The Death of Al-Hallaj: A Dramatic NarrativeAlthough not widely known in the Western world, al-Hallaj is one of the great figures in the history of the Muslim religion. Martyred in 922 by the government for his teachings, al-Hallaj has lived on through the centuries in the legends and memories of Muslims the world over. The reader who meets al-Hallaj for the first time in this book will be impressed by the striking similarities he shares with Jesus Christ, Socrates, and the Jewish Hasidic masters. Al-Hallaj is a man so caught up in God's love that he speaks with the wisdom of a mystic. Yet he is worldly and down-to-earth in his affection, his wit, and his joy. In this dramatic narrative of the last days of al-Hallaj, Herbert Mason has distilled the essence of al-Hallaj in moving, beautifully drawn scenes with his son, his protectress, and a devoted disciple. The timeless confrontation between freedom and political expediency, between faith and fatalism, ends here in love that is stronger than death. So finely has Mason presented al-Hallaj that the fire of his love reaches across the centuries to glow again on these pages. This is a book to read, and to re-read. |
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action afraid Baghdad beauty become believe blood bring Caliph's called cell claim close cold commissioner crowd dance death Death of al-Hallaj decadence desire differ disciple embrace enemies entered everything excess face failure faith fate father fear final follow friendship gibbet gift give given God's grow guards HALLAJ HAMD NARRATING Hamid hand hearing heart IBN ATA IBN DAWUD imagine Islam jealous judge KAKAKAWAY keep kind leave light lives master mean MICHIGAN mind moments mother mystics never once one's ourselves Perhaps Persian play poor possessing preached present prison released religion religious remember renew Satan scoundrels secret sense separate seven SHAGHAB share speak spirit strange talk teaching things thought touch triumph true Truth understand union vizir witness