Any book recommendations?

[a.s.]

But in spite of that one should be alert about ideas of perennial philosophy seeping into our unconscious.

I still dont understand, how was Martin Lings supporting Perennialism in his book?

I tried to read it but I got struck in the initial genealogical details. Thus I am wrong person to review either Lings or Mubarakpuri.

Yeah, there are others also who say that the book is extremely detailed, and mostly about battles than the life of the Prophet (saw) itself.

Amongst academic oriented Seerah the one I have read is the one by Professor Muhammed Hamidullah Sahab (RA) of Paris. This I will recommend whole heartedly accept for the fact that the burden that the author was carrying has done much damage to the narrative. The burden concerns the response to western calumny on beloved Prophet (PBUH). There has been so much of orientalist garbage thrown on beloved Prophet (PBUH)'s personality that any Muslim author in present times get distracted by the urge to refute, answer and negate that at the cost of the natural flow of the Seerah.

It is sad how the West hasn't taken the time to get to know the Prophet (saw). Which was why I was surprised at the amount of knowledge Lings had and how, often times in the book, he defended the Prophet (saw).

[Maripat]

I still dont understand, how was Martin Lings supporting Perennialism in his book?

Since I have not gone through the book I shall not be able to pin point any passage or chapter. But if a Salafi has found something there in the vein of perennial thoughts then you can trust the Salafi on that account. A suggest that you go through Abu Bilal Kanaadee's short document on the matter.

It is sad how the West hasn't taken the time to get to know the Prophet (saw).

It is all continuation of history. Even the current kind attention of the western forces towards Islam has smooth link with the crusadist past. The west has broken its relation with Christianity to some extent, which in itself is a tragedy, but the attitude towards Islam and hence the Muslims remains the same one.

Which was why I was surprised at the amount of knowledge Lings had and how, often times in the book, he defended the Prophet (saw).

See he was a Muslim so that is expected. The trouble is that he could not over come perennial philosophy. He thought it was some thing good. That is bad but then how many of us can assert that we have overcome our own prejudices?

[a.s.]

See he was a Muslim so that is expected. The trouble is that he could not over come perennial philosophy. He thought it was some thing good. That is bad but then how many of us can assert that we have overcome our own prejudices?

Is it possible that he supported perennial philosophy because of the Muslim belief that Islam is the core of all non-pagan religions, and every other religion is a corrupt form of Islam? But that wouldn't really include all religions, only the three abrahamic faiths. So how is this Islamic belief (That the Three Abrahamic Faiths have the same origin) different from Perennial Philosophy?

[Abdul1234]

Is it possible that he supported perennial philosophy because of the Muslim belief that Islam is the core of all non-pagan religions, and every other religion is a corrupt form of Islam? But that wouldn't really include all religions, only the three abrahamic faiths. So how is this Islamic belief (That the Three Abrahamic Faiths have the same origin) different from Perennial Philosophy?

I think the difference is because Perrenialists tend to seem not to believe that other religions were abrogated with the coming of the Holy Qur'an.

I seem to remember that in Martin Lings biography of Sheikh Ahmad Alawi (ra) perrenialist ideas crop up a few times, at one point he wrongly interprets (i.e. misunderstands) the Sheikh's words to imply perrenialism, however the Sheikh was obviously telling him that they must have the correct aqeedah (written as doctrine in the book, I think), but Martin Lings could seemingly only hear this through the filter of his pre-existing ideas. Anyway Martin Lings was a nice old man and I hope and pray that Allah accepted him and overlooked any faults that he may have had.

[Maripat]

Is it possible that he supported perennial philosophy because of the Muslim belief that Islam is the core of all non-pagan religions, and every other religion is a corrupt form of Islam? But that wouldn't really include all religions, only the three abrahamic faiths. So how is this Islamic belief (That the Three Abrahamic Faiths have the same origin) different from Perennial Philosophy?

Islam says : Allah (SWT) sent Prophets (AS) to all people so in their own time and in their pristine form all those religions were one and the same which is now called Islam.

Perennialist Assertion : All the existing religions in their present form are correct and legitimate path to salvation.

Remember Allah (SWT) does not like deviation in the least bit.