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Holistic Islam: Sufism, Transformation, & the Challenge of Our Time, New & Revised Edition
What would a spiritual Islam look like? The poetry of Rumi, the gardens of the Alhambra, and the ecstatic songs of the qawwals provide examples of the beauty at the heart of Islam. Holistic Islam is a compelling and timely work showing how this same creative energy can be tapped today to revitalize Islam and make it more relevant to the contemporary world and to those desperately seeking a spirituality that is free of dogma, based in experiences not beliefs, and able to reconcile the human and spiritual realms. Spiritual teacher and Sufi shaikh Kabir Helminski gives us a compelling interpretation of spiritual or holistic Islam that will hearten contemporary Muslims looking for a faith suited to our times, and provide non-Muslims with a brilliant introduction to this rich spiritual tradition. "Kabir Helminski's Holistic Islam is a sagacious and indeed perspicacious walk through the heart and soul of Islam. It is an essential source for anyone who is interested in Sufism or in the moral impulse that motivated great sages like Rumi and Hafiz. Perhaps, more importantly, I think this book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the real Islamic faith."
152 pages, Paperback
Published June 29, 2020
24 people are currently reading
169 people want to read
About the author
Kabir Helminski
37 books68 followersKabir Helminski is codirector, with his wife, Camille Helminski, of the Threshold Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to sharing the knowledge and practice of Sufism. He is the author of Living Presence and the translator of four volumes of Rumi's poetry.
Helminski has been named as one of the "500 Most Influential Muslims in the World" by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center.
Helminski is a teacher and advisor with The Spiritual Paths Institute, a group of contemplative teachers from Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Native American, and Hindu traditions offering programs in applied inter-spirituality.
Helminski has been named as one of the "500 Most Influential Muslims in the World" by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center.
Helminski is a teacher and advisor with The Spiritual Paths Institute, a group of contemplative teachers from Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Native American, and Hindu traditions offering programs in applied inter-spirituality.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 15, 2021
A beautiful birds eye view of Islam that promotes a healthy re-examination of accepted norms. Shines a stark light upon the relationship between form and essence, letter and spirit, external and internal. Loved the encouragement to calibrate for mercy in ones actions and expectations. A call to harness ones relationship with the Divine to nurture compassion, curiosity and creativity.
February 25, 2021
An introduction to Sufism. Helminski writes in response to what he calls a “battle for the soul of Islam” against dogma and legalistic puritanical interpretations. Instead he proposes a pluralistic, accepting, progressive version of Islam rooted in love. Very compelling. He sees Islam not as the one true religion but one path among many and urges Muslims to see themselves as part of a larger community that includes all religions and even atheists.
April 19, 2025
I don’t know if the simplistic language is due to lack of depth or a deliberate strategy to be accessible. In any case, I don’t like it.
May 31, 2021
The book presents the essence of Islam (which means surrender. The surrender of the ego) by drawing on Quranic references. Kabir reviews the goal of Islam (purity of the heart and discernment of true self), its spiritual foundations and the guidelines it offers for attaining human potential (virtues). It also touches upon ideas for how applied spirituality can solve social and environmental justice.
The values of Islam are knowledge seeking and reasoning. While placing special attention to inner purity and clarity over superficial ritual and cultural identities.
This book is written for muslims and non-muslims. It answers the questions that most don't dare to ask. What is the difference between religion and organized religion? What about sexuality? What is the role of females according to the Quran? What does the Quran really says about the practice and which part of the common beliefs are nowhere to be found.
It exposes the toxic and patriarchal sects of Islam (Wahabism and Salafism) which are not founded on any scripture but rather cherry pick unreliable biographical accounts of Mohamed (peace and blessings upon him) to justify their agendas. Forgetting that the Quran condemns any human who dares to forbid what has not been forbidden by the book and all of those who dare to make religion a burden, rather than uplifting practice, as it was conceived.
Essential read for non-Muslims, specially Christians. Christians are made believe that Islam is a complete different and exotic approach, something to be feared. This book recapitulates to the commonalities among religions and how near they are. Indeed, Muslims believe in Jesus and the Quran includes the Gospels, but not the other way around. It also clears out all the media propaganda. USA feels threatened by Islam perhaps because it upholds principles of freedom such as no debt, no interest rate and no exploitation through capital, not even rent is considered humane. Islam is also in clash with exploitative economic values, as its practice are at odds with materialism, consumption and individualism.
The values of Islam are knowledge seeking and reasoning. While placing special attention to inner purity and clarity over superficial ritual and cultural identities.
This book is written for muslims and non-muslims. It answers the questions that most don't dare to ask. What is the difference between religion and organized religion? What about sexuality? What is the role of females according to the Quran? What does the Quran really says about the practice and which part of the common beliefs are nowhere to be found.
It exposes the toxic and patriarchal sects of Islam (Wahabism and Salafism) which are not founded on any scripture but rather cherry pick unreliable biographical accounts of Mohamed (peace and blessings upon him) to justify their agendas. Forgetting that the Quran condemns any human who dares to forbid what has not been forbidden by the book and all of those who dare to make religion a burden, rather than uplifting practice, as it was conceived.
Essential read for non-Muslims, specially Christians. Christians are made believe that Islam is a complete different and exotic approach, something to be feared. This book recapitulates to the commonalities among religions and how near they are. Indeed, Muslims believe in Jesus and the Quran includes the Gospels, but not the other way around. It also clears out all the media propaganda. USA feels threatened by Islam perhaps because it upholds principles of freedom such as no debt, no interest rate and no exploitation through capital, not even rent is considered humane. Islam is also in clash with exploitative economic values, as its practice are at odds with materialism, consumption and individualism.
January 7, 2022
It sheds beautiful and elegant wide view on Islam, and provides so much insight and knowledge. It is such a pleasant and peaceful read. I would read it many times over.
December 25, 2021
All the world over, culture and tradition infiltrate the great teachings of the greatest teachers. This book is wonderful in that it argues for a progressive and inclusive understanding of Islam, one that is altruistic, symbiotic with nature, and uncorrupted by consumerism, greed, and politics. It was of interest to learn the Prophet himself said that his own words shouldn’t be written down and followed (Hadith), but only God’s words in the Qur’an. This book implicates that culture all too often encourages dogmatic thinking instead of encouraging believers to look within themselves for their divine contact with God.
In Holistic Islam, Helminski is not advising that his readers dance themselves to dervish-hood, but instead calls for a holistic interpretation in which love and compassion are at the center of faith, as it is in all of the more mystical traditions across all belief systems. We are in need of serious spiritual renewal and of a comprehensive faith that is “spiritually adequate to these times and the future.” This wide-lens perspective that embraces differences of faith and experience, that focuses on love instead of coercion, is the only way to learn the essential lesson—to learn to see yourself as one piece of the infinite, cosmically connected to all life.
As Rumi says:
“I could reach great heights with your love,
And with longing for you, I will increase a hundredfold.
They ask, ‘Why are you circling him [or her]?’
‘Oh, ignorance, I am circling myself.’”
In Holistic Islam, Helminski is not advising that his readers dance themselves to dervish-hood, but instead calls for a holistic interpretation in which love and compassion are at the center of faith, as it is in all of the more mystical traditions across all belief systems. We are in need of serious spiritual renewal and of a comprehensive faith that is “spiritually adequate to these times and the future.” This wide-lens perspective that embraces differences of faith and experience, that focuses on love instead of coercion, is the only way to learn the essential lesson—to learn to see yourself as one piece of the infinite, cosmically connected to all life.
As Rumi says:
“I could reach great heights with your love,
And with longing for you, I will increase a hundredfold.
They ask, ‘Why are you circling him [or her]?’
‘Oh, ignorance, I am circling myself.’”
July 27, 2024
Beautifully written. It expounds on every issue in Islam, and bringing to light its spiritual energy, wrestling it away from modernist fundamentalist incursions. It presents Sufism as the path for transformation needed to address modern challenges.
Excellent book that covers all the fundamentals.
Excellent book that covers all the fundamentals.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews