Blog Smith

Blog Smith is inspired by the myth of Hephaestus in the creation of blacksmith-like, forged materials: ideas. This blog analyzes topics that interest me: IT, politics, technology, history, education, music, and the history of religions.

Monday, June 25, 2018

Global Muslim Beliefs are Alarming

Surveys conducted by Pew Research have revealed a great deal about Muslim beliefs and practices across the globe.  But they fall short of providing an overall picture of the Muslim world because they are divided by country or region.
The Muslim Global Demographic Project was established to answer this need by compiling Pew survey information in order to compute global percentages and global population statistics on Islamic beliefs and practices as they relate to security, terrorism, and the potential threat to Western culture.[1]
Taken together, nearly 1.1 billion Muslims are represented in the 39 countries where Pew surveys were completed between 2008 and 2012.[2]  This encompasses two-thirds of the world’s 1.6 billion Muslims (based on a 2010 estimate), though not every country was polled in all of the survey questions.[3]  Since the surveys cover only countries with substantial Muslim populations, the United States and Western Europe were not included.
Some of the key findings of the project are presented here.  For the complete report and analysis, see “Muslim Beliefs & Practices:  A Global Demographic Assessment.”
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YxaidYQyDm7SQBVmyFLf_aExhBItXx2a/view
Most Muslims Believe there is Only One Islam
67% (736.3 million) of Muslims surveyed believe that there is only one true interpretation of Islam’s teachings.  Disagreements over the interpretation of Islam have sometimes resulted in deadly violence, mostly between Sunnis and Shias.  However, the acceptance of Shias by Sunni Muslims varies considerably between countries.  Though most Muslims are certain about the true interpretation of Islam, they are divided over how far to stretch the boundaries of Islam.
Devout Muslims—those who say their lives reflect the hadith and the sunna to a considerable degree—comprise 41% (369.7 million) of the survey population. [4]  Statistically, they are more likely to say that (1) sharia is the revealed word of Allah, (2) that Islam and sharia have only one interpretation, (3) that proselytizing is a religious duty, and (4) that sharia should be the official law of their country.[5]
Most Muslims Prefer to Live Under Sharia    
Though Muslims are evenly divided over the belief that there is only one interpretation of sharia, 64% (581 million) believe it is the revealed word of Allah, rather than a form of law developed by men and based on Allah’s word.  69% of Muslims (741.8 million) in the countries surveyed favor making sharia the official law of their country.  This was the highest number in the project’s survey questions.
About one-third (274.0 million) believe sharia should be applied to non-Muslims in some way, and about one-third to one-half of Muslims (352.2 million – 463.3 million) support extreme punishments such as whippings, amputations, stoning for adultery, and the death penalty for apostasy.
These punishments belong to a legal class of penalties known as Hudud.  They are prescribed by the Quran, the sunna (the example and teachings of Muhammad), and traditional sharia (see table below). Hudud offenses are considered crimes against Allah.
Offense
Hudud Punishment
Reference
AdulteryStoningBukhari 6814, 6827, 6828; Ibn Ishaq 267, 652; Reliance o12.2
Fornication (or Sodomy)100 LashesQuran 24:2; Bukhari 6827, 6828, 6833; Reliance o12.2
False Accusation of Adultery80 lashesQuran 24:4; Reliance o13.3
Drinking AlcoholUp to 80 lashesMuslim 4452; Bukhari 6780; Reliance o16.3
Theft or Highway RobberyAmputation of Hand and/or FootQuran 5:33, 38; Bukhari 6787, 6789; Ibn Ishaq 678; Reliance o14.1, o15.0
Highway Robbery
with Homicide
Crucifixion or Death by SwordQuran 5:33 (see Bukhari 6802-6805); Ibn Ishaq 678; Reliance o15.2
ApostasyDeathBukhari 3017, 6922; Ibn Ishaq 550; Reliance o8.1
KEY:     Bukhari—A Sunni, canonical, hadith collection (Darussalem version numbering)
Ibn Ishaq—Life of Muhammad, trans. by A. Guillaume (Oxford U. Press, 1955)
RelianceReliance of the Traveler: A Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law, trans. by Nuh Ha             Mim Keller (Amana Publications, 1991)
A Large Minority of Muslims Support Forced Veiling & Honor Killing
About one-third of Muslims surveyed support the forced veiling of women (349.4 million) and say that honor killings are justified (361.8 million), in at least some circumstances, for women who commit pre or extra-marital sex.  Muslims are less likely to justify honor killings for men who commit the same offences.
Honor killing is not taught in the Quran and it is condemned by many Muslim clerics.  Nevertheless, a provision of traditional sharia law called Qisas, which is found in some countries, provides a legal loophole for honor killing by allowing blood relatives to forgive the perpetrator.[6]
Many Muslims Reject Basic Universal Rights and Freedoms
When taken together, about one-third to one-half of Muslims (274.0 million – 463.3 million) in the survey countries uphold beliefs and practices (in addition to support for sharia) that are contrary to many Western values and internationally recognized human rights, as shown in this table.
Survey Question
Number Who Affirm
Conflict with Western
Principles & Values
Favor sharia in their country
69%
741.8 million
Separation of religion and state
Religious freedom
Apply sharia to non-Muslims
in their country
31%
274.0 million
Separation of religion and state
Religious freedom
Individual freedom
Freedom of speech
Equality of all persons under the law
Whippings and amputations for
crimes like theft and robbery
44%
456.7 million
Cruel and unusual punishment
Stoning for adultery
45%
463.3 million
Cruel and unusual punishment
Death penalty for apostasy
35%
352.2 million
Religious freedom
Freedom of speech
Cruel and unusual punishment
Forced veiling of women
32%
349.4 million
Individual rights
Gender equality
Justify honor killings for women who commit pre or extra-marital sex
40%
361.8 million
Religious freedom
Individual rights
Gender equality
Conspiracy to murder
Over 100 Million Muslims Can Justify Using Violence in Defense of Islam   
Nearly 17% (which includes 114.7 million adults) of the survey population said that violence against civilians, is justified in order to “defend Islam from its enemies.”  Though the percentage is small, the population number is significant and implies a substantial base of moral and, perhaps, material support for violence and terrorism.[7]  If we assume that 17% is representative of the global Muslim population as a whole (i.e., 1.75 billion in 2015), then the number rises to approximately 191.5 million adults.  Granting that only a small percentage of those who justify terrorism would actually commit a terrorist act, these numbers are still more than sufficient to sustain a significant global terrorist threat for the foreseeable future.
The defense of Islam can be broader than resistance to armed attacks.  For many Muslims, insulting Islam or Muhammad is regarded as an attack on Islam.  Historical support for this view comes from Islam’s traditional texts.  Those who criticized or mocked Muhammad, including women, the elderly, and possibly children, were assassinated at his behest or with his approval according to both the hadith (Bukhari 1067, 4037, Abu Dawud 4361) and Muhammad’s biography, the sira (Ibn Ishaq, 551, 665, 675).  Numerous terrorist threats and attacks on Western targets have been provoked by nothing more than words or pictures which some Muslims found offensive.
There are other important conclusions regarding the survey population which have major implications for immigration.  These are discussed in the full, project report:
  • Devout Muslims are more likely to reject the legitimacy of Western laws and government.
  • Converting non-Muslims and promoting sharia are religious imperatives for many Muslims.
  • Intolerance of non-Muslims is widespread and continues to be taught.
  • A significant minority of Muslims are conflicted about modern society
  • A pre-scientific worldview continues to inhibit Islamic historical and scientific inquiry.
The report analyzes 16 survey questions in detail, providing the historical, theological, political, and social background of Muslim beliefs and practices.  It also includes an assessment of security, terrorism, and areas of potential conflict with Western culture—information which is crucial for policymakers and analysts.

Ian Hunter, Sounds of the 70s

Johnny Walker

Sunday, June 24, 2018

Part II, The History of Rock

About this Course

This course, part 2 of a 2-course sequence, examines the history of rock, primarily as it unfolded in the United States, from the early 1970s to the early 1990s. This course covers the music of Led Zeppelin, the Allman Brothers, Carole King, Bob Marley, the Sex Pistols, Donna Summer, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, Metallica, Run-DMC, and Nirvana, and many more artists, with an emphasis both on cultural context and on the music itself. We will also explore how developments in the music business and in technology helped shape the ways in which styles developed. Emerging out of the experimental and ambitious years of late-60s psychedelia, rock splintered into a variety of styles in the 1970s as the music business continued to expand. By the end of the decade, punk and disco had challenged the excesses of the hippie aesthetic, as rock became more commercially streamlined and radio friendly.

Syllabus

Week 1
Introduction
  1. Introduction to History of Rock, Part 2
  2. About the Course
  3. Course Pages
Week 2
The Growing Rock Monster (1970-77)
  1. Intro and Overview of the 70s
  2. British and American Blues Rock, and Southern Rock
  3. Progressive Rock and Jazz-Rock
  4. Theatrical Rock and Singer-Songwriters
  5. British and Canadian Singer-Songwriters and Country Rock
Week 3
Black Pop, Reggae, and the Rise of Disco (1970-79)
  1. Black Pop and Motown in the 1970s
  2. Philadelphia Sound, Blaxploitation Soundtracks, and James Brown George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic
  3. The Rise of Reggae and Disco
  4. Review
  1. Quiz: The Growing Rock Monster (1970-77) and Black Pop, Reggae, and the Rise of Disco (1970-79)
Week 4
Mainstream Rock, Punk, and New Wave (1975-79)
  1. Mainstream Rock 1975–80
  2. Continuities and Leaner Prog, Louder Singer-Songwriters
  3. US Punk 1967-777
  4. American and British New Wave 1977-80 and Summarizing the 1970s
Week 5
I Want My MTV (1980-89)
  1. The Rise of MTV
  2. Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince and Janet Jackson
  3. MTV Success Stories, New Traditionalists, and New Wave
  4. New Acts Old Styles, Blue-Eyed Soul, and Dinosaurs Adapt and Thrive
  5. Review
  1. Quiz: Mainstream Rock, Punk, and New Wave (1975-79) and I Want My MTV (1980-89)
Week 6
Heavy Metal, Rap, and Indie Rock (1980-89)
  1. Heavy Metal
  2. Metal Ambition and the Roots of Rap
  3. Rap Crosses Over and CNN for Black People
  4. Punk Goes Hardcore and Indie Rock Underground
Week 7
Alternative Rock, Rock Alternatives, and Widening Gaps (the 1990s)
  1. The Rise of Alternative
  2. Indie Rock and Extensions of Metal and Alternative
  3. Hip-Hop in the 1990s and Classic Rock
  4. New Rock Traditions and Female Singer-Songwriters
  5. Teen Idols and Electronic Dance Music
  6. Review
  1. Quiz: Heavy Metal, Rap, and the Rise of Alternative Rock (1980-89) and Widening Gaps (the 1990s)

How to Pass the Course

Pass all graded assignments to complete the course.

Friday, June 22, 2018

Thursday, June 21, 2018

RESOURCES FOR FURTHER STUDY

RESOURCES FOR FURTHER STUDY
Please find below additional readings that expand on the content of Day Three; note that much of the further reading list from Day Two also applies here.

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

LEARNING SUMMARY

LEARNING SUMMARY
Name three things that you learned from this unit. Was there anything that you found especially compelling or challenging?  If so, please explain.

Immigration

Illegal

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

DISCUSSION: THE FIGURE OF JOSEPH

DISCUSSION: THE FIGURE OF JOSEPH

The story of Joseph, found in Chapter/SÅ«ra 12 of the Quran, constitutes the longest continuous narrative in the the Muslim scripture. Verse 4 of this chapter describes the story as "the best of stories". Answer the following question on the discussion board. You may want to include quotations from the chapter in your answers.
      1. What character traits do you think the Quran wants to teach through the examples of Joseph and Jacob? In what ways does Joseph exemplify a role model muslim, i.e., submitter to God?
      2. If you have encountered another version of the Joseph story in scripture or popular culture, what differences stand out to you in the Quranic account? If this is the first time you are reading the Joseph story, what parts of the story make the biggest impression on you and why?

Hillsdale College, Vice President Pence


our-greatest-inheritance

Monday, June 18, 2018

READING: SURAT YUSUF

READING: SURAT YUSUF
 
We would like to give you two options for the version of the Chapter of Joseph (SÅ«rat YÅ«suf). If you prefer to read this text accompanied by a commentary on the spiritual and moral lessons of the chapter by a contemporary scholar of Islamic studies, you can access James Morris' "Dramatizing the Sura of Joseph: An Introduction to the Islamic Humanities" (originally published in Journal of Turkish Studies 18 (1994) 201-224) here.

http://dlib.bc.edu/islandora/object/bc-ir:100244

If you prefer just to read a translation of the Quranic text alone, without a commentary, you can find it below.

As you read this chapter, pay particular attention to the character traits of Joseph and Jacob that the Quranic narrative focuses on. What parts of the story make the biggest impression on you? If you are familiar with other versions of the story, are there any similarities or differences that strike you?

You may also wish to listen to the recitation of Surat Yusuf by Abdul-Basit. The link here is to the first of eleven parts; the rest are on YouTube, as well.

The Story of Prophet Joseph, Surah Yusuf, Audio Video, Part 1 of 11 

https://youtu.be/5VSmtE4jg7w



The Chapter of Joseph (12)
1. Alif-Lam-Ra. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur'an, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings].
THESE ARE MESSAGES of a revelation clear in itself and clearly showing the truth:
2. behold, We have bestowed it from on high as a discourse in the Arabic tongue, so that you might encompass it with your reason.
3. In the measure that We reveal this Qur'an unto thee, [O Prophet,] We explain it to thee in the best possible way, seeing that ere this thou wert indeed among those who are unaware [of what revelation is].
4. LO! Thus spoke Joseph unto his father: "O my father! Behold, I saw [in a dream] eleven stars, as well as the sun and the moon: I saw them prostrate themselves before me!"
5. [Jacob] replied: "O my dear son! Do not relate thy dream to thy brothers lest [out of envy] they devise an evil scheme against thee; verily, Satan is man's open foe!
6. For, [as thou hast been shown in thy dream,] even thus will thy Sustainer elect thee, and will impart unto thee some understanding of the inner meaning of happenings, and will bestow the full measure of His blessings upon thee and upon the House of Jacob - even as, aforetime, He bestowed it in full measure upon thy forefathers Abraham and Isaac. Verily, thy Sustainer is all-knowing, wise!"
7. Indeed, in [the story of] Joseph and his brothers there are messages for all who search [after truth].
8. NOW [Joseph's brothers] spoke [thus to one another:] "Truly, Joseph and his brother [Benjamin] are dearer to our father than we, even though we are so many. Behold, our father is surely suffering from an aberration!"
9. [Said one of them:] "Slay Joseph, or else drive him away to some [faraway] land, so that your father's regard may be for you alone: and after this is done, you will be [free to repent and to live once again as] righteous people!"
10. Another of them said: "Do not slay Joseph, but - rather - if you must do something - cast him into the dark depths of this well, [whence] some caravan may pick him up."
11. [On this they agreed; and thereupon] they spoke [thus to their father]: "O our father! Wherefore wilt thou not trust us with Joseph, seeing that we are indeed his well-wishers?
12. Let him go out with us tomorrow, that he may enjoy himself and play: and, verily, we shall guard him well!"
13. [Jacob] answered: "Behold, it grieves me indeed [to think] that you might take him with you, for I dread lest the wolf devour him at a moment when you are heedless of him!"
14. Said they: "Surely, if the wolf were to devour him notwithstanding that we are so many - then, behold, we ought ourselves to perish!"
15. And so, when they went away with him, they decided to cast him into the dark depths of the well.
And We revealed [this] unto him: "Thou wilt yet remind them of this their deed at a time when they shall not perceive [who thou art]!"
16. And at nightfall they came to their father, weeping,
17. [and] said: "O our father! Behold, we went off racing with one another, and left Joseph behind with our things; and thereupon the wolf devoured him! But [we know that] thou wouldst not believe us even though we speak the truth -
18. and they produced his tunic with false blood upon it.
[But Jacob] exclaimed: "Nay, but it is your [own] minds that have made [so terrible] a happening seem a matter of little account to you!" But [as for myself,] patience in adversity is most goodly [in the sight of God]; and it is to God [alone] that I pray to give me strength to bear the misfortune which you have described to me."
19. AND THERE CAME a caravan; and they sent forth their drawer of water, and he let down his bucket into the well - [and when he saw Joseph] he exclaimed: "Oh, what a lucky find, this boy!"
And they hid him with a view to selling him: but God had full knowledge of all that they were doing.
20. And they sold him for a paltry price - a mere few silver coins: thus low did they value him.
21. And the man from Egypt who bought him said to his wife: "Make his stay [with us] honourable; he may well be of use to us, or we may adopt him as a son.
And thus We gave unto Joseph a firm place on earth; and [We did this] so that We might impart unto him some understanding of the inner meaning of happenings. For, God always prevails in whatever be His purpose: but most people know it not.
22. And when he reached full manhood, We bestowed upon him the ability to judge [between right and wrong], as well as [innate] knowledge: for thus do We reward the doers of good.
23. And [it so happened that] she in whose house he was living [conceived a passion for him and] sought to make him yield himself unto her; and she bolted the doors and said, "Come thou unto me!"
[But Joseph] answered: "May God preserve me! Behold, goodly has my master made my stay [in this house]! Verily, to no good end come they that do [such] wrong!"
24. And, indeed, she desired him, and he desired her; [and he would have succumbed] had he not seen [in this temptation] an evidence of his Sustainer's truth: thus [We willed it to be] in order that We might avert from him all evil and all deeds of abomination - for, behold, he was truly one of Our servants.
25. And they both rushed to the door; and she [grasped and] rent his tunic from behind - and [lo!] they met her lord at the door!
Said she: "What ought to be the punishment of one who had evil designs on [the virtue of] thy wife - [what] but imprisonment or a [yet more] grievous chastisement?"
26. [Joseph] exclaimed: "It was she who sought to make me yield myself unto her!"
Now one of those present, a member of her own household, suggested this: "If his tunic has been torn from the front, then she is telling the truth, and he is a liar;
27. but if his tunic has been torn from behind, then she is lying, and he is speaking the truth."
28. And when (her husband] saw that his tunic was torn from behind, he said: "Behold, this is [an instance] of your guile, O womankind! Verily, awesome is your guile!
29. [But,] Joseph, let this pass! And thou, [O wife,] ask forgiveness for thy sin - for, verily, thou hast been greatly at fault!"
30. NOW the women of the city spoke [thus to one another]: "The wife of this nobleman is trying to induce her slave-boy to yield himself unto her! Her love for him has pierced her heart; verily, we see that she is undoubtedly suffering from an aberration!"
31. Thereupon, when she heard of their malicious talk, she sent for them, and prepared for them a sumptuous repast, and handed each of them a knife and said [to Joseph]: "Come out and show thyself to them!"
And when the women saw him, they were greatly amazed at his beauty, and [so flustered were they that] they cut their hands [with their knives], exclaiming, "God save us! This is no mortal man! This is nought but a noble angel!"
32. Said she: "This, then, is he about whom you have been blaming me! And, indeed, I did try to make him yield himself unto me, but he remained chaste. Now, however, if he does not do what I bid him, he shall most certainly be imprisoned, and shall most certainly find himself among the despised!"
33. Said he: "O my Sustainer! Prison is more desirable to me than [compliance with] what these women invite me to: for, unless Thou turn away their guile from me, I might yet yield to their allure and become one of those who are unaware [of right and wrong]."
34. And his Sustainer responded to his prayer, and freed him from the threat of their guile: verily, He alone is all-hearing, all-knowing.
35. For, presently it occurred to the nobleman and his household [even] after they had seen all the signs [of Joseph's innocence] - that they might as well imprison him for a time.
36. NOW two young men happened to go to prison at the same time as Joseph. One of them said: "Behold, I saw myself [in a dream] pressing wine."
And the other said: "Behold, I saw myself [in a dream] carrying bread on my head, and birds were eating thereof." [And both entreated Joseph:] "Let us know the real meaning of this! Verily, we see that thou art one of those who know well [how to interpret dreams]."
37. [Joseph] answered: "Ere there comes unto you the meal which you are [daily] fed, I shall have informed you of the real meaning of your dreams, [so that you might know what is to come] before it comes unto you: for this is [part] of the knowledge which my Sustainer has imparted to me.
"Behold, I have left behind me the ways of people who do not believe in God, and who persistently refuse to acknowledge the truth of the life to come;
38. and I follow the creed of my forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It is not conceivable that we should [be allowed to] ascribe divinity to aught beside God: this is [an outcome] of God's bounty unto us and unto all mankind - but most people are ungrateful.
39. "O my companions in imprisonment! Which is more reasonable:40 [belief in the existence of numerous divine] lords, each of them different from the other41 - or [in] the One God, who holds absolute sway over all that exists?
40. "All that you worship instead of God is nothing but [empty] names which you have invented - you and your forefathers - [and] for which God has bestowed no warrant from on high. Judgment [as to what is right and what is wrong] rests with God alone - [and] He has ordained that you should worship nought but Him: this is the [one] ever-true faith; but most people know it not.
41. "[And now,] O my companions in imprisonment, [I shall tell you the meaning of your dreams:] as for one of you two, he will [again] give his lord [the King] wine to drink; but as for the other, he will be crucified, and birds will eat off his head. [But whatever be your future,] the matter on which you have asked me to enlighten you has been decided [by God]."
42. And [thereupon Joseph] said unto the one of the two whom he considered saved: "Mention me unto thy lord [when thou art free]!" But Satan caused him to forget to mention [Joseph] to his lord, and so he remained in prison a few [more] years.
43. AND [one day] the King said: "Behold, I saw [in a dream] seven fat cows being devoured by seven emaciated ones, and seven green ears [of wheat] next to [seven] others that were withered. O you nobles! Enlighten me about [the meaning of] my dream, if you are able to interpret dreams!"
44. They answered: "[This is one of] the most involved and confusing of dreams, and we have no deep knowledge of the real meaning of dreams."
45. At that, the one of the two [erstwhile prisoners] who had been saved, and [who suddenly] remembered [Joseph] after all that time, spoke [thus]: "It is I who can inform you of the real meaning of this [dream]; so let me go [in search of it]."
46. [And he went to see Joseph in the prison and said to him:] "Joseph, O thou truthful one! Enlighten us about [the meaning of a dream in which] seven fat cows were being devoured by seven emaciated ones, and seven green ears [of wheat appeared] next to [seven] others that were withered - so that I may return [with thy explanation] unto the people [of the court, and] that they may come to know [what manner of man thou art]!"
47. [Joseph] replied: "You shall sow for seven years as usual; but let all [the grain] that you harvest remain [untouched] in its ear, excepting only a little, whereof you may eat:
48. for, after that [period of seven good years] there will come seven hard [years] which will devour all that you shall have laid up for them, excepting only a little of that which you shall have kept in store.
49. And after that there will come a year in which the people will be delivered from all distress, and in which they will press [oil and wine as before]."
50. And [as soon as Joseph's interpretation was conveyed to him,] the King said: "Bring him before me!"
But when the [King's] messenger came unto him, [Joseph] said: "Go back to thy lord and ask him [first to find out the truth] about those women who cut their hands - for, behold, [until now it is] my Sustainer [alone who] has full knowledge of their guile!"
51. [Thereupon the King sent for those women; and when they came,] he asked: "What was it that you hoped to achieve when you sought to make Joseph yield himself unto you?" The women asnwered: "God save us! We did not perceive the least evil [intention] on his part!" [And] the wife of Joseph's former master exclaimed: "Now has the truth come to light! It was I who sought to make him yield himself unto me - whereas he, behold, was indeed speaking the truth!"
52. [When Joseph learned what had happened, he said:' "I asked for] this, so that [my former master] might know that I did not betray him behind his back,[ and that God does not bless with His guidance the artful schemes of those who betray their trust.
53. And yet, I am not trying to absolve myself: for, verily, man's inner self does incite [him] to evil, and saved are only they upon whom my Sustainer bestows His grace. Behold, my Sustainer is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace!"
54. And the King said: "Bring him unto me, so that I may attach him to my own person."
And when he had spoken with him, [the King] said: "Behold, [from] this day thou shalt be of high standing with us, invested with all trust!"
55. [Joseph] replied: "Place in my charge the store-houses of the land; behold, I shall be a good and knowing keeper.
56. And thus We established Joseph securely in the land [of Egypt]: he had full mastery over it, [doing] whatever he willed.
[Thus do] We cause Our grace to alight upon whomever We will; and We do not fail to requite the doers of good.
57. But in the eyes of those who have attained to faith and have always been conscious of Us, a reward in the life to come is a far greater good [than any reward in this world].
58. AND [after some years,] Joseph's brothers came [to Egypt] and presented themselves before him: and he knew them [at once], whereas they did not recognize him.
59. And when he had provided them with their provisions, he said: "[When you come here next,] bring unto me that brother of yours from your father's side. Do you not see that I have given [you] full measure and have been the best of hosts?
60. But if you do not bring him unto me, you shall never again receive a single measure [of grain] from me, nor shall you [be allowed to] come near me!"
61. They answered: "We shall try to persuade his father to part with him, and, verily, we shall do [our utmost]!"
62. And [Joseph] said to his servants: "Place their merchandise in their camel-packs, so that they may find it there when they come home, and hence be the more eager to return.
63. And so, when they returned to their father, [Joseph's brothers] said: "O our father! All grain is [to be] withheld from us [in the future unless we bring Benjamin with us]: send, therefore, our brother with us, so that we may obtain our measure (of grain]; and, verily, we shall guard him well!"
64. [Jacob] replied: "Shall I trust you with him in the same way as I trusted you with his brother (Joseph] aforetime? [Nay,] but God's guardianship is better [than yours], for He is the most merciful of the merciful!"
65. Thereupon, when they opened their packs, they discovered that their merchandise had been returned to them; [and] they said: "O our father! What more could we desire? Here is our merchandise: it has been returned to us! [If thou send Benjamin with us,] we shall (again] be able to bring food for our family, and shall guard our brother [well], and receive in addition another camel-load of grain. That [which we have brought the first time] was but a scanty measure."
66. Said [Jacob]: "I will not send him with you until you give me a solemn pledge, before God, that you will indeed bring him back unto me, unless you yourselves be encompassed [by death]!"
And when they had given him their solemn pledge, [Jacob] said: "God is witness to all that we say!"
67. And he added: "O my sons! Do not enter [the city all] by one gate, but enter by different gates. Yet [even so,] I can be of no avail whatever to you against [anything that may be willed by] God: judgment [as to what is to happen] rests with none but God. In Him have I placed my trust: for, all who have trust [in His existence] must place their trust in Him alone."
68. But although they entered [Joseph's city] in the way their father had bidden them, this proved of no avail whatever to them against [the plan of] God. [His request] had served only to satisfy Jacob's heartfelt desire [to protect them]: for, behold, thanks to what We had imparted unto him, he was indeed endowed with the knowledge [that God's will must always prevail]; but most people know it not.
69. AND WHEN [the sons of Jacob] presented themselves before Joseph, he drew his brother [Benjamin] unto himself, saying [to him in secret]: "Behold, I am thy brother! So grieve thou not over their past doings!"
70. And [later,] when he had provided them with their provisions, he placed the [King's] drinking-cup in his brother's camel-pack. And [as they were leaving the city,] a herald called out: "O you people of the caravan! Verily, you are thieves!"
71. Turning towards the herald and his companions, the brothers asked: "What is it that you miss?"
72. They answered: "We miss the King's goblet; and he who produces it shall receive a camel-load [of grain as reward]!" And [the herald added:] "I pledge myself to this [promise]!"
73. Said [the brothers]: "By God! Well do you know that we have not come to commit deeds of corruption in this land, and that we have not been thieving!"
74. [The Egyptians] said: "But what shall be the requital of this [deed] if you are [proved to be] liars?"
75. [The brothers] replied: "Its requital? He in whose camel-pack [the cup] is found - he shall be [enslaved as] a requital thereof! Thus do we [ourselves] requite the doers of [such] wrong.
76. Thereupon [they were brought before Joseph to be searched; and] he began with the bags of his half-brothers before the bag of his brother [Benjamin]: and in the end he brought forth the drinking cup out of his brother's bag.
In this way did We contrive for Joseph [the attainment of his heart's desire]: under the King's law, he would [otherwise] not have been able to detain his brother, had not God so willed. We do raise to [high] degrees [of knowledge] whomever We will - but above everyone who is endowed with knowledge there is One who knows all.
77. [As soon as the cup came to light out of Benjamin's bag, the brothers] exclaimed: "If he has stolen-well, a brother of his used to steal aforetime!"
Thereupon Joseph said to himself, without revealing his thought to them: "You are far worse in this respect, and God is fully aware of what you are saying."
78. They said: "O thou great one! Behold, he has a father, a very old man: detain, therefore, one of us in his stead. Verily, we see that thou art a doer of good!"
79. He answered: "May God preserve us from [the sin of] detaining any other than him with whom we have found our property - for then, behold, we would indeed be evildoers!"
80. And so, when they lost all hope of [moving] him, they withdrew to take counsel [among themselves].
The eldest of them said: "Do you not remember that your father has bound you by a solemn pledge before God - and how, before that, you had failed with regard to Joseph? Hence, I shall not depart from this land till my father gives me leave or God passes judgment in my favour: for He is the best of all judges.
81. [And as for you others,] return to your father and say: 'O our father! Behold, thy son has stolen - but we [can] bear witness to no more than what has become known to us; and [although we gave you our pledge,] we could not guard against something that [lay hidden in the future and, hence,] was beyond the reach of our perception.
82. And ask thou in the town in which we were [at the time], and of the people of the caravan with whom we travelled hither, and [thou wilt find that] we, are indeed telling the truth!'"
83. [AND WHEN they returned to their father and told him what had happened,] he exclaimed: "Nay, but it is your [own] minds that have made [so terrible] a happening seem a matter of little account to you! But [as for myself,] patience in adversity is most goodly; God may well bring them all [back] unto me: verily, He alone is all-knowing, truly wise!"
84. But he turned away from them and said: "O woe is me for Joseph!" - and his eyes became dim from the grief with which he was filled.
85. Said [his sons]: "By God! Thou wilt never cease to remember Joseph till thou art broken in body and spirit or art dead!"
86. He answered: "It is only to God that I complain of my deep grief and my sorrow: for I know, from God, something that you do not know.
87. [Hence,] O my sons, go forth and try to obtain some tidings of Joseph and his brother; and do not lose hope of God's life-giving mercy: verily, none but people who deny the truth can ever lose hope of God's life-giving mercy."
88. [AND THE SONS of Jacob went back to Egypt and to Joseph;] and when they presented themselves before him, they said: "O thou great one! Hardship has visited us and our folk, and so we have brought but scanty merchandise; but give us a full measure [of grain], and be charitable to us: behold, God rewards those who give in charity!"
89. Replied he: "Do you remember what you did to Joseph and his brother when you were still unaware [of right and wrong]?"
90. They exclaimed: "Why - is it indeed thou who art Joseph?"
He answered: "I am Joseph, and this is my brother. God has indeed been gracious unto us. Verily, if one is conscious of Him and patient in adversity - behold, God does not fail to requite the doers of good!"
91. [The brothers] said: "By God! Most certainly has God raised thee high above us, and we were indeed but sinners!"
92. Said he: "No reproach shall be uttered today against you. May God forgive you your sins: for He is the most merciful of the merciful!
93. [And now] go and take this tunic of mine and lay it over my father's face, and he will recover his sight. And thereupon come [back] to me with all your family."
94. AND AS SOON as the caravan [with which Jacob's sons were travelling] was on its way, their father said [to the people around him]: "Behold, were it not that you might consider me a dotard, [I would say that] I truly feel the breath of Joseph [in the air]!"
95. They answered: "By God! Thou art indeed still lost in thy old aberration!"
96. But when the bearer of good tidings came [with Joseph's tunic], he laid it over his face; and he regained his sight, [and] exclaimed: "Did I not tell you, 'Verily, I know, from God, something that you do not know'?"
97. [His sons] answered: "O our father! Ask God to forgive us our sins, for, verily, we were sinners."
98. He said: "I shall ask my Sustainer to forgive you: He alone is truly forgiving, a true dispenser of grace!"
99. AND WHEN they [all arrived in Egypt and] presented themselves before Joseph, he drew his parents unto himself, saying, "Enter Egypt! If God so wills, you shall be secure [from all evil]!"
100. And he raised his parents to the highest place of honour; and they [all] fell down before Him, prostrating themselves in adoration.
Thereupon [Joseph] said: "O my father! This is the real meaning of my dream of long ago, which my Sustainer has made come true. And He was indeed good to me when He freed me from the prison, and [when] He brought you [all unto me] from the desert after Satan had sown discord between me and my brothers. Verily, my Sustainer is unfathomable in [the way He brings about] whatever He wills: verily, He alone is all-knowing, truly wise!
101. "O my Sustainer! Thou hast indeed bestowed upon me something of power, and hast imparted unto me some knowledge of the inner meaning of happenings. Originator of the heavens and the earth! Thou art near unto me in this world and in the life to come: let me die as one who has surrendered himself unto Thee, and make me one with the righteous!"
102. THIS ACCOUNT of something that was beyond the reach of thy perception We [now] reveal unto thee, [O Prophet:] for thou wert not with Joseph's brothers when they resolved upon what they were going to do and wove their schemes [against him].
103. Yet - however strongly thou mayest desire it - most people will not believe [in this revelation],
104. although thou dost not ask of them any reward for it: it is but [God's] reminder unto all mankind.
105. But [then] - how many a sign is there in the heavens and on earth which they pass by [unthinkingly], and on which they turn their backs!
106. And most of them do not even believe in God without [also] ascribing divine powers to other beings beside Him.
107. Do they, then, feel free from the fear that there might fall upon them the overwhelming terror of God's chastisement, or that the Last Hour might come upon them of a sudden, without their being aware [of its approach]?
108. Say [O Prophet]: "This is my way: Resting upon conscious insight accessible to reason, I am calling [you all] unto God - and they who follow me."
And [say:] "Limitless is God in His glory; and I am not one of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him!"
109. And [even] before thy time, We never sent [as Our apostles] any but [mortal] men, whom We inspired, [and whom We always chose] from among the people of the [very] communities [to whom the message was to be brought].
Have, then, they [who reject this divine writ] never journeyed about the earth and beheld what happened in the end to those [deniers of the truth] who lived before them? - and [do they not know that] to those who are conscious of God the life in the hereafter is indeed better [than this world]? Will they not, then, use their reason?
110. [All the earlier apostles had to suffer persecution for a long time;] but at last - when those apostles had lost all hope and saw themselves branded as liars - Our succour attained to them: whereupon everyone whom We willed [to be saved] was saved [and the deniers of the truth were destroyed]: for, never can Our punishment be averted from people who are lost in sin.
111. Indeed, in the stories of these men there is a lesson for those who are endowed with insight.
[As for this revelation,] it could not possibly be a discourse invented [by man]: nay indeed, it is [a divine writ] confirming the truth of whatever there still remains [of earlier revelations], clearly spelling out everything, and [offering] guidance and grace unto people who will believe.

Iranian Feminist on How Western Liberals Harm

iranian-feminist-on-how-western-liberals-are-making-it-worse

Sunday, June 17, 2018

Saturday, June 16, 2018

DISCUSSION: APPROACHES TO THE QURAN

DISCUSSION: APPROACHES TO THE QURAN
1. How does Esack’s own position shape his depictions of the six approaches to the Quran that he lists? Can you think of any other approaches that he has missed?
2. Do you fit into or nearly fit into one of this categories? Why and why not?

Racism at Harvard

harvard-sued-for-racial-discrimination-against-asian-americans-as-confirmed-by-their-own-study

Friday, June 15, 2018

READING: APPROACHES TO THE QURAN

READING: APPROACHES TO THE QURAN

The introductory chapter of Farid Esack's The Quran: A User's Guide (pp 1-12) suggests that there are 6 different types of readers of the Quran in today's world: ordinary Muslims, confessional Muslim scholars, critical Muslim scholars, participant observers, revisionists, and polemicists. He explains each of these using a metaphor of Lover and Beloved. As you read this article, try to discern Esack's own approach and how this influences his characterization. Are there any possible approaches he has left out? Do you fit into one of these approaches?

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Reading since summer 2006 (some of the classics are re-reads): including magazine subscriptions

  • Abbot, Edwin A., Flatland;
  • Accelerate: Technology Driving Business Performance;
  • ACM Queue: Architecting Tomorrow's Computing;
  • Adkins, Lesley and Roy A. Adkins, Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome;
  • Ali, Ayaan Hirsi, Nomad: From Islam to America: A Personal Journey Through the Clash of Civilizations;
  • Ali, Tariq, The Clash of Fundamentalisms: Crusades, Jihads, and Modernity;
  • Allawi, Ali A., The Crisis of Islamic Civilization;
  • Alperovitz, Gar, The Decision To Use the Atomic Bomb;
  • American School & University: Shaping Facilities & Business Decisions;
  • Angelich, Jane, What's a Mother (in-Law) to Do?: 5 Essential Steps to Building a Loving Relationship with Your Son's New Wife;
  • Arad, Yitzchak, In the Shadow of the Red Banner: Soviet Jews in the War Against Nazi Germany;
  • Aristotle, Athenian Constitution. Eudemian Ethics. Virtues and Vices. (Loeb Classical Library No. 285);
  • Aristotle, Metaphysics: Books X-XIV, Oeconomica, Magna Moralia (The Loeb classical library);
  • Armstrong, Karen, A History of God;
  • Arrian: Anabasis of Alexander, Books I-IV (Loeb Classical Library No. 236);
  • Atkinson, Rick, The Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944-1945 (Liberation Trilogy);
  • Auletta, Ken, Googled: The End of the World As We Know It;
  • Austen, Jane, Pride and Prejudice;
  • Bacevich, Andrew, The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism;
  • Baker, James A. III, and Lee H. Hamilton, The Iraq Study Group Report: The Way Forward - A New Approach;
  • Barber, Benjamin R., Jihad vs. McWorld: Terrorism's Challenge to Democracy;
  • Barnett, Thomas P.M., Blueprint for Action: A Future Worth Creating;
  • Barnett, Thomas P.M., The Pentagon's New Map: War and Peace in the Twenty-First Century;
  • Barron, Robert, Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith;
  • Baseline: Where Leadership Meets Technology;
  • Baur, Michael, Bauer, Stephen, eds., The Beatles and Philosophy;
  • Beard, Charles Austin, An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States (Sony Reader);
  • Benjamin, Daniel & Steven Simon, The Age of Sacred Terror: Radical Islam's War Against America;
  • Bergen, Peter, The Osama bin Laden I Know: An Oral History of al Qaeda's Leader;
  • Berman, Paul, Terror and Liberalism;
  • Berman, Paul, The Flight of the Intellectuals: The Controversy Over Islamism and the Press;
  • Better Software: The Print Companion to StickyMinds.com;
  • Bleyer, Kevin, Me the People: One Man's Selfless Quest to Rewrite the Constitution of the United States of America;
  • Boardman, Griffin, and Murray, The Oxford Illustrated History of the Roman World;
  • Bracken, Paul, The Second Nuclear Age: Strategy, Danger, and the New Power Politics;
  • Bradley, James, with Ron Powers, Flags of Our Fathers;
  • Bronte, Charlotte, Jane Eyre;
  • Bronte, Emily, Wuthering Heights;
  • Brown, Ashley, War in Peace Volume 10 1974-1984: The Marshall Cavendish Encyclopedia of Postwar Conflict;
  • Brown, Ashley, War in Peace Volume 8 The Marshall Cavendish Illustrated Encyclopedia of Postwar Conflict;
  • Brown, Nathan J., When Victory Is Not an Option: Islamist Movements in Arab Politics;
  • Bryce, Robert, Gusher of Lies: The Dangerous Delusions of "Energy Independence";
  • Bush, George W., Decision Points;
  • Bzdek, Vincent, The Kennedy Legacy: Jack, Bobby and Ted and a Family Dream Fulfilled;
  • Cahill, Thomas, Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter;
  • Campus Facility Maintenance: Promoting a Healthy & Productive Learning Environment;
  • Campus Technology: Empowering the World of Higher Education;
  • Certification: Tools and Techniques for the IT Professional;
  • Channel Advisor: Business Insights for Solution Providers;
  • Chariton, Callirhoe (Loeb Classical Library);
  • Chief Learning Officer: Solutions for Enterprise Productivity;
  • Christ, Karl, The Romans: An Introduction to Their History and Civilization;
  • Cicero, De Senectute;
  • Cicero, The Republic, The Laws;
  • Cicero, The Verrine Orations I: Against Caecilius. Against Verres, Part I; Part II, Book 1 (Loeb Classical Library);
  • Cicero, The Verrine Orations I: Against Caecilius. Against Verres, Part I; Part II, Book 2 (Loeb Classical Library);
  • CIO Decisions: Aligning I.T. and Business in the MidMarket Enterprise;
  • CIO Insight: Best Practices for IT Business Leaders;
  • CIO: Business Technology Leadership;
  • Clay, Lucius Du Bignon, Decision in Germany;
  • Cohen, William S., Dragon Fire;
  • Colacello, Bob, Ronnie and Nancy: Their Path to the White House, 1911 to 1980;
  • Coll, Steve, The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century;
  • Collins, Francis S., The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief ;
  • Colorni, Angelo, Israel for Beginners: A Field Guide for Encountering the Israelis in Their Natural Habitat;
  • Compliance & Technology;
  • Computerworld: The Voice of IT Management;
  • Connolly, Peter & Hazel Dodge, The Ancient City: Life in Classical Athens & Rome;
  • Conti, Greg, Googling Security: How Much Does Google Know About You?;
  • Converge: Strategy and Leadership for Technology in Education;
  • Cowan, Ross, Roman Legionary 58 BC - AD 69;
  • Cowell, F. R., Life in Ancient Rome;
  • Creel, Richard, Religion and Doubt: Toward a Faith of Your Own;
  • Cross, Robin, General Editor, The Encyclopedia of Warfare: The Changing Nature of Warfare from Prehistory to Modern-day Armed Conflicts;
  • CSO: The Resource for Security Executives:
  • Cummins, Joseph, History's Greatest Wars: The Epic Conflicts that Shaped the Modern World;
  • D'Amato, Raffaele, Imperial Roman Naval Forces 31 BC-AD 500;
  • Dallek, Robert, An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy 1917-1963;
  • Daly, Dennis, Sophocles' Ajax;
  • Dando-Collins, Stephen, Caesar's Legion: The Epic Saga of Julius Caesar's Elite Tenth Legion and the Armies of Rome;
  • Darwish, Nonie, Now They Call Me Infidel: Why I Renounced Jihad for America, Israel, and the War on Terror;
  • Davis Hanson, Victor, Makers of Ancient Strategy: From the Persian Wars to the Fall of Rome;
  • Dawkins, Richard, The Blind Watchmaker;
  • Dawkins, Richard, The God Delusion;
  • Dawkins, Richard, The Selfish Gene;
  • de Blij, Harm, Why Geography Matters: Three Challenges Facing America, Climate Change, The Rise of China, and Global Terrorism;
  • Defense Systems: Information Technology and Net-Centric Warfare;
  • Defense Systems: Strategic Intelligence for Info Centric Operations;
  • Defense Tech Briefs: Engineering Solutions for Military and Aerospace;
  • Dennett, Daniel C., Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon;
  • Dennett, Daniel C., Consciousness Explained;
  • Dennett, Daniel C., Darwin's Dangerous Idea;
  • Devries, Kelly, et. al., Battles of the Ancient World 1285 BC - AD 451 : From Kadesh to Catalaunian Field;
  • Dickens, Charles, Great Expectations;
  • Digital Communities: Building Twenty-First Century Communities;
  • Doctorow, E.L., Homer & Langley;
  • Dodds, E. R., The Greeks and the Irrational;
  • Dostoevsky, Fyodor, The House of the Dead (Google Books, Sony e-Reader);
  • Dostoevsky, Fyodor, The Idiot;
  • Douglass, Elisha P., Rebels and Democrats: The Struggle for Equal Political Rights and Majority Role During the American Revolution;
  • Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan, The Hound of the Baskervilles & The Valley of Fear;
  • Dr. Dobb's Journal: The World of Software Development;
  • Drug Discovery News: Discovery/Development/Diagnostics/Delivery;
  • DT: Defense Technology International;
  • Dunbar, Richard, Alcatraz;
  • Education Channel Partner: News, Trends, and Analysis for K-20 Sales Professionals;
  • Edwards, Aton, Preparedness Now!;
  • EGM: Electronic Gaming Monthly, the No. 1 Videogame Magazine;
  • Ehrman, Bart D., Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scriptures and the Faiths We Never Knew;
  • Ehrman, Bart D., Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why;
  • Electronic Engineering Times: The Industry Newsweekly for the Creators of Technology;
  • Ellis, Joseph J., American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson;
  • Ellis, Joseph J., His Excellency: George Washington;
  • Emergency Management: Strategy & Leadership in Critical Times;
  • Emerson, Steven, American Jihad: The Terrorists Living Among Us;
  • Erlewine, Robert, Monotheism and Tolerance: Recovering a Religion of Reason (Indiana Series in the Philosophy of Religion);
  • ESD: Embedded Systems Design;
  • Everitt, Anthony, Augustus: The Life of Rome's First Emperor;
  • Everitt, Anthony, Cicero: The Life and Times of Rome's Greatest Politician;
  • eWeek: The Enterprise Newsweekly;
  • Federal Computer Week: Powering the Business of Government;
  • Ferguson, Niall, Civilization: The West and the Rest;
  • Ferguson, Niall, Empire: The Rise and Demise of the British World Order and the Lessons for Global Power;
  • Ferguson, Niall, The Cash Nexus: Money and Power in the Modern World, 1700-2000;
  • Ferguson, Niall, The War of the World: Twentieth-Century Conflict and the Decline of the West;
  • Feuerbach, Ludwig, The Essence of Christianity (Sony eReader);
  • Fields, Nic, The Roman Army of the Principate 27 BC-AD 117;
  • Fields, Nic, The Roman Army of the Punic Wars 264-146 BC;
  • Fields, Nic, The Roman Army: the Civil Wars 88-31 BC;
  • Finkel, Caroline, Osman's Dream: The History of the Ottoman Empire;
  • Fisk, Robert, The Great War For Civilization: The Conquest of the Middle East;
  • Forstchen, William R., One Second After;
  • Fox, Robin Lane, The Classical World: An Epic History from Homer to Hadrian;
  • Frazer, James George, The Golden Bough (Volume 3): A Study in Magic and Religion (Sony eReader);
  • Freeh, Louis J., My FBI: Bringing Down the Mafia, Investigating Bill Clinton, and Fighting the War on Terror;
  • Freeman, Charles, The Greek Achievement: The Foundations of the Western World;
  • Friedman, Thomas L. The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century Further Updated and Expanded/Release 3.0;
  • Friedman, Thomas L., The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization;
  • Frontinus: Stratagems. Aqueducts of Rome. (Loeb Classical Library No. 174);
  • Fuller Focus: Fuller Theological Seminary;
  • Fuller, Graham E., A World Without Islam;
  • Gaubatz, P. David and Paul Sperry, Muslim Mafia: Inside the Secret Underworld That's Conspiring to Islamize America;
  • Ghattas, Kim, The Secretary: A Journey with Hillary Clinton from Beirut to the Heart of American Power;
  • Gibson, William, Neuromancer;
  • Gilmour, Michael J., Gods and Guitars: Seeking the Sacred in Post-1960s Popular Music;
  • Global Services: Strategies for Sourcing People, Processes, and Technologies;
  • Glucklich, Ariel, Dying for Heaven: Holy Pleasure and Suicide Bombers-Why the Best Qualities of Religion Are Also It's Most Dangerous;
  • Goldberg, Jonah, Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning;
  • Goldin, Shmuel, Unlocking the Torah Text Vayikra (Leviticus);
  • Goldsworthy, Adrian, Caesar: Life of a Colossus;
  • Goldsworthy, Adrian, How Rome Fell: Death of a Superpower;
  • Goodman, Lenn E., Creation and Evolution;
  • Goodwin, Doris Kearns, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln;
  • Gopp, Amy, et.al., Split Ticket: Independent Faith in a Time of Partisan Politics (WTF: Where's the Faith?);
  • Gordon, Michael R., and Bernard E. Trainor, Cobra II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq;
  • Government Health IT: The Magazine of Public/private Health Care Convergence;
  • Government Technology's Emergency Management: Strategy & Leadership in Critical Times;
  • Government Technology: Solutions for State and Local Government in the Information Age;
  • Grant , Michael, The Climax of Rome: The Final Achievements of the Ancient World, AD 161 - 337;
  • Grant, Michael, The Classical Greeks;
  • Grumberg, Orna, and Helmut Veith, 25 Years of Model Checking: History, Achievements, Perspectives;
  • Halberstam, David, War in a Time of Peace: Bush, Clinton, and the Generals;
  • Hammer, Reuven, Entering Torah Prefaces to the Weekly Torah Portion;
  • Hanson, Victor Davis, An Autumn of War: What America Learned from September 11 and the War on Terrorism;
  • Hanson, Victor Davis, Between War and Peace: Lessons from Afghanistan to Iraq;
  • Hanson, Victor Davis, Carnage and Culture: Landmark Battles in the Rise of Western Power;
  • Hanson, Victor Davis, How The Obama Administration Threatens Our National Security (Encounter Broadsides);
  • Hanson, Victor Davis, Makers of Ancient Strategy: From the Persian Wars to the Fall of Rome;
  • Hanson, Victor Davis, Ripples of Battle: How Wars of the Past Still Determine How We Fight, How We Live, and How We Think;
  • Hanson, Victor Davis, The End of Sparta: A Novel;
  • Hanson, Victor Davis, The Soul of Battle: From Ancient Times to the Present Day, How Three Great Liberators Vanquished Tyranny;
  • Hanson, Victor Davis, Wars of the Ancient Greeks;
  • Harnack, Adolf Von, History of Dogma, Volume 3 (Sony Reader);
  • Harris, Alex, Reputation At Risk: Reputation Report;
  • Harris, Sam, Letter to a Christian Nation;
  • Harris, Sam, The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason;
  • Hayek, F. A., The Road to Serfdom;
  • Heilbroner, Robert L., and Lester Thurow, Economics Explained: Everything You Need to Know About How the Economy Works and Where It's Going;
  • Hempel, Sandra, The Strange Case of The Broad Street Pump: John Snow and the Mystery of Cholera;
  • Hinnells, John R., A Handbook of Ancient Religions;
  • Hitchens, Christopher, God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything;
  • Hogg, Ian V., The Encyclopedia of Weaponry: The Development of Weaponry from Prehistory to 21st Century Warfare;
  • Hugo, Victor, The Hunchback of Notre Dame;
  • Humphrey, Caroline & Vitebsky, Piers, Sacred Architecture;
  • Huntington, Samuel P., The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order;
  • Info World: Information Technology News, Computer Networking & Security;
  • Information Week: Business Innovation Powered by Technology:
  • Infostor: The Leading Source for Enterprise Storage Professionals;
  • Infrastructure Insite: Bringing IT Together;
  • Insurance Technology: Business Innovation Powered by Technology;
  • Integrated Solutions: For Enterprise Content Management;
  • Intel Premier IT: Sharing Best Practices with the Information Technology Community;
  • Irwin, Robert, Dangerous Knowledge: Orientalism and Its Discontents;
  • Jeffrey, Grant R., The Global-Warming Deception: How a Secret Elite Plans to Bankrupt America and Steal Your Freedom;
  • Jewkes, Yvonne, and Majid Yar, Handbook of Internet Crime;
  • Johnson, Chalmers, Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire;
  • Journal, The: Transforming Education Through Technology;
  • Judd, Denis, The Lion and the Tiger: The Rise and Fall of the British Raj, 1600-1947;
  • Kagan, Donald, The Peloponnesian War;
  • Kansas, Dave, The Wall Street Journal Guide to the End of Wall Street as We Know It: What You Need to Know About the Greatest Financial Crisis of Our Time--and How to Survive It;
  • Karsh, Efraim, Islamic Imperialism: A History;
  • Kasser, Rodolphe, The Gospel of Judas;
  • Katz, Solomon, The Decline of Rome and the Rise of Medieval Europe: (The Development of Western Civilization);
  • Keegan, John, Intelligence in War: The Value--and Limitations--of What the Military Can Learn About the Enemy;
  • Kenis, Leo, et. al., The Transformation of the Christian Churches in Western Europe 1945-2000 (Kadoc Studies on Religion, Culture and Society 6);
  • Kepel, Gilles, Jihad: The Trail of Political Islam;
  • Kiplinger's: Personal Finance;
  • Klein, Naomi, The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism;
  • KM World: Content, Document, and Knowledge Management;
  • Koestler, Arthur, Darkness at Noon: A Novel;
  • Kostova, Elizabeth, The Historian;
  • Kuttner, Robert, The Squandering of America: How the Failure of Our Politics Undermines Our Prosperity;
  • Lake, Kirsopp, The Text of the New Testament, Sony Reader;
  • Laur, Timothy M., Encyclopedia of Modern US Military Weapons ;
  • Leffler, Melvyn P., and Jeffrey W. Legro, To Lead the World: American Strategy After the Bush Doctrine;
  • Lendon, J. E., Soldiers and Ghosts: A History of Battle in Classical Antiquity;
  • Lenin, V. I., Imperialism the Highest Stage of Capitalism;
  • Lennon, John J., There is Absolutely No Reason to Pay Too Much for College!;
  • Lewis, Bernard, The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror;
  • Lewis, Bernard, What Went Wrong?: The Clash Between Islam and Modernity in the Middle East;
  • Lifton, Robert J., Greg Mitchell, Hiroshima in America;
  • Limberis, Vasiliki M., Architects of Piety: The Cappadocian Fathers and the Cult of the Martyrs;
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