Abu Hamid Muhammad al-Ghazzali (1058-1111) is one of the most important religious figures in Islamic history. He is particularly noted for his brilliant synthesis of mysticism and traditional Sunni Islam. Ghazzali's "The Alchemy of Happiness", written toward the end of his life, provides a succinct introduction to both the theory and practice of Sufism (Islamic mysticism). It thus offers many insights into traditional Muslim society. This translation is fully annotated for readers unfamiliar with Ghazzali and includes an introduction to his life and historical milieu.

The Alchemy of Happiness

"A profoundly intriguing and compelling guide to the intricacies of the human brain." —Oliver Sacks In this landmark work, V. S. Ramachandran investigates strange, unforgettable cases—from patients who believe they are dead to sufferers of phantom limb syndrome. With a storyteller’s eye for compelling case studies and a researcher’s flair for new approaches to age-old questions, Ramachandran tackles the most exciting and controversial topics in brain science, including language, creativity, and consciousness.

The Tell-Tale Brain: A Neuroscientist's Quest for What Makes Us Human

Malcolm Gladwell, bestselling author of Blink and The Bomber Mafia and host of the podcast Revisionist History, explores what sets high achievers apart—from Bill Gates to the Beatles—in this seminal work from "a singular talent" (New York Times Book Review). In this stunning book, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers"—the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high-achievers different? His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: that is, their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing. Along the way he explains the secrets of software billionaires, what it takes to be a great soccer player, why Asians are good at math, and what made the Beatles the greatest rock band. Brilliant and entertaining, Outliers is a landmark work that will simultaneously delight and illuminate.

Outliers

The Tree of Being (Shajarat al-Kawn in Arabic) is a work by Ibn Arabi, interpreted by Shaykh Tosun Bayrak who also includes here two other short works . Ibn Arabi (1165-1240) knew and influenced the great men of his time, including Ibn Rushd (Averroes), Jalaluddin Rumi and Suhrawardi, and his influence spread beyond the Islamic world to medieval Europe. Dante shows the influence of Ibn Arabi in the Divine Comedy for example.The book has four sections. First is the interpreter's introduction which includes a biography of Ibn Arabi and a discussion of his approach to Sufism. The second concerns Ibn Arabi's devotion to the Prophet Muhammad as the perfect man and gives a description of his character and actions. Third is a listing of the 201 names and attributes of the Prophet. The fourth is an interpretation of The Tree of Being a commentary on the mystical elements of the Qur'an and Islam comprising an inspired description of the cosmos and the perfect man as microcosm.

Naeem Noor

co-founder @ mildspring