The Spirit of Islam
Encyclopedia
The Spirit of Islam is a book by Syed Ameer Ali
, first published in 1891. It covers the life of Muhammad
, and the political, cultural, literary, scientific, mystic, philosophical, and social history of Islam
, and is according to many scholars the best book on this subject.
In 1873, Syed Ameer Ali published a small work entitled A Critical Examination of the Life and Teachings of Mohammed. After eighteen years, with the publication of books by Western writers like Johnson, Lane Poole, Bosworth Smith, and Isaac Taylor
, he felt the need of a revised edition.
There are two parts to the book. Part One consists of nine chapters and each focuses on the life of the Prophet. Part Two consists of ten chapters which deal with different aspects of Islam.
in the preface of his book Mohammed and the Rise of Islam wrote:
(1835–1889) wrote: ‘Regarded simply as a literary achievement, we have never read anything issuing from the educated classes in this country which could be compared with it; and the Muslims of India are to be congratulated on the possession of so able a man in their rank. It is impossible, if his after-life accords with this early promise that he should not leave his influence for good stamped upon the country in deep and enduring characters.’
were the precursors of Descartes, Hobbes, and Lock."
"From the schools of Salerno
, of Baghdad
, of Damascus
, of Grenada
, of Cordova
, of Malaga
, the Moslems taught the world the gentle lessons of philosophy
and the practical teaching of stern science"
"The vicegerents of Mohammad allied themselves to the cause of civilisation, and assisted in the growth of free thought and free inquiry, originated and consecrated by the Prophet himself."
Under the Abbasid Caliphs like Mansur, Mamun, Mutassim, wassik, "The rationalist (Mu'tazilite) preached in the mosques and lectured in colleges; they had the moulding of the character of the nation's youth in their hand; they were the chief counsellors of the Caliphs."
Syed Ameer Ali
Syed Ameer Ali C.I.E. was an Indian Muslim jurist hailed from the state of Oudh from where his father shifted and settled down at Orissa...
, first published in 1891. It covers the life of Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
, and the political, cultural, literary, scientific, mystic, philosophical, and social history of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, and is according to many scholars the best book on this subject.
In 1873, Syed Ameer Ali published a small work entitled A Critical Examination of the Life and Teachings of Mohammed. After eighteen years, with the publication of books by Western writers like Johnson, Lane Poole, Bosworth Smith, and Isaac Taylor
Isaac Taylor (canon)
Isaac Taylor , son of Isaac Taylor, was a philologist, toponymist, and Anglican canon of York .- Life :...
, he felt the need of a revised edition.
There are two parts to the book. Part One consists of nine chapters and each focuses on the life of the Prophet. Part Two consists of ten chapters which deal with different aspects of Islam.
David Samuel Margoliouth
David Samuel MargoliouthDavid Samuel Margoliouth
David Samuel Margoliouth was an orientalist. He was briefly active as a priest in the Church of England...
in the preface of his book Mohammed and the Rise of Islam wrote:
-
- "The charming and eloquent treatise of Syed Ameer Ali, The Spirit of Islam, is probably the best achievement in the way of an apology for Mohammed that is ever likely to be composed in a European language."
Robert Durie Osborn
Major R. D. OsbornRobert Durie Osborn
Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Durie Osborn was a British army officer. Osborn was born at Agra, India, on 6 Aug. 1835. His father, Henry Roche Osborn, entered the British East India Company's service in May 1819, and served most of his time in the 54th Native Infantry, but later was lieutenant-colonel...
(1835–1889) wrote: ‘Regarded simply as a literary achievement, we have never read anything issuing from the educated classes in this country which could be compared with it; and the Muslims of India are to be congratulated on the possession of so able a man in their rank. It is impossible, if his after-life accords with this early promise that he should not leave his influence for good stamped upon the country in deep and enduring characters.’
Quotes from the book
"The first outburst of Rationalism in the west occurred in the province most amenable to the power of Moslem civilisation. Ecclesiasticism crushed this fair flower with fire and with sword, and threw back the progress of the world for centuries. But the principles of Free Thought, so strongly impressed in Islam, had communicated their vitality to Christian Europe. Abelard had felt the power of Averroes genius, which was shedding its light over the whole of Western World. Abelard struck a blow for free thought which led to the eventual emancipation of Christendom from the bondage of Ecclesiasticism. Avempace and AverroesAverroes
' , better known just as Ibn Rushd , and in European literature as Averroes , was a Muslim polymath; a master of Aristotelian philosophy, Islamic philosophy, Islamic theology, Maliki law and jurisprudence, logic, psychology, politics, Arabic music theory, and the sciences of medicine, astronomy,...
were the precursors of Descartes, Hobbes, and Lock."
"From the schools of Salerno
Salerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
, of Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, of Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, of Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
, of Cordova
Cordova
-Places:*Cordova, Alabama, USA*Cordova, Alaska, USA*Cordova, Cebu, Philippines*Cordova, Illinois, USA*Cordova, Maryland, USA*Cordova, Nebraska, USA*Cordova, New Mexico, USA*Cordova, South Carolina, USA*Cordova, Tennessee, USA*Córdoba, Argentina...
, of Malaga
Málaga
Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
, the Moslems taught the world the gentle lessons of philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and the practical teaching of stern science"
"The vicegerents of Mohammad allied themselves to the cause of civilisation, and assisted in the growth of free thought and free inquiry, originated and consecrated by the Prophet himself."
Under the Abbasid Caliphs like Mansur, Mamun, Mutassim, wassik, "The rationalist (Mu'tazilite) preached in the mosques and lectured in colleges; they had the moulding of the character of the nation's youth in their hand; they were the chief counsellors of the Caliphs."
Part 2
THE SPIRIT OF ISLAM.- Islam, its signification
- The religious spirit of Islam
- The Church militant of Islam
- The status of women in Islam
- Slavery
- The idea of a future existence
- The political spirit of Islam
- The political divisions and schisms of Islam
- The literary and scientific spirit of Islam
- The rationalistic and philosophical spirit of Islam
See also
- AverroesAverroes' , better known just as Ibn Rushd , and in European literature as Averroes , was a Muslim polymath; a master of Aristotelian philosophy, Islamic philosophy, Islamic theology, Maliki law and jurisprudence, logic, psychology, politics, Arabic music theory, and the sciences of medicine, astronomy,...
- History of Islamic PhilosophyHistory of Islamic PhilosophyThe book History of Islamic Philosophy is a collection of essays by various authorities on Islam in the Routledge series History of World Philosophies and is edited by Seyyed Hossein Nasr of George Washington University and Oliver Leaman of Liverpool John Moores University...
- IslamIslamIslam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
- Islamic PhilosophyIslamic philosophyIslamic philosophy is a branch of Islamic studies. It is the continuous search for Hekma in the light of Islamic view of life, universe, ethics, society, and so on...
- MuhammadMuhammadMuhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
- Syed Ameer AliSyed Ameer AliSyed Ameer Ali C.I.E. was an Indian Muslim jurist hailed from the state of Oudh from where his father shifted and settled down at Orissa...