Jamal Rahman

Books by Jamal Rahman
 

This intriguing introduction to Islamic spirituality can be a companion on your own spiritual journey. Over the centuries, Islamic sages have gleaned timeless spiritual insights and practices from sacred texts, meditation and knowledge of the heart. These have been passed down from generation to generation. This book invites readers of any religion—or none—to drink from the wellspring of Islamic spirituality and use its wisdom to nourish their own spiritual path. 

The gems included in this spiritual treasure chest are reflections on verses of beauty and wisdom from the Qur’an, sayings of the Prophet Muhammad and Sufi poets, especially, the thirteenth-century Rumi. Also woven into the chapters are teaching stories, especially those of Mullah Nasruddin, Islam’s great comic foil.

Available at SkyLight Paths Publishing: SkyLight Paths Publishing and at Barnes & Noble: BarnesandNoble.

When you purchase this book on Amazon.com from the link below, a portion of the proceeds goes to Friends of Mahdipur Village. This organization funds a school for women, an orphanage, and a health clinic in Jamal's ancestral village in Bangladesh.

The Fragrance of Faith: The Enlightened Heart of Islam
Jamal Rahman
(2004, The Book Foundation)

In this heartfelt book, the essence of Islamic wisdom is shared with the reader through teaching stories, Rumi poetry, and sacred verses from the Qur'an and Hadith (sayings of Muhammad). It expresses a deeply compassionate view of the world along with simple spiritual practices that have a profound effect on integrating this wisdom into everyday living. This book may be purchased at your local bookstore or online using the link below.

When you purchase this book on Amazon.com from the link below, a portion of the proceeds goes to Friends of Mahdipur Village. This organization  funds a school for women, an orphanage, and a health clinic in Jamal's ancestral village in Bangladesh.

Religion Gone Astray: What We Found at the Heart of Interfaith
Jamal Rahman, Don Mackenzie, and Ted Falcon
(November 2011) Skylight Paths Publishing

Many of us acknowledge difficulty with some aspect of our own religious tradition, even if we are wholly devoted to our faith identity. These vulnerabilities can inhibit meaningful personal engagement with a faith tradition, but they can also feed misunderstanding between religious institutions and undermine any hope of authentic interfaith dialogue.

Expanding on the conversation started with their very successful first book, the Interfaith Amigos—a rabbi, a pastor and an imam—probe more deeply into the problematic aspects of our religious institutions to provide a profound understanding of the nature of what divides us. They identify four common problem areas in the Abrahamic faiths—exclusivity, violence, inequality of men and women, and homophobia—and their origins. They explore the ways critics use these beliefs as divisive weapons. And they present the ways we can use these vulnerabilities to open the doors for more profound personal relationships, collaboration required to address our common issues, and true interfaith healing.

When you purchase this book on Amazon.com from the link below, a portion of the proceeds goes to Friends of Mahdipur Village. This organization  funds a school for women, an orphanage, and a health clinic in Jamal's ancestral village in Bangladesh

Getting to the Heart of Interfaith: The Eye-Opening, Hope-Filled Friendship of a Pastor, a Rabbi and a Sheikh
Jamal Rahman, Don Mackenzie, and Ted Falcon
(July 2009) Skylight Paths Publishing

This deeply personal journey to interfaith collaboration offers hope for an inclusive and healing way of being together in the world. Too often religion seems to fuel more hatred than love, more conflict than collaboration. For three unique friends (a rabbi, a pastor, and a Muslim Sufi—interfaith amigos, as they have called themselves on their Interfaith Talk Radio show) their relationship goes to the heart of interfaith understanding and embodies a revolutionary spirit of healing. They speak openly about the difficult matters, and the need to do the inner spiritual work, in order to go beyond tolerance and intellectual understanding to a vital, inclusive spirituality. From their deep commitment and lived experience, they present ways we can work together to transcend the differences that have divided us historically.

The book offers many insights and encouragements for individuals and groups who want to tap into the promise of interfaith dialogue—that if we get to know each other, we will be able not only to open to the beauty and wisdom of each other's traditions, but also to find spiritual healing for our deeply wounded human family. The book includes suggestions for where we go from here and additional readings, discussion questions and actions, and group-usage suggestions for laypeople and clergy groups.

Out of Darkness, Into Light: Spiritual Guidance in the Quran with Reflections from Jewish and Christian Sources
Jamal Rahman, Kathleen Schmitt Elias, Ann Holmes Redding
(March 2009) Morehouse Publishing

An introduction to the major themes and passages of the holy book of Islam, this book invites readers of any religion—or none—to meditate on verses of the Qur'an as support for spiritual practices and growth. It guides the reader through the rich tapestry of the Qur'an, weaving through a number of themes, including the mystery of God, surrender to the divine will, and provisions for the spiritual journey. Quranic verses are supplemented by sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, the words of Rumi and other Sufi poets, and relevant quotations and insights from Jewish and Christian sources. The book also offers practical suggestions for expanding and strengthening one’s spiritual sinews.

When you purchase this book on Amazon.com from the link below, a portion of the proceeds goes to Friends of Mahdipur Village. This organization  funds a school for women, an orphanage, and a health clinic in Jamal's ancestral village in Bangladesh.

• Read an excerpt from The Fragrance of Faith.

• Read Rabbi Ted Falcon's review of The Fragrance of Faith by in the winter 2005 issue of Yes! magazine.

• Read Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat's review of The Fragrance of Faith on the Web site Spirituality & Practice.

I cannot be contained in the space of the earth,
I cannot be contained in the space of the heavens,
But I can be contained in the space
Of the pure and loving heart of my servant.
—Hadith Qudsi