Ahmad b. Ibrahim al-Naysaburi (996-1021) lived at the pinnacle of Fatimid rule in Egypt. One of the most distinguished scholars of his time; several important works are accredited to him. However; it is his major treatise - the Kitab Ithbat al-imama - which is of seminal importance in the philosophical development of medieval Muslim thought. It is in this work - which is here presented in a completely fresh edition and a new translation - that al-Naysaburi daringly uses rational tools to explain and expound his theology; rather than base his assertions exclusively on the authority of the Qur'an and Hadith. Seeking to affirm the imamate from a philosophical perspective; he uses numerous devices to bolster his thesis; ranging from the so-called ten categories of the philosophers to several biological metaphors from plants and trees to animals and minerals. His foremost device is the theory of 'degrees of excellence'. Accepting that there are differences and disparities within each genus and species; he gives paradigms of perfect examples in each variety; and demonstrates in a parallel manner that it is the Imam who stands at the apex of humanity.
#2996463 in Books Watkins Publishing Limited 2003-03-25Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.20 x .86 x 6.16l; #File Name: 1842930583320 pages
Review
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful. The Celtic MysteriesBy Kelly (Fantasy Literature)Many years ago; W.Y. Evans-Wentz theorized that the ancient Celts may have held mystery rites; similar to those of the Greek Eleusis; in which they made a visionary journey to the lands of the dead. John Grigsby's fascinating book; to me; is the fulfillment of that theory. With archaeological and mythological evidence in abundance; Grigsby puts together a theory of what such mysteries might have been like.He begins by wondering why the Celts practiced occasional human sacrifice. This is often a divisive issue. There are two general ideas about Celtic human sacrifice. One is that the Celtic lands were drenched in sacrificial blood and lit constantly by the fires of burning wicker cages full of unwilling victims. The other is that the Celts were peaceful tree-huggers who wouldn't hurt a fly. It's most likely that the truth is in the middle; and it's this middle road that Grigsby takes. His theory is that *in general* Druidic rituals involved either metaphorical deaths a la Eleusis; or animal sacrifice; but occasionally when severe problems cropped up; a human being consented to be a "bridge" between the living and the dead. To die; basically; so that his people could call his spirit back and ask it questions about what it had seen on the other side.He gathers evidence from anywhere he can get it. The victims were sometimes painted green--so he goes to the myths and looks at the Green Knight story. They often had traces of the poisonous; hallucinogenic fungus ergot in their stomachs--so he makes comparisons to the Greek mysteries; where ergot in small doses may have facilitated the visions seen by the initiates. He looks at the stoneworks of the earlier peoples of Britain; since they may have been related to an earlier form of the cult. What emerges is a tantalizing speculation about Celtic/Druidic religion. I couldn't put it down--Grigsby has enough hard evidence to appeal to my left brain but also has the gift of interesting prose; to satisfy the right half. If Robert Graves had made coherent sense; he might have written this book.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A Book Long Overdue for the WorldBy MarciaAnswers questions first raised when I was a lowly English Major in college. SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT was a puzzle that wouldn't go away; and I understood it was a sacrificial rite; but I couldn't convince the professor who thought the poem was proof that Christianity had triumphed over the old ways. This book is everything I could have hoped for...and more. Like a wormhole in a hill; each chapter takes you down fractal paths of insight and intuition that makes clear; logical SENSE. This is the first book of his I have read. It will NOT be the last!2 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Went looking-By Teri SAfter I read John Grigsby's BEOWULF AND GRENDEL;which I thoroughly enjoyed; I thought I would check out his other book. As a person who loves the Arthurian legend and related topics; this book is a must for background material regarding the history and mythology which led to the "grail" stories. The universal themes played out in the search for the grail stories; whether it is Arthur and his knights; The Da Vinci Code; or Indiana Jones; are a source of fascination to me and John's book lends serious archeology and known or suspected reality to it. I highly recommend his books to folks interested in the Grail legend!
