Let's Talk Religion

As requested by the audience, in this episode we talk about the very early development of Speculative Islamic theology, or "Kalam".Support me on Patreon if you so wish: https://www.patreon.com/letstalkreligionSources/Suggested reading:Winter, Tim (2008). "The Cambridge Companion to Islamic Theology". Cambridge University Press. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we continue our series on some of the less known (and sometimes controversial) Sufis of the Middle Ages, we reach the Andalusian poet Abu-l Hasan al-Shushtari. He was a student of Ibn Sab'in but is also famous as a master-poet and Sufi master in his own right.Sources/Suggested Reading:Alvarez, Lourdes Maria (2009). "Abu-l Hasan al-Shushtari: Songs of Love and Devotion". In the "Classics of Western Spirituality" series. Paulist Press.Alvarez, Lourdes Maria (2005). "The Mystical Language of Everyday Life": Vernacular Sufi Poetry and the Songs of Abu Al-Hasan Al-Shustari". Exemplaria. 17:1, 1-32, DOI: 10.1179/exm.2005.17.1.1.Johnson. N. Scott (1995). "Ocean and Pearls: Ibn Sab'in, Shustari and the Doctrine of Absolute Unity". In "Sufi: Journal of Sufism" Issue 25. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we talk about the controversial Andalusian Philosopher/Sufi Ibn Sab'in (d. 1270) and his teachings.Sources:Ceballos, Carlos Berbil (2015). "Journeying from the Apparent to Absolute Being: Ibn Sab'in and his predecessors". Journal of the Muhyddin Ibn 'Arabi Society Vol. 58.Cornell, Vincent J. (2007). "The All-Comprehensive Circle (al-Ihata): Soul, Intellect and the Oneness of Existence in the Doctrine of Ibn Sab'in". In "Sufism and Theology" (ed. Ayman Shihadeh). Edinburgh University Press.Johnson. N. Scott (1995). "Ocean and Pearls: Ibn Sab'in, Shustari and the Doctrine of Absolute Unity". In "Sufi: Journal of Sufism" Issue 25.Westerveld, Govert (2014). "Ibn Sab'in of the Ricote Valley: the First and Last Islamic Place in Spain". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this very long episode, I give an introduction to one of the most significant, yet often misunderstood thinkers and mystics in history - Ibn 'Arabi.Sources:Chittick, William (2005). "Ibn Arabi: Heir to the Prophets". OneWorld Publications.Chittick, William (1998). "The Self-Disclosure of God: Principles of Ibn al-'Arabi's Cosmology". State University of New York Press.Chittick, William (2005). "The Sufi Doctrine of Rumi". World Wisdom, inc.Chodkiewicz, Michel (1982). "The Spiritual writings of Amir 'Abd al-Kader". State University of New York Press.Chodkiewicz, Michel (1993). "Seal of the Saints: Prophethood and sainthood in the doctrine of Ibn 'Arabi". Translated by Liadain Sherrard. The Islamic Texts Society.Addas, Claude (1993). "Quest for the Red Sulphur". The Islamic Texts Society.Ibn 'Arabi - "The Ringstones of Wisdom (Fusus al-hikam)". Translated by Caner Dagli. Kazi Publications.Ibn Arabi - "The Interpreter of Desires (Tarjuman al-ashwaq)". Translated by Reynold A. Nicholson. London: Royal Asiatic Society.Ibn Arabi - "The Universal Tree and the Four Birds (al-ittihad al-kawni). Translated by Angela Jaffray. Oxford: Anqa Publishing.Mahmud Shabistari - "Garden of Mystery: The Gulshan-i raz of Mahmud Shabistari". Translated by Robert Abdul Hayy Darr. Archetype.Fakhruddin 'Iraqi - "Divine Flashes (Lama'at)". Translated by William C. Chittick & Peter Lamborn Wilson. The Classics of Western Spirituality Series. Paulist Press. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this latest episode I talk about the Ikhwan al-safa, or "Brethren of Purity" - a group of secretive philosophers and scholars who lived in medieval Basra, Iraq.Sources used:de Callatay, Godefroid (2006). "Ikhwan al-safa - a brotherhood of idealists on the fringes of Orthodox Islam". Oneworld Publications.Walker, Paul E. (2005). "The Isma'ilis". In "The Cambridge companion to Arabic Philosophy". (Edited by Peter Adamson & Richard C. Taylor). Cambridge University Press. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new. long awaited historical review, this time dealing with the earliest of the Muslim philosophers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I talk about the 11th century Ismaili philosopher Nasir Khusraw and his major work "Jami' al-hikmatayn" or "The union of the two wisdoms".This is an audio version of my video on my YouTube channel "Let's Talk Religion". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There is talk within the Muslim community (and outside) of the so-called "Quranists" or the movement "Quranism". In this episode I talk about, in very generalizing terms, what this term is referring to, and what its characteristics are. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we talk about the third major branch of Islam, known as Ibadism, which is a major presence today in Oman, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya.It is a somewhat forgotten branch, but one that is also often viewed as a moderate and tolerant branch of the religion.Sources:Hoffman, Valerie J. (2012). The Essentials of Ibadi Islam. Syracuse University Press.Wilkinson, John C. (2010). Ibadism - Origins and early development in Islam. Oxford University Press. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I see many videos talking about the differences between the Sunni and Shia, but most of them present a simplified version. In this episode, I try to give you a more comprehensive overview. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.