The Book Of Knowledge

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Title: The Book Of Knowledge

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Full Description: This work would not have been possible without the imaginative help of three Princeton scholars: the late Edwin E. Conklin, the great American biologist, the late Harold H. Bender, the great linguistic scholars and philogist, and my own teacher, mentor, colleague and friend, the leading Arab historian Philip K. Hitti. When the work was first started, in 1936, Professor Conklin was a retired scholar actively directing the affairs of the American in Philadelphia. Professor Bender was then Chairman of the Department of Oriental Languages and Literatures at Princeton University and the chief etymologist of Webster's International Dictionary. Dr. Hitti was Professor of Semitic Languages at Princeton University and the moving spirit for the development of Arab studies in the United States of America.

The idea of preparing a translation of the Ihya' 'Ulum al-Din of al-Ghazzali originated with Professor Hitti. Professor Bender enthusiastically supported it; and Professor Conklin, in spite of his primary interest in biology, appreciated the importance of the work and got the Society to support it, although the Society's exclusive domain was hitherto the natural sciences. To all of these gentleman and to the Society, I am greatly indebted. Without them I could not have had the intimate company of Abu-Hamid for four long year.

In preparing translation, use was made of four texts, three printed and one in manuscript form. The printed ones are: the first is the text printed at Kafr al-Zaghari in A.H. 1352 from the older Cairo edition of A.H. 1289, it is referred to the notes as 'C'. The second is that contained in the text of the Ithaf al-Sadah al-Muttaqin bi-Sharh Ihya' 'Ulum al Din; it is referred to in the notes as SM (text). The third is the text which is reproduced in the margin of the same Ithaf al-Sadah, it is referred to in the notes as SM (margin). The fourth and perhaps the most important is the text contained in a four-volume manuscript at the Princeton University Library (Philip Hitti, Nabih Amin Faris, and Butrus Abd-al-Malik, Descriptive Catalog of the Garrett Collection of Arabic Manuscript in the Princeton University Library, Princeton 1938, No 1481). It consists of 525 folios; 34.1x27.6 cm; written surface 27.8x21.5 cm; 31 lines at a page; on glazed oriental paper; in naskhi; with catchwords; entire in red; with illumination. It probably dates from the late fifteenth century. This text, called 'B' in the notes, corresponds to SM (text), while 'C' corresponds to SM (margin). In the translation of Qur'anic verses, I depended on J.M. Rodwell's version.

It is my hope that by making this important work available, in English, non-Arabic-speaking scholars will draw a benefit even from my mistakes.

The second world War forced the work to be placed in an "Ice-box". It might have stayed there indefinitely were it not for the interest of Sheikh Muhammad Ashraf, sponsor of the Islamic literature and devoted friend of all Islamic studies. To him I am indeed grateful.

The manuscript was greatly improved by the close and thorough reading of two of my students: Mr. Robert Hazo and Mr. John Dudley Woodberry. To both I extend my thanks.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Nabih Amin Faris

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Publisher: Adam Publishers & Distributors

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ISBN-10: 8174353844

Publication Year:

Edition: 2009

Size: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5

Pages: 260

Printing: One Color

Binding: Paperback

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Co-Author: Nabih Amin Faris

Author: Imam Al Ghazzali

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Net Weight (LB): 0.64

Shipping Weight (LB): 1

Package Height (Inches): 1.5

Package Width (Inches): 6.5

Package Length (Inches): 9.5

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Country of Printing: India

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