Religion

A magisterial, myth-dispelling history of Islamic Spain, from the founding of Islam to the final expulsion of Spain's Muslims in the seventeenth century.

Among the religious traditions of humanity the Imami Shi'ah tradition within Islam is unmatched in its rich corpus of devotional texts (<i>du'a</i> and <i>ziyarah</i> literature) handed down from the original leaders of the faith, the Prophet Muhammad and the Imams of his family, the <i>Ahl al-Bayt</i>.The <b><i>Mafatih al-Jinan</i></b> is the most popular manual of Islamic devotional observances and prayer-texts by <b>Shaykh Abbas Qummi</b>, which draws its contents from well-known, reliable sources. As a manual of devotional literature, the <i>Mafatih al-Jinan</i> follows a long tradition established by the <i>Misbah al-Mutahajjid</i> of Shaykh Tusi (d. 460/1067) and followed up in the works of Sayyid Ibn Tawus (d. 664/1265), Kaf'ami (d. 905/1499) and others. Most of the contents of the <i>Mafatih</i> are drawn from these earlier works. Since its publication, the <i>Mafatih</i> has enjoyed an uncontested popularity among Farsi-speaking Muslims, and its Arabic and Urdu versions are widely used by the devout in the Arab world and the Indian subcontinent.

"The author's ability to connect with the those grieving the loss of a parent is so evident. Readers will see themselves on almost every page and find the comfort they need in Gary's compassionate empathy and counsel." - Paul Casale, Licensed Professional Counselor/Marriage and Family TherapistThe loss of a parent is painful.The loss of a mother or father can be traumatic. Oblivious to our suffering, the world around us speeds on as if nothing happened. Stunned, shocked, sad, confused, and angry, we blink in disbelief. Our hearts are broken. We've known them all our lives. How could they be gone?We look for comfort. Our broken, grieving hearts need it to survive.Multiple award-winning author, hospice chaplain, and grief counselor Gary Roe is a trusted voice who has been helping wounded, grieving hearts find hope and healing for more than three decades. Written with heartfelt compassion, this warm, easy-to-read, and practical book reads like a caring conversation with a friend and will become a comforting companion as you navigate the turbulent waters of grief.Gary's desire is to meet you in your grief and walk with you there. Composed of brief chapters, Comfort for the Grieving Adult Child's Heart is designed to be read one chapter per day, giving you bite-sized bits of comfort, encouragement, and healing over a period of time. You do not have to read it this way, of course. We all grieve differently. Read in the way that is most natural for you. In Comfort for the Grieving Adult Child's Heart, you will discover how to... Process complicated grief emotions (sadness, anger, guilt, confusion, guilt, anxiety, depression, feeling overwhelmed, etc). Navigate all the relational changes - feeling alone, misunderstood, isolated, and even rejected by those around you. Handle the increased stress and uncertainty that this heavy loss can bring. Deal with physical and mental health issues, illnesses, and new symptoms that often arise. Take care of yourself through diet, hydration, fitness, and rest. Deal with a myriad of practical issues (financial challenges, parenting, family activities), Handle the intense sense of being orphaned that comes with this loss.You will also find hope in how to... Think through the challenging spiritual and faith questions that frequently surface. Relate well to the people around you - those who are helpful and those who aren't. Overcome the tendency to run from emotional pain with unhealthy habits or compulsive behaviors. Deal well with triggers and the grief bursts that will come. Find the support you need for survival, recovery, and healing (safe people, fellow grievers, counseling, etc.). Develop a simple, realistic plan for birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays. Use your grief for good - for yourself, your family, and others. Allow this loss to give you greater perspective and motivate you to live more effectively than ever before. Make your life count, one day, one moment at a time.Please don't grieve alone. Let Comfort for the Adult Child's Heart join you on this arduous, tasking journey. Be kind to yourself. Take your heart seriously. Death has invaded, but it doesn't have to win. Read on. Comfort awaits you in these pages of this book.

Christianity is declining in the West. Churches in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe are closing their doors at an accelerating rate. How will the church respond? In this short but sweeping manifesto, New York Times bestselling author and pastor Timothy Keller prompts us to rethink evangelism from the ground up.

The first comprehensive treatment of the body in Jewish spiritual practice. With meditations, physical exercises, visualizations and sacred texts you will learn how to experience the presence of the Divine in and through your body, uniting body and spirit.

The life and legends of the god Ganesh in your hand, accompanied by a glorious gallery of historical imagery and art, including paintings by the renowned Indian artist, Indra Sharma.Son of the Hindu deities Shiva and Parvati, Ganesh is the elephant-headed deity known most often as a remover (and sometimes creator) of obstacles. Worshipped in Hindi faith at the outset of new meetings and ventures, Ganesh is seen as a figure of prosperity and protection. This publication in the mini book scale collects traditionally styled Indian artwork by Indra Sharma and others, and a selection of writings on the history and philosophy of this deity to inspire thoughts and worship for followers of the deity, and fascinating insights for anyone interested in world religions in general. • Features the elephant-headed god’s origin tale, as well as other teaching stories, inspirational quotes, and a guide to understanding the symbols found in ancient and contemporary depictions of the deity. • A wide range of artwork including gorgeous original pieces from noted painters Indra Sharma, Mahaveer Swami, B. G. Sharma, and others • Also includes high-quality reproductions of ancient artworks, and images of traditional sculptures and temples dedicated to Ganesh.

The newly updated edition of the study guide companion to Joyce Meyer's bestselling book of all time, Battlefield of the Mind.

An Unbelievable True Account of Purgatory Told by the Souls Who Are There!It is not often that a book touches the soul so deeply. From day one, it has been a best seller! Maria Simma, a devout Catholic, lived humbly in the hills of Austria. At 25, she was graced with a special charism: Souls from Purgatory visited her and spoke to her. Maria shares with us awesome secrets about these souls. She answers questions such as:What is Purgatory?How do souls get there?Who decides if a soul goes to Purgatory?What are the sins that most lead to Purgatory?How can we help get a soul released from Purgatory?Are there religions which are bad for the soul?Are there children in Purgatory? Or suicide victims?How can I avoid Purgatory?This is a remarkable interview about after-death realities, a true revelation for those who have lost a dear one!

Today, there is renewed interest in the history and traditions of the patriarchal period. Recent publications have sought, among other things, to show that the biblical patriarchs were a literary, even fictional, creation of the first millennium BC, produced to provide the nation of Israel, which came into prominence only then, with ""founding fathers."" Much of this new writing is helpful in distinguishing what are traditional or speculative interpretations from the basic texts of Genesis. Sometimes archaeological evidence has been adducted in support of the historicity of the patriarchs and their cultural background in the second millennium BC which can no longer be sustained. Sometimes, however, the value of such evidence is ignored or belittled.-- from the preface

Welcome to the Building a Discipling Culture Study Guide! We designed this guide to help you grasp, explore, and go deeper with the major concepts presented in Building a Discipleship Culture. The book was first published in 2005 and has gone on to become a global bestseller. Before diving in, we feel it's important to understand where and why this book was originally conceived. It came out of frustration and desperation that accompanied trying to disciple people who had little or no education, people who would traditionally never open a book and read it.The following LifeShapes were designed to help those who had the least access to training yet wanted to grow in their understanding of Jesus and the Bible. The simplicity of the shapes allowed for easy understanding. The LifeShapes prevented the overwhelm and intimidation that can accompany text-centric methods. They could be shared on a napkin over coffee or a brown bag over lunch.In this guide, we have attempted to make it again accessible and straightforward. It can be used by anyone, anywhere, and at any stage in their journey of faith. We pray that you will find many uses for this guide so that every disciple can be equipped in building a discipling culture in their homes, workplaces, school, and coffee shops.This guide does not go through Building a Discipling Culture exhaustively, but serves as a introduction through the key LifeShapes: The Matrix: Invitation & Challenge The Circle: Learning from Life The Triangle: Deeper Relationships The Semi-Circle: A Balanced Life The Square: Multiplying Life The Pentagon: Personal Calling The Hexagon: Definitive Prayer

Christmas Day 2021 sees the release of a Netflix series, Stories of a Generation with Pope Francis, based on this book. Pope Francis views elders as reservoirs of wisdom and historical memory and believes their insights will offer future generations much-needed understanding and direction

If You Want to Build A Collection Of Magical Stones Or Want To Learn Crystal-Centred Spells, Then Keep Reading.The ancient Egyptians used clear quartz, emerald, and lapis lazuli in jewelry. They would also carve magical amulets for health, protection, and to purge evil spirits. The ancient Greeks used hematite to make their bodies invulnerable. And to this day, Jade is highly valued in China as a "dream stone" that helps to access the shamanic realm while meditating.Healers and shamans consider crystals to be alive due to their capability to impart healing energies to plants, animals, and people. And eventually, everything is energy, and everything is connected. Hence our intentions and thoughts can be harnessed and sent into the universe. Crystals are able to interact with that energy and help us to manifest the desired changes in our life.With that being said, author Arin Corvinus, reveals in her new book Wicca For Beginners: Your Practical Handbook Of Wicca Crystal Magick the lore of harnessing the energies of crystals, magical stones, and metals.Next to providing you the key concepts of crystal magic, you will learn how to prepare crystals for your magical practices and how to build a personal relationship with them. Eventually, you will discover how to use these crystals in your spell work and for magical creations such as amulets, elixirs, crystal baths, and much more.Crystals are creations of the earth. And as such everyone is free to benefit from them - no matter if you're a solitary Wiccan or part of a coven.What you will discover in Wicca For Beginners: Historical application and uses of crystals and stones How to choose your crystals based on their properties and your intuition Step-by-step instructions to cleanse and charge your crystals for use in magic 5 amazing methods to harness projective and receptive energies of crystals by communicating and bonding methods The secret lore of attuning yourself with the energy coming from your crystal Profiles of 21 highly potent and widely used crystals every practitioner of contemporary witchcraft should know Discover the one crystal Grammy-winning singer Adele keeps close when performing Step by step explanations how to use crystals for your magical work and how to amplify their energies with herbs, candles, and the elements Useful recipes of energizing crystal elixirs and regenerating crystal baths How to make magical items such as talismans, amulets, and charms harnessing the energies of crystals, the elements, and the deities of the moon and sun A powerful method using magical synergies of multiple crystals to amplify your spells and intensify your intentions A profound practice to invoke deeper states of consciousness using one specific crystalAnd so much more.While Wicca For Beginners provides many step-by-step instructions ideal for the nice practitioner of magick, it also encourages you to eventually deviate from the prescribed routines and blend in your own personality.Open your senses to their ancient wisdom from the earth and let them be your companions on your path.

There is a divine part of mankind. It exists mostly as potential but it can be reached, according to the authors. A large body of surprising evidence is presented in this book, not only from Christian scriptures, but religious, scientific, and occult teachings from around the world. The authors meant this to serve as a guidebook for “godhood,” to help mankind take the final steps into spiritual freedom. A large part of this work reveals hidden wisdom found in the Christian scriptures. The authors claim that the recognition and experience of eternal unity, as taught in the scriptures, will one day save mankind rather than the belief in vicarious atonement. This fascinating book clearly explains the meanings of the fables, parables and allegories that are found in the ancient texts.

The Sword may destroy your enemies, but the Scepter will secure your inheritance.For too long, Christians have been battling against the forces of darkness when they should be ruling over them! It is time to shed our spiritual warrior mentality and take our rightful seat as rulers in the Kingdom of God.Wanda Alger is a nationally recognized prayer leader who wants to activate you as a ruling co-heir with Jesus. In Moving from Sword to Scepter, you will discover how to displace demonic forces and release Heaven's rule from a place of spiritual authority, both personally and corporately as the Ekklesia of God. This revelatory prayer protocol will teach you how to: Engage in victorious spiritual warfare, modeling practices from the Book of Acts. Function as a spiritual governor, ruling in the midst of the enemy. Operate in spiritual protocols that defeat strongholds. Displace and occupy enemy territory. Practice apostolic prayer and intercession. Discover how to rule as the Ekklesia of God!

A sparklingly strange odyssey through the kaleidoscope of America's new spirituality: the cults, practices, high priests and prophets of our supposedly post-religion age.

What do you do when you hit your twenties and realize the life you knew for the last two decades has been changed, twisted, or hash-tagged into something you weren't expecting?Secret #12: Your twenties will produce more failure than you'll choose to remember. The key is: when you fail, don't begin calling yourself a failure.Secret #35: Obsessive Comparison Disorder is the smallpox of our generation. Remember that everyone is too busy putting a PR spin on their Facebook profile to care much about yours.Secret #44: The Freshman-Fifteen is nothing compared to the Cubicle-Cincuenta. Don't sit at your computer perched like a Roman gargoyle letting office birthday cake be forced upon you.Discover ninety-eight other secrets for rocking your post-college, grown-up life in this book!"This book is a must-read for twentysomethings and beyond who are struggling with how to navigate in today's hyper-connected, chaotic world--and the book itself is formatted as a fun, engaging page-turner."--Jenny Blake, author of Life After College: The Complete Guide to Getting What You Want"I always tell people that I'm enjoying my 30s way more than my 20s and now I know why: I didn't have this book! Secrets #21 and #36 alone would have helped me through so many situations. I can't tell you how happy I am that this book exists for the next generation!"--Bryan Allain, author, creator of Killer Tribes

Essential reading for everyone interested in the paranormal, this is the sequel to Colin Wilson's bestselling The Occult and a classic in its own right, drawing on the author's extraordinary first-hand investigations.