The Holy Qur’an: The majesty and eloquence of the original Arabic scripture never comes out anywhere near in another language. How could that be when the original text, according to many linguists and experts, is “the most eminent written manifestation of the Arabic language” (Prof. Martin Zammit), and “among the greatest literary masterpieces of mankind” (Prof. A. J. Arberry), and “an inexhaustible truth” (Prof. Bruce Lawrence), and “an outstanding evidential miracle” (Prof. Hamilton Gibb). For A. J. Arberry, the esteemed Cambridge University linguist, the Qur’an is “so powerful, so highly emotive”, the “thrilling rhythms”, the “inimitable symphony, the very sounds of which move men to tears and ecstasy”.
Nonetheless, even an English reader would feel the power of the divine revelation through this translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali. Read, for example, the chapters Yusuf (Joseph, ch. 12) and Maryam (Mary, ch. 19) but with an unprejudiced mind. You might be surprised at discovering a literary work you have never known before. Your heart might actually be shaken by the power of the divine speech, so characteristically distinct from human speech, as happened to many others before you.
The Meadows of The Righteous (Riyadh as-Salihin): “God is compassionate and loves compassion”, “The one who does not thank people, does not thank God”, “Visit the sick, feed the hungry and free the captives”, “Every act of goodness is charity”, “The best among you is he who has the best manners”. These are a sample from the words uttered by a wise man whose teachings and gentle manners transformed, in a mere 23 years, an utterly lawless people stooped in darkness into a most law-abiding and spiritual generation ever known in history.
This book is an extra-ordinary collection of some of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad, and a window into his mind about the kind of reform he initiated on people’s characters and manners. It covers many aspects of life include love, compassion, empathy, justice, truthfulness, respect, brotherhood, care, and obedience to God. Originally compiled in the 13th century, this work has continued to illuminate the hearts and minds of millions in every generation across the globe.
The Miraculous Language of the Qur’an: Evidence of Divine Origin by Prof. Bassam Saeh: A non-Arab can hardly be expected to ascribe miraculousness to an Arabic text on literary merits. Prof. Saeh, however, is an expert linguist in Arabic, head of the department of Arabic at an university who also taught at Cambridge. His deep dive in the Qur’anic text left him dumb-founded. He is not referring to the beauty in literary expressions – which is a separate subject that have been dealt with by many authors – but rather to the syntaxes, the structures, the compositions. The unique Qur’anic styles swept away, like a strong gust, all known Arabic conventions and dwarfed its classic literature to nothingness. “Never before had I realized”, he writes, “behind every expression – and I might almost say, behind every word – of the Qur’an there lies a miracle, or an ‘invention’, nay, more that a single invention in many cases. It distresses me that I could not seem to find anything better than this inadequate human term to describe a miracle that human language cannot contain.”
Islam and the Destiny of Man by Gai Eaton: A classic work, and perhaps his best, by Gai Eaton, a British diplomat who discovered faith and spirituality in Islam around the middle of the last century. His expositions of Islamic tenants are profound that have attracted many Westerners over the last half a century to appreciate the beauty and spirituality of Islam.
Reflections by Gai Eaton: This book is a compilation of some eight-six radio talks by Gai Eaton that BBC Radio broadcasted between 1978 and 1996, and the world is fortuate that these talks were preserved. With remarkable mastery of expression and eloquence, which is so characteristic of Eaton, he brings out the inner dimensions and beauty of the teachings of Islam in these talks.
Remembering God : Reflections on Islam: Another beautiful work by the master writer Gai Eaton. His profundity finds expressions in his equally skilled pen on the necessity of connecting with the Divine as we live and manage our affairs in all speheres of life, both individually and collectively.
Foresight by Marcos Eberlin: Professor Eberlin, an accomplished scientist, provides many examples in nature showing impeccable documented evidence that all but proves divine design. For him, science and faith in God are not mutually exclusive; in fact the ties are getting stronger with latest discoveries in since: “The evidence of foresight and design in nature is growing progressively more apparent as we pursue scientific discovery. And unlike materialistic philosophy, an openness to the evidence for intelligent design broadens the horizons of science.” His book is replete with scientific and academic references and it was endorsed by top scientists, two of whom are Nobel laureates.
The Divine Reality: God, Islam and the Mirage of Atheism by Hamza Andreas Tzortzis: If you like to reason, if you like to accept things on the basis of rational thought process, if you love science and understand the philosophy of science, if you consider yourself open-minded to explore, then this book is for you. Tzortzis systematically addresses the arguments that the atheists raise and demolishes them with sound rational arguments. While some atheists, the likes of Dawkins and others, are purely dogmatic and take atheism as their religion, many others are atheists or agnostics not because of firm convictions but rather due to a lack of a fuller understanding of all the relevant subjects and arguments. If you are of the latter type, give this book a fair chance. It is an Amazon best seller for good reasons, and you will not be disappointed.
Struggling to Surrender by Prof. Jeffrey Lang: This book describes an atheist Professor’s re-discovery of faith in God in a homecoming. The sincerity with which Prof. Lang expresses himself will strike the reader from the onset. One would not have expected a professor of mathematics to be able to express his thoughts so well in writing.
Even Angels Ask by Prof. Jeffrey Lang: This book is a sequel to Prof. Lang’s Struggling to Surrender and equally well-written. The title is tantalizing: if the angels, who cannot but only obey God, can pose questions even to God (referring to Qur’an 2:30), then it follows that humans could also be inquisitive and employ their faculty of reasoning to understand matters. This is significant, since, to a western man, faith and dogma is taken to be central to religion since the historical conflict between the Church and science is all too vivid in his conscience. He is hardly aware of Islam’s emphasis on utilizing the intellect, to understand, and to reflect. In fact, it is a recurring theme in the Qur’an (“The worst creatures in God’s eyes are those who are willfully deaf and dumb, who do not reason” – Qur’an 8:22). As Lang goes through the issues in his mind – and a former atheist can hardly be expected to be content with dogma – he shows that the divine scripture of Islam does not go against, but rather promotes, reasoning and understanding.
God’ed? and MisGod’ed by Dr. Laurence B. Brown: A physician who graduated from Cornell University, Dr. Brown would surprise any reader with his exceptional knowledge in the scriptures that is usually the domain of the scholars and the academics. An atheist of many years, he undertook, following a personal experience, a sincere study of major religions. Though Islam was the last in his list and the least desirable, ultimately it was Islam that he found to be impeccable. These two books however – God’ed? and MisGod’ed – are not about his personal journey. Rather, they are full of down-to-earth reasonings in plain terms showing – to all those who care to know – why the Qur’an is a divine book and why Muhammad cannot be but a prophet from God. To an unprejudiced mind who prefers rational reasoning over dogma, these two books are nothing short of eye-openers.
The Road to Mecca by Muhammad Asad: The poor cover does not give justice to the gems that lay between the covers. This book is a narrative of one European’s journey through the desert tribes of Arabia in the early part of the last century, and his soul-searching amidst the simplicity of Arab life in the backdrop of his European upbringing and psyche. The trodding of his feet on the tracts of Bedouin life and traditions, and the introspections within his soul eventually led one “Leopold Weiss”, grandson of an Austrian Rabbi, to become one “Muhammad Asad”. This man was an intelectual powerhouse, as evident in the books he left behind. Now a timeless classic, this book is hard to put down once you start on it.
The Autobiography of Malcolm X: This is an iconic book of American history. Perhaps more than that, it is about how faith can completely transform even a lowest street criminal into a finest man and a most genuine leader, and the potential that lies dormant in each person. It is not just his charisma that is legendary, but also his sincerity, self-sacrifice, courage, and genuine care for his people that will strike his readers. It is a large book but hard to put down once you start. The book also brings to light some darker sides of the society not commonly known to the innocent. (I do not recommend buying the cheap mass-media paperback edition).