Ideals and Realities of Islam Seyyed Hossein N asr with a Preface by
Titus Burckhardt and a Foreword by
Huston Smith
New Revised Edition
ABC International Group, Inc.
ii Ideals Qnd Realities of Islam
© 2000, Seyyed Hossein N asr
First published by George Allen & Unwin 1966 Published by Unwin Paperbacks (Mandala) 1979 Aquarian edition, revised and updated, 1994 Seyyed llossein N asr asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work. A catalogue record for this book is available from the Library of Congress ISBN 1~930637-11-X
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.
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'
CONTENTS Preface by Titus Burckhardt Foreword by Huston Smith Introduction to the First Edition Introduction to the New Edition 1 Islam-the Last Religion and the Primordial Religion -its Universal and Particular Traits
v ix xxi xxvii
1
2·
The Quran-the Word of God, the Source of Knowledge and Action
29
3 The Prophet and Prophetic Tradition-the Last Prophet and Universal Man
57
4
The Sharicah-Divine Law-Social and Human Norm
85
5 The Tariqah-the Spiritual Path and its Quranic Roots
115
6
Sunnism and Shicism-'1\velve-Imam Shicism and Isma cnism
141
Glossary of Technical Terms Bibliography
175 181
Index
PRE
I
CE
was recently given the chance of speaking with one of the most eminent representatives of the Islamic culture in the ancient town of Fez. Faithful guardian of traditional wisdom, skilled in the sciences of the exterior (al-?ahir) and of the interior (al-batin ), aristocrat by birth and in spirit, dignified and almost majestic in his white cloak, he did not mince his words in telling me what he thought of the mentality of his contemporaries: "It is certain that some pious men, true contemplatives and even saints still exist, because according to the Prophet there will be today, in his community, a nucleus of enlightened men. But as for what we call Islamic culture, I must be frank in telling you that there is no longer such a thing in this country