gods, heroes, and saviors by Leonard Biallas (highly recommended)
   
   
4. Natural History of Religion by David Hume
   
   
5. Beyond Tolerance by Gustav Niebuhr
   
   
6. Acts of Faith by Eboo Patel (very highly recommended, completely shaped my view on pluralism and interfaith dialogue)
   
   
7. The Evolution of God by Robert Wright
   
   Christianity:
   
   
8. Tales of the End by David L. Barr
   
   
9. The Historical Jesus by John Dominic Crossan
   
   
10. Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography by John Dominic Crossan
    
    
11. The Birth of Christianity by John Dominic Crossan
    
    
12. Who Wrote the New Testament? by Burton Mack
    
    
13. Jesus in America by Richard Wightman Fox
    
    
14. The Five Gospels by Robert Funk, Roy W. Hoover, and the Jesus Seminar (highly recommended)
    
    
15. Remedial Christianity by Paul Alan Laughlin
    
    Judaism:
    
    
16. The Jewish Mystical Tradition by Ben Zion Bokser
    
    
17. Who Wrote the Bible? by Richard Elliot Friedman
    
    Islam:
    
    
18. Muhammad by Karen Armstrong
    
    
19. No God but God by Reza Aslan
    
    
20. Approaching the Qur'an: The Early Revelations by Michael Sells
    
    Buddhism:
    
    
21. Buddha by Karen Armstrong
    
    
22. Entering the Stream ed. Samuel Bercholz & Sherab Chodzin Kohn
    
    
23. The Life of Milarepa translated by Lobsang P. Lhalungpa
    
    
24. Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism by John Powers
    
    
25. Zen Flesh, Zen Bones compiled by Paul Reps (a classic in Western approached to Buddhism)
    
    
26. Buddhist Thought by Paul Williams (if you're at all interested in Buddhist doctrine and philosophy, you would be doing yourself a disservice by not reading this book)
    
    Taoism:
    
    
27. The Essential Chuang Tzu trans. by Sam Hamill & J.P. Seaton
    
    Atheism:
    
    
28. Atheism by Julian Baggini
    
    
29. The Future of an Illusion by Sigmund Freud
    
    
30. Doubt: A History by Jennifer Michael Hecht
    
    
31. When Atheism Becomes Religion by Chris Hedges
    
    
32. Atheism: The Case Against God by George H. Smith

Salam Brother, I recommand Abdel Haleem translation of the Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics). I believe it's the best translation. The footnotes gives you the context and additional info about the verses.

I also recommand reading the autobiography of the Prophet, the best one I read so far is Tariq Ramadan's : In the Footsteps of the Prophet

​

May God make things easy for you

I’d spot a Danny Carey kit anywhere....

A lot of his inspiration comes from Aleister Crowley’s work, as well as some recent inspiration from John Dee, a pre-Renaissance polymath who dabbled in religious magickoreligious occultism.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleister_Crowley

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dee

Hey, check out this interview where he talks about this stuff exactly!

https://www.revolvermag.com/music/tools-danny-carey-new-album-sacred-geometry-being-bands-enforcer

Also, this is an awesome intro to this stuff. Very short, you can read it in an afternoon:

https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Geometry-Wooden-Books-Miranda/dp/0802713823/ref=asc_df_0802713823/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312014159412&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6873337265401011514&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021533&hvtargid=pla-449885229960&psc=1

You need to discover the real spiritual Islam to get a better perspective. Unfortunately this is so carefully hidden from most Muslims that they don't even know it exists. A good book that I found very helpful in understanding the big picture was The Vision of Islam, by William Chittick. Brilliant book that provides a macro perspective on Islam's vision for human society. It was developed as a textbook at SUNY for an Islamic Studies course.

https://www.amazon.com/Vision-Visions-Reality-Sachiko-Murata/dp/1557785163

I learned about this connection and history after reading this awesome book, and I highly reccomend it to anyone who is interested in learning how Islam, and the Middle East, got to where it is today. It's about an Austrian Jew who goes backpacking around in mostly Arabic countries in the 1920's and has such a wonderful experience that he converts to Islam. Yes, you read that right. Very interesting read, and gives more insight into the unfortunate history of Wahhabism.

Salam, peace be upon you,

I've been in your situation before. Questioning the existence of God, Islam, and so on.... My suggestion is to go to a sheikh that you trust and talk openly about your questions and concerns. They are very valid and normal to experience such questions. After all, Islam is built on questioning and inquiring which strengthens our faith.

Second, read the first opening chapters of this Quran interpretation from Oxford University. It covers a lot of the arguments you are hearing with their corresponding Quranic evidence.
https://www.amazon.com/Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957

Third, check out the various talks on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/_Tauw02xyE8
https://youtu.be/EvM6i1aJz0s
https://youtu.be/JfzTlK074eg
https://youtu.be/RuZh8Tt8v-A

Hope this helps you brother

Ghazali had some great work, a book I'd highly recommend to Muslims and nonmuslims would be "Disciplining the Soul and Breaking the Two Desires". The two desires he details are gluttony and sexual desire, before reading the book I'd never thought of the two as intertwined. Here's an amazon link for anyone interested: http://www.amazon.com/Disciplining-Soul-Breaking-Two-Desires/dp/0946621438/ref=pd_cp_b_0

The Yusuf Ali Translation of the Quran is the best. I think it best preseves the spirit of the original arabic.

This site is good it allows you to easily switch between translations

http://al-quran.info/#home


As for Tafsirs (commentary) I think the Tafir al Mizan is the best Shia Tafsir.


https://almizan.org/


But since you want something similar to a spoon-feeding I think you should check out the Study Quran. I've heard praise of it but I haven't read it myself.

I bought this translated Quran a while ago and it has completely changed my life.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/1450549535/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497772197&sr=8-1-fkmr1&pi=SL75_QL70&keywords=quran+yahya+emerick

It is written in easy to understand English, explains the context in which many verses were revealed, has relevant hadiths in the footnotes and connects things to the Torah and Bible in interesting ways that might surprise you. It is very easy to read and I sometimes lose myself in it for hours.

It's written by an American Muslim revert so he explains common misconceptions very well. Just think of all those times you saw an ignorant comment on YouTube or Reddit, knew that it was untrue but didn't know how to argue back. Well Sheikh Yahya Emerick has arguments written for you in the footnotes.

Whenever I feel like I am going astray, I read this Quran and get hyped up again.

I also recommend Sheikh Mufti Menk's nightly taraweeh lectures. They're 30 minutes a night and cover various topics in the Quran. This is another motivation booster for me.

Even though you feel that you are going astray, the fact that you feel guilty and are fighting to do something about it shows that you are in a good place.

Inshallah, Allah will make it easy for you to worship him.

I assume you want English language material.

The most popular translation I see these days is by Abdel Haleem and published by Oxford University Press: http://www.amazon.com/Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957

It has some minimal footnotes. It's quite good (I use it myself).

I'd recommend you to get this app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.quran.labs.androidquran

Then after installing you can go to settings -> translation and get Haleem's translation. However I think the footnotes might be missing.

Also take a look at this: http://www.amazon.com/Quran-Annotated-Interpretation-Modern-English/dp/1597841447

I have not read it in it's entirety (yet), but I have read portions and so far it has been quite good. It seem to have been well received and has been recommended to me by a few people I know.

To keep it simple, I always recommend this (Oxford) translation of the Qur'an. It's a very simple and easy to read translation that has gotten a lot of praise from many people from different backgrounds for having decent enough translations and contexts, where appropriate.

You can't go wrong with reading a translation of the Qur'an. It's where everyone should start.

---

Many people also converted to Islam after studying Malcolm X, whose journey I think embodies the perfect result of someone who fought against the racism of society out of sincerity and not out of a desire to conform (to pretend one opposes racism because it's taboo now). This sincerity led him from being a staunch advocate of Elijah Muhammad (an extreme position in the Muslim world, such that to be Elijah's follower is to make you a non-Muslim) to eventually realising the falsehood of the "Nation of Islam" and accepting the true religion of Islam, whilst continuing to fight for his cause in 'his' "country".

His letter from Mecca is also worth listening to/reading.

His last speech was also quite poetic and eye opening.

The main reason I have gone to the example of Malcolm and not linking books explaining the theology like many do is due to the example of salaf (first generations of Muslims) in how they approached dawah (teaching others the religion of Islam). They didn't let themselves get bogged down in preaching the religion to others (most time gets wasted in arguments with people who have no interest in listening, only defending their position and in repeating the same arguments like a parrot); they let their actions speak for themselves. And from their actions, the pagans reverted to Islam. It was from seeing the justice of the political system of Islam and how the leaders conducted themselves that non-Muslims reverted. Malcolm was quite similar to this in that his objective was not to become a preacher but a fighter against racism. And through understanding his fight and his reason for fighting (believing in the oneness of mankind), people revert to Islam.

To be clear, I do also have criticisms of some of Malcolm's positions, specifically his advocacy of black nationalism as a solution to racism. Though, in his defence, he believed this to only be a temporary solution. Once black people were on the same economic and political level as whites (black nationalism), the problem would be solved and hence it would no longer be black nationalism. Compared to '60s USA, oppression was worse 1400 years ago in Arabia and the solution was Islam, not black nationalism (Malcolm didn't understand that Islam had political elements to it). Had he lived longer, I believe he would have corrected his position. He also spoke of Arabia as if racism was solved there, which it isn't. Racism from all ethnic groups in the Muslim world still exists; that was a result of nationalism. Malcolm spoke about nationalism in the Muslim world freeing them from European domination; rather nationalism ensured European domination by dividing the Muslims who are instructed by Allah to remain united. But Malcolm didn't have enough time to observe everything about the Muslim world and its modern politics and history. Again, he was a proper Muslim for a very short time. Though I applaud him and pray for his forgiveness. He was sincere through and through and fought vehemently for what he thought was right. May Allah SWT have mercy upon him and reward him with Jannah. Ameen.

I don't know anything of him and I'm not defending him. At the same time MBS is a tyrant.

The thing you raise about who goes to jannah is actually a known theology:

>The theologian and mystic Abū Ḥamid al-Ghazzālī (d. 505/1111), in his famous work Fayṣal al-tafriqah, argues that the “Christians of Byzantium” and the “Turks” (still outside the Islamic world at that time) would come under God’s Mercy. Those who know the teachings and virtues of the Prophet and yet still deny him deserve to be called disbelievers, but al-Ghazzālī gives wide latitude in recognizing the obstacles to this knowledge. How could a Turk who had never heard of Muhammad be faulted? Moreover, why should a person who grows up hearing the Prophet Muhammad referred to as “the great liar” investigate his truth claims, since one would not expect the same from a Muslim who hears of someone accused of being a false prophet? Hearing the name Muhammad means nothing if one learns only of the opposite of his true attributes. One could extend this reasoning to point out that one is unlikely to deem a religion good or desire to learn about it, if the only followers one meets are bad. Such mitigating circumstances, namely, that birthplace, upbringing, and social experience mediate one’s knowledge of religion, provide ample space for God’s Mercy to encompass those who believe in Him and in the Hereafter and act righteously.

Nasr SH, Dagli CK, Dakake MM et al. The Study Quran, A New Translation and Commentary. HarperOne; 2017.

:)

Thoroughly recommend Professor Abdel Haleem's translation of the Quran:

The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0199535957/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_DL6QwbQXJ0J9V

My recommendations mostly more recent stuff, I think written well for a western audience

Understanding Islam and the Muslims: The Muslim Family, Islam and World Peace https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1887752471/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_QM6QwbPQHCTB9

The Messenger: The Meanings of the Life of Muhammad https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0141028556/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_1O6Qwb8M0D5KQ

Understanding the Qur'an: Themes and Style https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1845117891/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_QK6QwbGS8EN0D

Being Muslim: A Practical Guide by Asad Tarsin et al. http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01833W1KM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_udp_awd_1L6QwbC9BNTXA

The Messenger: The Meanings of the Life of Muhammad https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0141028556/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_1O6Qwb8M0D5KQ

Worth YouTubing:

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf
Professor Tariq Ramadan
Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad

My favorite translation of the meaning to share is the one by M.A.S. Abdel Haleem. It's easy to read and written in paragraph form. Great for Da'wah.

English only version:
The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0199535957/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_0qk7BbTH2BWR8

Arabic/English Version
The Qur'an: English translation and Parallel Arabic text https://www.amazon.com/dp/019957071X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_hsk7Bb21HDDFP

My favorite translation of the Qur'an, Oxford World Classics edition translates everything into English (so it says God instead of Allah, etc.) and it reads exactly like the Bible, making the comparison between the two faiths much easier. The refusal to translate Arabic phrases is deliberate effort to keep Muslims as an Other removed from the West.

>Muslims have been debunking atheist arguments for over a millennium. I would recommend reading Hamza Tzortzis's "The Divine Reality: God, Islam & The Mirage Of Atheism". The first chapter is available for free on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Reality-Islam-Mirage-Atheism/dp/0996545387/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491918002&sr=8-1&keywords=hamza+tzortzis

>There is also plenty of material that is available online for free as well by Muslim authors, they use the standard arguments (i.e. Teleological, Kalam, Contingency). https://asadullahali.com/2015/08/16/the-rationality-of-believing-in-god-without-evidence-part-1/

>Tzortzis's book takes you from atheism to Islam, succinctly.

Out of curiosity, have you any experience with psychedelics?

I suppose you aren't the OP of the thread, but mentioning physics had me thinking about crystals, their formation/geometries. Studying natural structures at the molecular level might be fruitful. I have a small book that I've only started reading a small amount. ( [Sacred Geometry by Miranda Lundy] (https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Geometry-Wooden-Books-Miranda/dp/0802713823) )

Another person that comes to mind is Buckminster Fuller. Fascinating mind. Not necessarily sacred geometry, but certainly geometry.

I recommend these books:

• Jeffery Lang (3) books: Struggling to Surrender, Even Angels Ask and Losing My Religion.
  
  
• Jonathan Brown Hadith- Muhammad's Legacy in the Medieval and Modern World
  
  
• Muhammad Asad The Road to Mecca
  
  
• Tariq Ramadan In the Footsteps of the Prophet
  
  
• Karen Armstrong (2) books: Islam: A Short History
  and Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time
  
  
• Martin Lings Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources
  
  
• John L. Esposito Who Speaks For Islam?
  
  
• Nathan Lean The Islamophobia Industry
  
  
• Malcolm X The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X, Ossie Davis (Afterword), Alex Haley (As Told to)
  
  
• Sherman Jackson Islam and the Blackamerican: Looking Toward the Third Resurrection
  
  
• Dr. Ejaz Naqvi The Quran: with or Against the Bible?
  
  
• Hamza Yusuf Purification of the Heart
  
  
• Imam Zaid Shakir's translation, commentary and notes on Imam al-Harith al-Muhasibi's Risala al-Mustarshidin Treatise For The Seekers Of Guidance
  
  
• Al-Nawawi Nawawi Forty Hadiths
  
  Side note on Quran translation:
  
  Stay away from
  
  
• The Penguin Koran (The Koran -Penguin Classics- by Anonymous and N. J. Dawood). Its been written by non-Muslim who also changed the order of the Suras. In fact, Dawood's translation might as well been written by Robert Spencer!
  
  Try:
  
  
• The Gracious Quran: A Modern-Phrased Interpretation in English
  
  
• Mona Siddiqui How to Read The Qur'an
  
  
• Bayyinah Podcast for a comprehensive tafseer with Nouman Ali Khan (The iTunes Podcast URL)
  
  
• Muhammad Asad The Message of The Quran
  
  
• Muhammad Abdel Haleem Understanding the Qur'an: Themes and Style
  
  Misc:
  
  
• Terry Alford Prince among Slaves: The True Story of an African Prince Sold Into Slavery in the American South
  
  
• Omar Ibn Said A Muslim American Slave
  
  
• João José Reis Slave Rebellion in Brazil: The Muslim Uprising of 1835 in Bahia
  
  
• Ahmad Dallal Islam, Science, and the Challenge of History
  
  
• Use this link to download Misc resources.
  
  
• Use this link to download copy of Quran translation by Muhammad Asad on on scribd.
  
  
• Use this link to download copy of Quran translation by MAS Abdul Haleem OXFORD WORLD’S CLASSICS
  
  
• Use this link to download copy of Quran translation by Saheeh International (PDF)
  
  
• The Purpose of Life - Jeffrey Lang
  
  Movie:
  
  
• Journey to Mecca

Well, I can't speak a lot of Arabic (I can say a handful of phrases and that's only because of what I remember from a trip to Egypt and Qur'an recitation), my translation of the Qur'an is this one by MAS Abdel Haleem: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957

It's in modern English, quite easy to read (and incidentally is the one recommended in the sidebar). But there aren't much in the way of footnotes, I believe for footnotes you'd be well off to have this translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/8171512186/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_3?pf_rd_p=569136327&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0199535957&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=0M6PYCF68XAQ7SF01N3S

It's in a more archaic form of English, but has extensive footnotes and also has the Arabic alongside the English.

I hope this is of help to you In'Sha'Allah.

My struggles with the image of Jesus as God also drew me away from christianity and as I started to learn more about Islam I came to realise that my view of Jesus as a prophet rather than God was exactly what Islam teaches us. My advice to you is to read a lot, there is so much information out there, I struggled a lot with the language used in many translations of the Quran, the one that I found the easiest to read is this one.

There are other books that really helped me, one that I really enjoyed reading is "Stories of the Prophets" by Ibn Kathir, especially coming from a Christian background. Somebody else mention videos by Nouman Ali Khan, he's very engaging so you could look up some of his stuff too. If you have any further questions don't hesitate to contact me =)

>Edit: any recommendations for the most "unbiased" versions?

You might consider the New Oxford Annotated Bible. Here’s a bit from the blurb:

>For over 50 years students, professors, clergy, and general readers have relied on The New Oxford Annotated Bible as an unparalleled authority in Study Bibles. This fifth edition of the Annotated remains the best way to study and understand the Bible at home or in the classroom. This thoroughly revised and substantially updated edition contains the best scholarship informed by recent discoveries and anchored in the solid Study Bible tradition.

You might also consider The Study Qur’an. A bit from its blurb:

>Drawn from a wide range of traditional Islamic commentaries, including Sunni and Shia sources, and from legal, theological, and mystical texts, The Study Quran conveys the enduring spiritual power of the Quran and offers a thorough scholarly understanding of this holy text.

>but a god, to me sounds like woodo.

I highly advice you to read this book, hopefully it will clear up your doubts about God and give you a different perspective on the issue.

The Divine Reality: God, Islam and the Mirage of Atheism

Hands down the best Quran in English to learn is the Study Quran,

The Study Quran: A New... https://www.amazon.com/dp/0061125865?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

The information it has is truly great and we'll researched. It also has several essays on the back.

I can not recommend it enough

My favorite english translation is definitely Abdel Haleem's, you can find it here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957

Why? Because it's so smooth and easy to read, click look inside and see if you like it.

Hey I strongly recommend you read this book called the "Road to Mecca". This is really the perfect book for you, and it's one of my favorites.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Road-Mecca-Muhammad-Asad/dp/1887752374/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345438530&sr=8-1&keywords=road+to+mecca

First things first, choose the right version of the Koran. Most Islamic scholars think you cannot have read the Koran unless you have read it in Arabic. Since that takes too long to learn, the best version I can recommend is this.

You can get it on Kindle too if you want to save some money. It has notes too.

The Qur'an: English translation and Parallel Arabic text https://www.amazon.com/dp/019957071X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_zVGNyb030XRBG

I highly recommend this text. MAS does a great job translating into modern English which makes understanding the Arabic meaning really easy

I'm not sure if this is heresy or something, but I found a Kindle edition. :D

https://www.amazon.com/Message-Quran-Muhammad-Asad-ebook/dp/B0037KMWG0

Thanks for the guidance!

edit:

Tons more formats, free download:

https://archive.org/details/TheMessageOfTheQuran_20140419/page/n1

Today's Ayat for Tuesday, 2016-11-22 / 22 Safar 1438

You [believers] are permitted to lie with your wives during the night of the fast: they are [close] as garments to you, as you are to them. God was aware that you were betraying yourselves, so He turned to you in mercy and pardoned you: now you can lie with them- seek what God has ordained for you- eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct from the black. Then fast until nightfall. Do not lie with them during the nights of your devotional retreat in the mosques: these are the bounds set by God, so do not go near them. In this way God makes His messages clear to people, that they may guard themselves against doing wrong.

-- al-Baqarah 2:187 as rendered by Abdel Haleem

أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ لَيْلَةَ الصِّيَامِ الرَّفَثُ إِلَىٰ نِسَائِكُمْ هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَّكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَّهُنَّ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَخْتَانُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَعَفَا عَنكُمْ فَالْآنَ بَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَابْتَغُوا مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ وَلَا تُبَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنتُمْ عَاكِفُونَ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ تِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ فَلَا تَقْرَبُوهَا كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ آيَاتِهِ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ

http://www.islamawakened.com/quran/2/187/

(please share)

IslamAwakened is now available as an Android App

I would start with understanding spiritual diseases and then understand how the Sunnah helps with dealing with those diseases. Shaykh Hamza Yusuf has a good book on understanding the different types of Spiritual Diseases of the heart and it's purification.