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Educational
resources
Books and Articles
Ethics and Spirituality
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A Discourse on Taqwa
Describes the nature of righteousness and God-wariness
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Al-Ṣaḥīfat al-Sajjādiyyah
The collected prayers of the fourth Imam of the Family of the Prophet (Ahl al-Bayt) are a wellspring for spiritual reflection and connection to the Divine.
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Spiritual Mysteries and Ethical Secrets: A Translation of al-Haqa’iq fi Mahasin al-Akhlaq
"This groundbreaking translation brings to light how Mulla Muhsin Fayd Kashani engages with the Sunni Sufi tradition – particularly the ideas of al-Ghazzālī – for the benefit of a Shiʿi audience. In addition to presenting the inner mysteries of Islamic ritual practices, Kashani also explains the nature of the human character and how to cultivate, balance, and eliminate various traits. The work answers many common questions among Muslims such as what is the deeper meaning of fasting, or how to concentrate in prayer."
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An Introduction to Irfan
An introduction to the discipline of ʿIrfān (Islamic Mysticism), a specific approach to Islamic spirituality. "'Irfan (Shi'i spiritual teachings) as compared to tasawwuf (Sufism), its beliefs, practices, different parts (Shari'ah, Tariqa, and Haqiqa), as well as its major practitioners throughout Islamic History."
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Kernel of the Kernel Concerning the Wayfaring and Spiritual Journey of the People of Intellect: A Shi'i Approach to Sufism
"This treatise (entitled Risaleh ye lubb ul-lubab dar sayr wa suluk e uli al albab) is based on the lectures on practical 'irfan of 'Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i, quddisa sirruh, the great contemporary exegete of the Qur'an and philosopher, delivered by him during the years 1949-1950…
This work has also been published by the State University of New York press, titled as Kernel of the Kernel Concerning the Wayfaring and Spiritual Journey of the People of Intellect (Risala-yi Lubb al-Lubab dar Sayr wa Suluk-i Ulul Albab) A Shi'i Approach to Sufism, with Mohammad H. Faghfoory as the translator. The foreword has been given by Seyyed Hossein Nasr."
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Science of the Cosmos, Science of the Soul
The Pertinence of Islamic Cosmology in the Modern World
"With academic courses either encouraging commercialism, or cultivating zealots, Chittick states that it is impossible to understand classical Islamic texts without the years of contemplative study that are anathema to the modern education system. Insisting upon a return to the ways of the ancient wisdom tradition, which saw the quest for knowledge of the soul, the world, and God as a unifying spiritual discipline, Chittick maintains that the study of Islamic texts cannot be treated separately from self-understanding. Fascinating, radical, and a true challenge to modern trends in academic study, this book opens a new debate in Islamic thought."
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Forty Hadith: An Exposition of Ethical and Mystical Traditions
"[A] detailed commentary on 40 selected traditions narrated through the Prophet (S) and his Ahl al-Bayt (a) on topics of ethics and spirituality."
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Jihad al-Akbar: The Greatest Jihad: Combat with the Self
"The internal struggle. Recommendations for religious students and seminaries. Importance of purifying the soul. Knowledge and faith. Includes advice on how to benefit from the blessed month of Ramadhan and the fasting and devotion therein."
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Adab as-Salat: The Disciplines of the Prayer
"A detailed explanation of the strict disciplines and moral secrets of prayer, written by Imam Khomeini for the general public."