THE NEW CREATION
Author: Akram Almajid
Translator: Mukhtar H. Ali
Year published: 2018
A parallel English-Arabic text
One of the most compelling and original works in Islamic mysticism, The New Creation discusses the Intellect and its related themes of light, life and the Abrahamic path of realization. For the first time, the worlds of Reality, Allusion and Expression are explored, as are the corresponding Intellectual, Imaginal and material worlds. The work not only engages numerous disciplines from philosophy, spiritual psychology, dream interpretation and Qurʾanic exegesis but intimates key elements of spiritual wayfaring as well.
The central premise of the work is that the Intellect is pure light, the first principle of existence, the fountain of life and the source of power and volition. When the Intellect manifests in the human being, its attributes transform both soul and body. Each successively becomes a new creation, ascending the ladder of perfection after the spiritual qualities of light prevail over the properties of materiality.
The New Creation is a landmark study of the Abrahamic faiths in which its key figures Abraham and Jesus epitomize the highest station of the Intellect. God made Abraham “a leader of all mankind” (Qurʾan 2:124) and Jesus used to say to the people, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never tread in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Throughout the study, the author employs powerful passages from the Bible and relates them to canonical Islamic sources.
An indispensable feature of the present edition is the translator’s introduction which is a commentary derived from the author’s lectures on the text. This introduction along with the parallel English-Arabic translation is a superb contribution to the field and an invaluable resource for students and scholars alike
THE LAW OF CORRESPONDENCE
Author: Akram Almajid
Translator: Mukhtar H. Ali
Year published: 2020
A parallel English-Arabic text
The Law of Correspondence is a selection of chapters from Professor Akram Almajid’s work, Manazil al-saʾirin: bab al-firasa, which examines the knowledge of firasa (clairvoyance), often translated as physiognomy. The present work lays the foundation for the essential knowledge that guides the perceptive observer to discern inward properties from outward appearances. The author achieves this by providing a careful exposition of the various levels of correspondences and interrelationships within creation. An understanding of these correspondences not only opens up a window into various spiritual disciplines, but more significantly, it casts light onto the mystical worldview which focuses upon the creative patterns and divine connections within existence.
From the spiritual vantage point, this work surveys the varying dimensions of divine manifestation as they unfold within the different degrees of Being. In this respect the work outlines the philosophical underpinnings of mystical inquiry, dealing with the nature of Being and the method by which it is understood and attained.
Dr. Mukhtar Ali has now made available this superlative work for English readers, providing a complete translation of the original Arabic text and the author’s extensive footnotes. This newly revised parallel English-Arabic translation will be a valuable asset to students and scholars alike.