Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

Coursing through cultures and time, tuneful verse has given moving expression to the human longing for the divine. As poetry strung on sweet melodies, hymns bear testimony to the religious life of the devout, and to the inspiring teachings of minstrels and saints. Such is the ginan tradition of the Satpanth Ismailis, Indian successors of the Fatimid and Nizari Ismaili sect of the Shiah Muslims. Traditionally recited during daily ritual prayers, ginans have been revered for generations among the Satpanth Ismailis as sacred compositions. This work offers for the first time an extensive translation of hymns attributed to the Ismaili saint-composer, Pir Shams (ca. 13th century), who is at once one of the most pivotal and yet most enigmatic figures of this literary tradition.

Islamic poetry, Indic --- Ismaili literature --- Arabic literature --- Islamic literature --- Persian literature --- Indic Islamic poetry --- Indic poetry --- Translations into English.

Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

Historically, religious scriptures are defined as holy texts that are considered to be beyond the abilities of the layperson to interpret. Their content is most frequently analyzed by clerics who do not question the underlying political or social implications of the text, but use the writing to convey messages to their congregations about how to live a holy existence. In Western society, moreover, what counts as scripture is generally confined to the Judeo-Christian Bible, leaving the voices of minorities, as well as the holy texts of faiths from Africa and Asia, for example, unheard. In this innovative collection of essays that aims to turn the traditional bible-study definition of scriptures on its head, Vincent L. Wimbush leads an in-depth look at the social, cultural, and racial meanings invested in these texts. Contributors hail from a wide array of academic fields and geographic locations and include such noted academics as Susan Harding, Elisabeth Shüssler Fiorenza, and William L. Andrews. Purposefully transgressing disciplinary boundaries, this ambitious book opens the door to different interpretations and critical orientations, and in doing so, allows an ultimately humanist definition of scriptures to emerge.

Sacred books --- History and criticism.