BYU Studies Quarterly BYU Studies Quarterly

Volume 40 Issue 4 Article 19

10-1-2001

Brief Notices Brief Notices

Morgan Davis

Steven Bitner

Doris R. Dant

Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq

Digital

Commons

Network

Logo

Part of the Mormon Studies Commons, and the Religious Education Commons

Recommended Citation Recommended Citation Davis, Morgan; Bitner, Steven; and Dant, Doris R. (2001) "Brief Notices," BYU Studies Quarterly: Vol. 40 : Iss. 4 , Article 19. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol40/iss4/19

This Notice is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in BYU Studies Quarterly by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact ellen_amatangelo@byu.edu.

brief notices

the niche of lights by abu hamid al will and god strikes similitudesghazalighazalaGhazali trans david buchman brigham for men and god has knowledgeyoung university press 1998 of everything 1

abu hamid al ghazalighazala AD 1058 1111 in the first chapters al ghazalighazala devel-opsis a pivopivotaltaltai figure in the history of islamic a metaphysics of light xxxiifounded the cardinal doctrine ofthought whether his work is seen as hav-

ing

uponislam that god is the alone along waya negative impact or as is far moreghazalighazala discusses the whichprocess bycommon a positive one he was famousone achieves nearness to god andin his time as a master of islamicthereby greater comprehension of hisjurisprudence which defined correctessence as the one true light it is a processpractice and doctrine which definedthat involves inner andorthodox belief but his own spiritual purificationmeditating on the qualities of things inquest convinced him that salvation was

the visible world xxxiiixxxiii as a means tonot to be obtained merely by slavishcomprehend the nature ofunseen realmsadherence to a code of conduct or intel-

lectual A for theassent to a creed but rather in the methodology interpretingsimilitudes of the isimagery or quranfirsthand experience of the divine toward

thus elaborated with andwhich the beliefs and practices of islam specific imagesvignettes from that book serving aswere oriented but often went unrealized

in the third and finalexamples chapteral ghazalis quest for a fully actualizedal ghazalighazala explains the called veilsspiritual life led him to the disciplines of sohadith a saying by the prophet muham-mad

meditation on the divine essence andthat employs both the imagery ofreflection upon the inner meanings of the

light to describe god and the imageryislamic revelations as contained in bothof veils to indicate the various levels ofthe quran and the sayings of the prophetinsight required to comprehend god fullymuhammad the niche of lights written

the niche of lights is a relatively shortin the latter part of his career is a lumi-nous

book that can be read in one or two sit-tings

example of al ghazalis personalthe translation itself is just 53 pageseffort to understand certain of those reve-

lations it is an excellent example of a text in thein their richest senseislamic sufi or mystical tradition andthe focus of attention in the first twowill be read with interest by those whochapters of the niche of lights isis awish to learn more about this aspect ofour anic passage widely known as theislamic faith and practice professor

light versebuchman has produced a translation that

god is the light of the heavens is not wooden yet is literal and employsand the earth the likeness of his technical terms consistently thus thelight is as a niche wherein is a lamp translation paired with the arabic text onthe lamp in a glass the glass as it facing pages provides an opportunity forwere a glittering star kindled from a students of arabic to hone their readingblessed tree an olive that is neither skills while exploring an engaging textof the east nor of the west whose from medieval islam finally the nicheoil well high would shine even if of lights affords an opportunity to view ano fire touched it light upon light muslim spiritual master at work notgod guides to his light whom he merely expounding a theory of worship

BYU studies 4040 no 4 2001 2691

Davis et al.: Brief Notices

Published by BYU ScholarsArchive, 2001

270 BYUbyustudiesstudies

informed by imagination and oriented in choosing articles that have salience intoward becoming but actually carry-ing

countries outside of the essays immedi-ateit out in the very act of writing these subject matter although all but three

meditations of the articles deal with specific countriesmorgan davis and not the region as a whole the ideas and

insights that they present are often applic-able

i A J arberry the koran inter-preted to other areas of the middle east fornew york macmillan 1955

example the essay by diane singerman2425 networks jobs and everyday life in

cairo highlights the important roleplayed by formal and informal networksinin gaining employment in the face of a

everyday life in the muslim middle eaeastbastt large bureaucracy and a dearth of jobsedited by donna lee bowen and while the article deals exclusively withevelyn A early 2dad ed indiana univer egypt family social and political net-

workssity press 2001 also have a significant role in muchof the rest of the middle east

in the second edition of everyday life among my favorite articles are brianin the muslim middle east donna lee barbers politics politics and more poli-

ticsbowen and evelyn A early have reintro-duced

youth life experiences in the gazathis often confusing region inin a strip jon W andersons internet

clear and concise manner rather than islam new media of the islamic refor-mationseeking to describe every aspect of every and an article that was included

country in the middle east bowen and in the first edition michael E jansensearly have included essays that focus on an american woman on the hajjthe everyday activities of the muslim each of these essays deals with issues thatpeople of the region this approach are important yet often overlooked orworks well in introducing the reader to misunderstood by the western readerthe struggles feelings and daily routine barbers article describes the intenseof the inhabitants of this area politicalization that has occurred in gaza

the book is presented in much the and its impact on the palestinian youthssame way as the first edition divided into perceived realities and hopes for thefive sections generations and life pas future anderson looks at the way insages gender relations home commu-nity

which a new technology the internet hasand work popular expression of been effectively used to furtherfarthermarther islamic

religion and performance and entertain-ment

discourse and what effect this might havewhile the book retains the success-

fulon islam jansens piece is a personal nar-rativeformat of the first edition it of the pilgrimage to mecca

introduces twenty three new narratives As indicated in the title of the bookstories and studies each essay and sec-

tionthe essays are about the muslim middle

contributes to the weaving of a tapes-try

east perhaps one of the most uniquethat reflects the realities of middle attributes of the middle east is the impact

eastern societies to complement the religion has on the culture identity andarticles and to give relevant background politics of the region the book containsbowen and early have written an inforanfor many articles that effectively describe themativeamative introduction to each section as extent that islam influences and perme-

ateswell as comments that precede each indi-vidual

the everyday life of the modern mid-dlepiece easterner young womens sexuality

given the size and disparities of the in tunisia the health consequences ofmiddle east the authors have done well misinformation among university stu

2

BYU Studies Quarterly, Vol. 40, Iss. 4 [2001], Art. 19

https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol40/iss4/19

bricfbriefbrienoticesBrie notices 271

dents demonstrates the conflict of con-science

and god provides for them is inter-pretedthat occurs as the changing as strive for the sake of god and

morals of modernity react with islamic not for the sake ofyour bellies bewarecultural and religious traditions the the excesses of the world 6060essay inside the islamic reformation in the muslim gospel jesus is notdeals with how education and the mass perfect although as a prophet he is still amedia have precipitated an ongoing rein-terpretation

worker of miracles he is beset with selfterpretation of islam doubt struggles with anger dreads the

in light of recent world events this hour judgment day complains ofhelp-lessnessbook could not have come at a more ap-

propriateis admonished by god and occa-

sionallyprop riate time now more than ever it is sionally is bested in holiness by his cousinimportant that the english speaking john and an anonymous old manworld has access to a work that can help understandably in these sayings jesus is

increase mutual understanding and respect islarnizedislamizedIslamized the mosque replaces the templebetween the west and the muslim middle jesus cites the quran and as a muslimeast in the editors own words the best prophet he performs muslim ablutionsway to combat stereotypes is to meet and prayers and is spared crucifixion hisothers on a person to person basis xi contemporaries symbolically pay homage

steven bitner to the future muhammad strayingaulamaulamaiulama religious scholars receive the

stinging rebukes reserved in the gospelsfor the scribes and phariseesPharisees while jesus

the muslim jesus sayings and stories in attires himself in the midralmidraamidraa a garmentislamic literature edited and translated preferred by islamic ascetics and bufissufisby tarif khalidi harvard university poignant lessons for the modern situ-

ationpress 2001 abound the muslim jesus teachesthat pride and fanaticism arouse anger a

although in islam jesus is not the divine sin our real enemies are satan and thebeing revered by christians he is often seen enticements and distractions of theas a prophet second in importance only to world mercy should be extended to all

muhammad he was held in particular the people of ones race who jesusesteem by islamic ascetics and mystics and tells an interlocutor are all the childrenone hadith states by muhammad himself of adam 79 he who prays for those6060 accordingly over the centuries who treat him badly defeats satan heislamic scholars recorded many sayings reminds us 170attributed to jesus often couching them in readers will quickly find favorite say-

ingsbrief stories alAI ghazalighazala for example cites some I1 appreciate for their wrynessforty seven sayings now 303 of the scat-tered

A pig unclean animal passed by jesuspost quranicjuranic references have been jesus said pass in peace he was asked

compiled into what their editor tarif kha spirit of god how can you say this to alidi calls the muslim gospel 3 pig jesus replied 1 I hate to accustom my

many of these sayings represent a jesus tongue to evil 123 As a teacher I1 amfamiliar to readers of the gospels recasting humbled by the teachings on the respon-

sibilityparalleling or echoing new testament sibility of scholarship to the questionmaterial one recurrent modification is the who is the most seditious of menaddition ofan explicit moral where the bib-lical

jesus replied the scholar who is intext is silent these morals may take a error if a scholar errs a host of people

somewhat unexpected yet bracing twist will fall into error because of him 61

for example the recast text look at the doris R dantbirds they neither reap nor plough

3

Davis et al.: Brief Notices

Published by BYU ScholarsArchive, 2001