The secret of Islam : love and law in the religion of ethics

Henry Bayman is an independent scholar living in Turkey who has spent twenty-five years studying with the Masters of Wisdom of Central Anatolia. He is the author of The Station of No Station, a study of Sufism and Islam as they relate to contemporary issues, The Secret of Islam: Love and Law in the Religion of Ethics , The Black Pearl: Spiritual Illumination In Sufism And East Asian Philosophies & The Teachings of a Perfect Master: An Islamic Saint for the Third Millennium. Henry Bayman introduced through his writings, one of his spiritual teacher in the Sufi Path, Ahmet Kayhan (1898 - August 3, 1998) whom he calls "Grand Master of Sufism." According to his own account, Henry Bayman met Ahmet Kayhan in early spring, 1978 and after the introduction he began to attend his discussion groups more frequently. From the beginning of September 1983, excluding normal working hours or vacations, he stayed almost continually in the presence of Ahmet Kayhan until his death. Although the Islamic religion is well known, many people are less familiar with Sufism—the esoteric component of Islam. The Secret of Islam explores the mystical path of Sufism, which focuses on love and compassion. Sections proceed through the levels of Sufism: Journey of the Disciple, Actions, Spiritual Journey of the Seeker, and Flowering of the Perfect Human. A Faith For All Seasons -- Bearing Witness -- A Global Faith With Local Applications -- A Churchless Faith -- A Religion Of Hope -- A Natural Religion -- Reining In One's Desires -- Synergy And Society -- Ottoman Ethics -- The Alms-tax -- The Day Of The Dictator -- What Does Islam Mean? -- Moses, Jesus And Mohammed -- Jesus -- The Essence Of Christianity -- A Question Weakly-coupled Religions -- Mohammed -- Islamic Epistemology And The Foundations Of Islamic Law -- Exoteric Practices : The Five Pillars Of Islam -- The Six Pillars Of Faith Or The Moslem's Creed -- Grading Of Actions -- On Destiny Prayer : The Ascension For All -- The Secret That Is Law -- The Secret That Is Conscience -- The Secret That Is Love -- Eight Heavens, Seven Hells -- The Fractured Mirror -- Un-fracturing -- Unification -- The Source Of Bliss -- Truth, Beauty, Goodness -- The Music Of The Koran -- The Prophet Of God -- Knowledge And Science Ethics And Morality -- Gnosis -- Islam And Theocracy Council -- Holy Law -- Islam And Terrorism -- Islam And Slavery -- Islam And Racism -- Is Islam Itself Totalitarian? -- The Views Of A Specialist -- Separation Of Powers -- Women's Rights -- Religion : A Necessity For Democracy? -- Atheism Means Cruelty And Tyranny -- The Tyranny Of The Majority And Human Rights -- Organization Of The Islamic Community -- Why Are Human Beings Equal? -- Democracy In Polytheistic Societies -- Humans In The Bible -- Matter And Spirit -- Humans In Islam -- The Human Being Is Holy In Islam -- Ethics And The Democratic Personality. By Henry Bayman. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "Since the September 11 attacks, Islam has come under increased scrutiny as people try to understand what role it played in those events. Henry Bayman, who has studied with the Sufi Masters of Central Anatolia for a quarter of a century, offers a fresh look at Islam in all its dimensions. He demonstrates that properly understood, Islam and terrorism are incompatible. But this is only the prelude to this wide-ranging anthology. Addressing both the Divine Law, which regulates the Moslem's external conduct, and Sufism, which deals with spiritual matters, The Secret of Islam reveals the true depth of a world religion with fourteen centuries of history and more than a billion followers. Among other insights, the book shows how democracy can be derived directly from the Koran, and how women's rights were improved rather than curtailed by the Prophet." "Based on the teachings of the great Sufi Master Ahmet Kavhan, this book will provide food for thought and provoke discussion for many years to come."--BOOK JACKET. "There is only one religion on earth," said George Bernard Shaw, "but there are a hundred versions of it," and William Blake was of the same opinion: "All religions are one."