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When ISIS reared its ugly head in the last decade, God had already prepared a “vaccine” against the contagion of extremism that created it: the re-discovery of the Covenants of the Prophet Muhammad with the Peoples of the Book, which firmly place the actions of groups like ISIS under the curse of God and His Prophet. This was largely due to the exhaustive scholarship of Dr John Andrew Morrow, leading to the publication in 2013 of The Covenants of the Prophet Muhammad with the Christians of the World. Not only was this a scholarly triumph, but it also inaugurated an international, interfaith movement throughout the Muslim world known as the Covenants Initiative, which culminated in the acquittal of the Christian woman Asia Bibi on charges of blasphemy by the Pakistani Supreme Court in 2018. The book was quoted by the justices in their decision. This volume of speeches, articles and interviews is a chronicle of the first, activist phase of the Covenants Initiative, proving that socially committed scholarship is alive and well in the twenty-first century.

Islam and the People of the Book features three dozen scholarly studies on the treaties that the Prophet Muhammad concluded with Jewish, Samaritan, Christian, and Zoroastrian communities, along with translations of Six Covenants of the Prophet in over a dozen languages. The combined effort of over forty-five academics, intellectuals, and translators from around the world, this work powerfully confirms the conclusions drawn by Dr John Andrew Morrow in his critically-acclaimed book on The Covenants of the Prophet Muhammad with the Christians of the World, offers unprecedented insight into the original intent of the Messenger of God, and sheds light on the pluralistic nature of the constitutional state that he created.

Restoring the Balance is a penetrating reflection upon the reality of Islam in the modern world. Addressing a myriad of pressing issues that impact Muslims in the East, West, North, and South, it tackles topics that are both difficult and troubling, threading its way through a mine-field of religious, cultural, and ideological issues with courage, balance, caution, and concern. In a world of extremes, which pits religious fundamentalists against radical reformists, it calls upon Muslims to maintain the middle ground, using the Qur'an and the Sunnah to guide to a return of the Prophet's Islam.

It is a blessing, a warning, and a sign that these Six Covenants of the Prophet Muhammad with the Christians of His Time have resurfaced at this particular moment in history. Renewed by caliphs and sultans, supported by scores of fatwas, and accepted as law for nearly 1400 years, these documents were common knowledge to educated Muslims and Christians until the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, after which they virtually disappeared from collective consciousness. Their rediscovery will certainly open a new field in both Islamic Studies and interfaith relations. As the written words of the Prophet Muhammad himself, peace and blessings be upon him, and a central part of the Sunnah, they should sit side by side with the Qur'an in both mosque and home. If Muslims are ever to recover the reality of Islam and undergo a collective awakening, these covenants of hope will play a major part in that restoration. Those wishing to familiarize themselves with Dr. Morrow's exhaustive arguments supporting the authenticity of these Covenants should refer to The Covenants of the Prophet Muhammad with the Christians of the World (Angelico, 2013).'The Covenants of the Prophet Muhammad with the Christians of the World, by Dr. John Andrew Morrow... is a very interesting and crucial work.'--Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem'An enlightening reference that brilliantly sheds light on the glorious and magnificent spirit of Islam as epitomized by the Prophet Muhammad.'--Dr. Bouchra Belgaid, University Mohamed I'This is one of the most important projects related to Christian-Muslim relations in recent decades.'--Zachary Markwith, Graduate Theological Union'The Holy Council of the Fathers at Saint Catherine's Monastery expresses sympathy for your work.'--Father Justin of Sinai

These 24 studies on specific symbols, images and icons from the Muslim tradition are authored by scholars from around the world. Divided into four sections, the Divine, the Spiritual, the Physical, and the Societal, they examine theological issues, such as divine unity, creation, wrath, and justice, as well as spiritual subjects, such as the straight path, servitude, perfection, the jinn, intoxication, and the status of Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad. Essays also explore the symbolism of physical elements such as water, trees, seas, ships, food, the male sexual organ, eyebrows, and camels; and the significance of more socially-centered subjects such as the center, ijtihad, governance, otherness, Ashura, and Arabic. Drawing from the Qur'an and Sunnah, the essays address these topics with tact and respect from a position that appreciates exegetical diversity while remaining within the realm of unity.