The Book of Character

Description

Writings on Character and Virtue from Islamic and other sources

By Camille Helminski

This anthology of writings on virtue and character from Islamic and other traditions has received universal praise internationally. This book will give a profound insight into the qualities of mercy, tenderness, generosity, and nobility that are at the heart of Islamic tradition at its best–virtues which are essentially universal. From the Prophet Muhammad and Imam Ali to Florence Nightingale and Mother Teresa.

“The journeys of the spiritual teachers of humanity, the prophets and messengers of God are eternal sources of inspiration for all souls who long for meaningfulness. Their experiences enlighten the way of humanity forever. Deep reflections on their journeys could inspire the modern world with so many meanings that our era lacks. Learning from them does not imply going back to the past; it is an invitation to humanity to refresh its memory of how a human being can fulfill his or her humanity with the hope that we might have a better future.” ~ Aisha Rafea

“According to Al-Ghazali, ‘A trait of character . . . is a firmly established condition of the sould, from which actions proceed easily without any need or thinking or forethought.’ A thing’s character is its essence, its true nature. Yet we talk about building human character, as if character were something that could develop over time. If our character is our true nature, isn’t it something we were born with? Why do we have to develop it? To say that someone ‘has character’ means he or she has taken some real steps toward becoming a true human being.” ~ Charles Upton

About Camille Helminski

Camille Helminski is a founder and director of the Threshold Society. She is a coauthor of Jewels of Remembrance: 365 Selections from the Wisdom of Rumi and Rumi: Daylight, and the author of Women of Sufism. She lives in Santa Cruz, California.