The Book of Language: Exploring the Spiritual Vocabulary of Islam

by Kabir Helminski, Prince Ghazi Bin Muhammad (Introduction)

The spiritual vocabulary of the Islamic tradition offers profound and enlightening concepts that do not easily lend themselves to English translation. Serving as both a translation guide and a glossary, this book clarifies 150 key spiritual, philosophical, and metaphysical Quranic terms in English, from ahl, Allah, and amanah to will, worship, and witnessing. Essays are included on topics such as existence, spiritual cognition, and levels of knowing.

Genres: Islam

184 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2006

About the author

Kabir 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.

Reviews

[Saz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book! It was very insightful, and I was excited after being able to use some of the spiritual/philosophical contents of the book in my daily discussions and conversations.
Also, the glossary (which makes up the bulk of the book) is a very good resource for non-native Arabic speakers or anybody who wants to better understand some very misunderstood words found in the Quran. Arabic is a versatile language and some words can be used in multiple contexts, have multiple meanings, etc...it's extremely important to know the intended meaning of the Quran in order to more efficiently interpret it.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A terrifically helpful and enlightening introduction to basic Islamic spiritual terms, and English spiritual terms in common use, Helminski carefully explores key phrases. The introductory essay by Prince Ghazi Bin Muhammad is a philosophical gem in its own right, addressing epistemology from an Islamic perspective.

[Fusun Dulger charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to understand the Koran, Rumi or any Sufi book you need this dictionary.