John Walbridge's outstanding book gives a fascinating exploration of the Baha'i Faith, the most widespread of the world religions and the most recent of the world major religons. He gives it's complex history from its beginnings in 19th Century Iran, where it has been and continues to be persecuted. He explains its law, both comparing it to the laws of the other religions of the world, as well as explaining complicated aspects of it scripture. What is unique is that he details the small rites and sociological characteristics that effect individual believers with accuracy and respect. His scholarship is profound, explaining many deeper aspects to the Baha'i Faith in way that anyone could understand. He does this fully in the context of its scripture, its history and its contemporary issues. I strongly recommend this book for those individuals who want to understand the Baha'i Faith and its scripture with greater depth, more intense clarity, going beyond introductory books. This is a book for those who want to explore the Baha'i Faith from the perspective of a believer but also from the point of view of accurate detail and Baha'i scripture. This books covers Baha'i scripture in the orginal languages it was written, it's complex and turbulent history, it's theology and law, social structure, relationship with historical and contemporary Iran, local and international administration,etc. Few people can explain as much in so small a book. It is delightfully written and compherensive. I strongly recommend to any student of comparative religion or student of religious studies.

I read this book about a year ago, and was struck by the beautiful langiage, and imagery. Gibran writes what the soul sees. I have an extensive collection of his work, and I am very pleased to have this one now in my collection. I would recomend it for anyone interested in how beautifully words can be arranged and written down.

This book was ok, but didn't touch me as much as "the prophet" did.

For Khalil Gibran, love was a way perhaps a supreme way of achieving self-realization and completeness as a human being. Anyone can live their life transformed by the all consuming power of an encounter with "The Beloved". Particularly in the Eastern cultures there are people trapped in joyless or organized marriages; their passions sacrificed to convention. It is these segments of people that Gibran has brilliantly targeted. Gibran can write very complex social issues in quite simple terms. He can make these issues in a way that can make the reader feel one is taking a walk in a quiet wood, or bathing in a cool stream.

During the course of his reading one can observe that Gibran is a fervernt and outspoken champion of the cause of human rights. He has waged a struggle to strengthen the recognition of youth's freedom of action in love, and abolish from the social structure some of the prevailing ancient marriage customs. He has a strong condemnation of traditions of pre-arranged marriages of children by their parents, in complete disregard of the wishes of those so betrothed.

The ill-fated story of Lyla in 'The Brides Bed' is an eye witness account recorded by Khalil. Lyla with courage, anguish and heroism broke in fury from this custom. She brought as a result on her self consequences extremely tragic. This is best described in Khalil's prose:

"... Come you cowards! Fear not the specter of death whose greatness will refuse to approach your littleness and dread not this dagger, for it is a divine instrument which declines to touch your filthy bodies and empty hearts. Look at this handsome youth, he is my beloved and I killed him because I love him. .... We sought a bed worthy of our love in this world which you have made so small with your ignorance and traditions. .... Then the bride lifted her dagger towards the sky, and like a thirsty person who brings the edge of a drinking glass to her lips, she bought it down and planted it in her chest..."

In the 'Vision' he describes the social convention issue faced by one:

".. I am a lost human heart, imprisoned in the foul dungeons of mans dictates; tied with chains of earthly authority, dead and forgotten by laughing humanity whose tounge is tied and whose eyes are empty of visible tears. ..."

I have probably not read any author with more of a gift for beautiful words than Kahlil Gibran. Just reading the English translation for this collection of his love-related Arabic works makes my bones ache with the amazing insights he portrays through moving language. This book is a very well assembled collection, with a decent introduction about Gibran's life (knowing the author, after all, is essential to understanding their work.)

With a nice harmonized blend of short stories and poetry, The Beloved is an important addition to both beginners' and the experienced's understanding of a very unique philosopher. It also includes some of Gibran's mystic artwork, for which he was almost as well known as for his writing. The translators/editors did an excellent job in portraying Gibran's style and gorgeous words as closely as possible to the original Arabic. No one has had the poetic rhythm Gibran did; hopefully appreciation for his extraodinary gift for language will grow. (PS, if you haven't read Gibran's The Prophet, do.)

Briefly: as the assistant editor for this edition of The Philosophy of Illumination, I can honestly say that the book is valuable for anyone who is hoping (with an open mind) to discover some gems from the Islamic Empire. You'll be refreshingly surprized to find so many keen insights from so long ago. While the text does become a bit dense at time, the "illumination" is well worth the effort in the end. Were it not for authors like Suhrawardi in the 11th century, much of what we know of Greek thought would have been tragically lost.

This is a really fascinating book, albeit a difficult one, from a very unusual thinker. I'm absolutely delighted -- and more than a bit surprised -- that Brigham Young University Press has launched this series of translations, because we in the West know so very little about Islam and Islamic civilization. I recommend this volume to anybody interested in Islam, Islamic philosophy, mysticism, medieval history, or even Platonism.

I enjoyed reading this book. I also recommend Henry Corbin's book " A history of Islamic Philosophy" for those who want to become more familiar with the history of Islamic thoughts and philosophy.

Dr. John Walbridge makes the philosophy of Qutb al-Din Shirazi (and the Ishraqi movement in general) come to life in this incisive and lucidly written monograph. The book not only provides an adequate historical summary of the life and works of Qutb al-Din Shirazi, detailing his intellectual relationship with the renowned mystic Suhravardi al-Maqtul, but explains some of the important Greek philosophical precedents which contributed to the Ishraqi movement. Dr. Walbridge also draws attention to certain technical aspects of the philosophy which diverged significantly from the Graeco-Arabic writings that were available to the scholars at that time; and offers a provocative analysis and interpretation of the Science of Mystic Lights based on a close reading of the primary Arabic and Persian sources.