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#from shoaib's diary

his-heart-hymns · 4 months

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When Charles bukowski wrote:

And when nobody wakes you up in the morning, and when nobody waits for you at night, and when you can do whatever you want. what do you call it, freedom or loneliness?

And when Ahmed faraz said:

na hareef-e-jaan, na shareek-e-gham, shab-e-intezaar koi to ho,

kise bazm-e-shauk mein layein hum, dil-e-beqarar koi to ho.

And when Saqi Faruqi wrote:

koi abr uthe kisi qulzum se ras barse mere virane par koi jagta ho koi kudhta ho mere der se vapas aane per.

We all yearned for someone who'd wait for us.

#from shoaib's diary #urdu poetry #urdu lines #urdu literature #urdu shayari #urdu aesthetic #urdu stuff #desi academia #desi aesthetic #desi tumblr #desiblr #desi dark academia #dark acamedia #dark academia aesthetic #dark romanticism #shoaib ki diary se

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divinum-pacis · 3 years

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Divinum Pacis’s Reference Guide- UPDATED 2021

Let’s face it, schooling is expensive, and you can’t cram everything you want to know into 4+ years. It takes a lifetime (and then some). So if you’re like me and want to learn more, here’s an organized list of some books I find particularly insightful and enjoyable. NEW ADDITIONS are listed first under their respective sections. If you have any recommendations, send them in!

African Religions 🌍

African Myths & Tales: Epic Tales by Dr. Kwadwo Osei-Nyame Jnr

The Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead: Prayers, Incantations, and Other Texts from the Book of the Dead by E.A. Wallis Budge

Prayer in the Religious Traditions of Africa by Aylward Shorter (a bit dated but sentimental)

The Holy Piby: The Black Man’s Bible by Shepherd Robert Athlyi Rogers

The Altar of My Soul: The Living Traditions of Santeria by Marta Moreno Vega (autobiography of an Afro-Puerto Rican Santeria priestess)

African Religions: A Very Short Introduction by Jacob K. Olupona

Buddhism ☸

The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation by Thich Nhat Hanh

The Dhammapada by Eknath Easwaran (collection of Buddha’s sayings)

Liquid Life: Abortion and Buddhism in Japan by William R. LaFleur

The Tibetan Book of the Dead by John Baldock (the texts explained and illustrated)

Teachings of the Buddha by Jack Kornfield (lovely selection of Buddhist verses and stories)

Understanding Buddhism by Perry Schmidt-Leukel (great introductory text)

Essential Tibetan Buddhism by Robert Thurman (collection of select chants, prayers, and rituals in Tibetan traditions)

Christianity ✝️

The Story of Christianity Volume 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation by Justo L. Gonzales

The Story of Christianity Volume 2: The Reformation to Present Day by Justo L. Gonzales

By Heart: Conversations with Martin Luther's Small Catechism by R. Guy Erwin, etc.

Introducing the New Testament by Mark Allen Powell

Who’s Who in the Bible by Jean-Pierre Isbouts (really cool book, thick with history, both Biblical and otherwise)

Synopsis of the Four Gospels (RSV) by Kurt Aland (shows the four NT gospels side by side, verse by verse for easy textual comparison)

Behold Your Mother by Tim Staples (Catholic approach to the Virgin Mary)

Mother of God: A History of the Virgin Mary by Miri Rubin (anthropological and historical text)

Systematic Theology by Thomas P. Rausch

Orthodox Dogmatic Theology by Fr. Michael Romazansky (Eastern Orthodox Christianity)

Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska (very spiritual)

The Names of God by George W. Knight (goes through every name and reference to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the Bible)

Icons and Saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church by Alfredo Tradigo (for those who like art history AND religion)

The Orthodox Veneration of the Mother of God by St. John Maximovitch (the Orthodox approach to the Virgin Mary)

East Asian Religions ☯️

Shinto: A History by Helen Hardacre

Tao Te Ching by Chad Hansen (a beautiful, illustrated translation)

The Analects by Confucius

Tao Te Ching by Stephen Mitchell

Shinto: The Kami Way by Sokyo Ono (introductory text)

Understanding Chinese Religions by Joachim Gentz (discusses the history and development of Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism in China)

Taoism: An Essential Guide by Eva Wong (pretty much everything you need to know on Taoism)

European (various)

Iliad & Odyssey by Homer, Samuel Butler, et al.

Tales of King Arthur & The Knights of the Round Table by Thomas Malory, Aubrey Beardsley, et al.

Early Irish Myths and Sagas by Jeffrey Gantz

The Prose Edda: Norse Mythology by Snorri Sturluson and Jesse L. Byock

Mythology by Edith Hamilton (covers Greek, Roman, & Norse mythology)

The Nature of the Gods by Cicero

Dictionary of Mythology by Bergen Evans

Gnosticism, Mysticism, & Esotericism

The Gnostic Gospels: Including the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary Magdalene (Sacred Texts) by Alan Jacobs and Vrej Nersessian

The Kybalion by the Three Initiates (Hermeticism)

The Freemasons: The Ancient Brotherhood Revealed by Michael Johnstone

Alchemy & Mysticism by Alexander Roob (Art and symbolism in Hermeticism)

The Gnostics: Myth, Ritual, and Diversity in Early Christianity by David Brakke

What Is Gnosticism? Revised Edition by Karen L. King

The Essence of the Gnostics by Bernard Simon

The Essential Mystics: Selections from the World’s Great Wisdom Traditions by Andrew Harvey (covers Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Greek, Hindu, Buddhist, and Taoist traditions)

The Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manly P. Hall (huge book on esoteric and occult religions)

Freemasonry for Dummies by Christopher Hodapp

Hinduism 🕉

The Ramayana by R.K. Narayan

7 Secrets of Vishnu by Devdutt Pattanaik (all about Vishnu’s various avatars)

7 Secrets of the Goddess by Devdutt Pattanaik (all about Hindu goddesses, myths and symbolism)

Hinduism by Klaus K. Klostermaier (good introductory text)

Bhagavad Gita As It Is by Srila Prabhupada (trans. from a religious standpoint)

The Mahabharata, parts 1 & 2 by Ramesh Menon (super long but incredibly comprehensive)

The Upanishads by Juan Mascaro (an excellent introductory translation)

In Praise of the Goddess by Devadatta Kali (the Devi Mahatmya with English & Sanskrit texts/explanations of texts)

Beyond Birth and Death by Srila Prabhupada (on death & reincarnation)

The Science of Self-Realization by Srila Prabhupada

Krishna: The Beautiful Legend of God (Srimad Bhagavatam) by Edwin F. Bryant (totally gorgeous translation)

The Perfection of Yoga by Srila Prabhupada (about “actual” yoga)

Islam ☪️

The Handy Islam Answer Book by John Renard (a comprehensive guide to all your questions)

The Illustrated Rumi by Philip Dunn, Manuela Dunn Mascetti, & R.A. Nicholson (Sufi poetry)

Islam and the Muslim World by Mir Zohair Husain (general history of Islam)

The Quran: A Contemporary Understanding by Safi Kaskas (Quran with Biblical references in the footnotes for comparison)

Essential Sufism by Fadiman & Frager (select Sufi texts)

Psychological Foundation of the Quran, parts 1, 2, & 3 by Muhammad Shoaib Shahid

Hadith by Jonathan A.C. Brown (the history of Hadith and Islam)

The Story of the Quran, 2nd ed. by Ingrid Mattson (history and development of the Quran)

The Book of Hadith by Charles Le Gai Eaton (a small selection of Hadith)

The Holy Quran by Maulana Muhammad Ali (Arabic to English translation, the only translation I’ve read cover-to-cover)

Mary and Jesus in the Quran by Abdullah Yusuf’Ali

Blessed Names and Attributes of Allah by A.R. Kidwai (small, lovely book)

Jainism & Sikhi

Understanding Jainism by Lawrence A. Babb

The Jains (The Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices) by Paul Dundas

The Forest of Thieves and the Magic Garden: An Anthology of Medieval Jain Stories by Phyllis Granoff

A History of the Sikhs, Volume 1: 1469-1839 (Oxford India Collection) by Khushwant Singh

Sikhism: A Very Short Introduction by Eleanor Nesbitt

Judaism ✡

Hebrew-English Tanakh by the Jewish Publication Society

Essential Judaism by George Robinson (this is THE book if you’re looking to learn about Judaism)

The Talmud: A Selection by Norman Solomon

Judaism by Dan & Lavinia Cohn-Sherbok (introductory text)

The Jewish Study Bible, 2nd edition by the Jewish Publication Society (great explanations of passages)

The Hebrew Goddess by Raphael Patai

Native American

God is Red: A Native View of Religion, 30th Anniversary Edition by Vine Deloria Jr. , Leslie Silko, et al.

The Wind is My Mother by Bear Heart (Native American spirituality)

American Indian Myths and Legends by Erdoes & Ortiz

The Sacred Wisdom of the Native Americans by Larry J. Zimmerman

Paganism, Witchcraft & Wicca

Magic in the Roman World: Pagans, Jews and Christians (Religion in the First Christian Centuries) 1st Edition by Naomi Janowitz

The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation: Including the Demotic Spells: 2nd Edition by Hans Dieter Betz

Wicca for Beginners: Fundamentals of Philosophy & Practice by Thea Sabin

The Path of a Christian Witch by Adelina St. Clair (the author’s personal journey)

Aradia: Gospel of the Witches by C.G. Leland

The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, & Witchcraft, 3rd ed. by Rebecca L. Stein

Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions by Joyce & River Higginbotham

Christopaganism by Joyce & River Higginbotham

Whispers of Stone by Tess Dawson (on Modern Canaanite Paganism)

Social ☮

Tears We Cannot Stop (A Sermon to White America) by Eric Michael Dyson (concerning racism)

Comparative Religious Ethics by Christine E. Gudorf

Divided by Faith by Michael O. Emerson (on racism and Christianity in America)

Problems of Religious Diversity by Paul J. Griffiths

Not in God’s Name by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks (on religious terrorism)

The Sacred and the Profane by Mircea Eliade (difficult but worthwhile read)

World Religions 🗺

Understanding World Religions by Len Woods (approaches world religions from a Biblical perspective)

Living Religions, 9th ed. by Mary Pat Fisher (introductory textbook)

The Norton Anthology of World Religions: Hinduism, Buddhism & Daoism by Jack Miles, etc.

The Norton Anthology of World Religions: Judaism, Christianity, & Islam by Jack Miles, etc.

Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices by Mary Boyce

The Baha’i Faith by Moojan Momen (introductory text)

Saints: The Chosen Few by Manuela Dunn-Mascetti (illustrated; covers saints from Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and more)

The Great Transformation by Karen Armstrong (the evolutionary history of some of the world’s greatest religions)

Roman Catholics and Shi’i Muslims: Prayer, Passion, and Politics by James A. Bill (a comparison of the similarities between Catholicism & Shi’a Islam)

God: A Human History by Reza Aslan (discusses the evolution of religion, specifically Abrahamic and ancient Middle Eastern traditions)

A History of God by Karen Armstrong (similar to Aslan’s book but much more extensive)

The Perennial Dictionary of World Religions by Keith Crim

#religion #world religions #reference #judaism #christianity #islam #hinduism #buddhism #jainism #sikhism #paganism #witchcraft #wicca #library #divinum-pacis

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his-heart-hymns · 3 months

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I wonder what it would be like to melt into your sweet arms and get stuck there for eternity.

-Christy AnnMartine

Sukoon de na saki rahate zamane ki

jo neend aayi tere gham ki chhanv me aayi.

-Payaam Fateh

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his-heart-hymns · 6 months

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How elegantly urdu poet Muztar khairabadi has captured the emotion of being unwanted in this couplet:

Na kisi ki aankh ka noor hu na kisi ke dil ka qaraar hu kisi kaam me jo na aa sake mai vo ek musht-e-ghubaar hu.

Not the light of any one's eyes,not the solace for anyone's heart.Of no use to anyone I am that one fistful of dust.

#from shoaib's diary #farhan akhtar's great grandfather #desi tumblr #desiblr #desi aesthetic #desi academia #urdu lines #urdu poetry #urdu literature #urdu shayari #urdu aesthetic #urdu stuff #shoaib ki diary se

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his-heart-hymns · 4 months

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Kuch mahino pehle maine ek english author ka likha huwa ek paragraph padha tha jo mujhe ab nahi mil raha, uska mafhum kuch is tarah hai:

Woh aadmi jise hum 'psychotically depressed' kehte hai,jo apne aap ko maarne per tula hai uska wohi haal hai jo uss aadmi ka hai jo ek uchi building ke jalte huwe makan ki khidki mai khada hai.Woh bhi har aam aadmi ki tarah khidki se koodh kar marne se darta hai magar aag mai dheere-dheere jhulas-jhulas kar marne se behtar khidki se koodhkar marna hai.Neeche khade log use kitna bhi sabr karne ke liye kahe lekin woh yeh nahi samajh sakte ke woh aag usse kitna tadpa rahi hai.

Kisi shayer ne kya khoob likha hai:

Mai khudkushi ke jurm ka karta hu eitraaf

Apne badan ki kabr mai kabse gada hu mai.

#from shoaib's diary #urdu lines #urdu poetry #urdu literature #urdu shayari #urdu aesthetic #desi academia #desi tumblr #desiblr #desi aesthetic #urdu stuff #shoaib ki diary se

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his-heart-hymns · 4 months

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When Faiz Ahmed Faiz said:

Aur bhi dukh hai zamane mai mohabbat ke siwa Rahatein aur bhi hai wasl ki rahat ke siwa.

And When Usama zoraiz wrote:

Mujhko yeh jaankar udasi hui

Ke kuch masail ka hal toh tu bhi nahi.

And When Ahmed faraz said:

Main tujh se kaise kahu yaar mehrbaan mere

Ke tu ilaaj nahi meri har udaasi ka.

We realized that love is powerful but it cant fix everything.We often have to handle many problems on your own all alone.

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his-heart-hymns · 4 months

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In english we say -"I was deprived of everything'' but in urdu we say:

Hum woh mehroom-e-tamanna hai jo bhari duniya mai apne hisse ki mohabbat bhi nahi kar paye,

Aur hum nahi jaante kehte hai jawani kisko hum toh bachpan mai shararat bhi nahi kar paye.

Mehroom-e-tamanna=deprived of desires

#from shoaib's diary #desi academia #urdu lines #urdu poetry #urdu literature #urdu shayari #urdu aesthetic #desi aesthetic #desi tumblr #urdu stuff #desiblr #shoaib ki diary se

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his-heart-hymns · 4 months

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Mun tu shudam tu mun shudi

mun tu shudam tu jaan shudi

Taakas na guyad baad azeen

mun deegaram tu deegri

I have become you, and you me,

I am the body, you soul;

So that no one can say hereafter,

That you are someone, and me someone else.

-Ameer Khusrau,Sufi saint

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his-heart-hymns · 4 months

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Now i understand what Jaun Elia was going through when he wrote:

Ek dil hai jo har lamha jalane ke liye hai,

Jo kuch hai yaha aag lagane ke liye hai.

Hasne se kabhi khush nahi hota hai mera dil,

Hasna bhi yaha mujh ko rulane ke liye hai.

#from shoaib's diary #urdu lines #urdu poetry #urdu literature #urdu shayari #urdu aesthetic #desi academia #desi tumblr #desiblr #desi aesthetic #urdu stuff #indian dark academia #urdupoetry #urdu ghazal #urdu quote #shoaib ki diary se

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his-heart-hymns · 6 months

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Friedrich nitzsche said:

There are days when I am haunted by a feeling that is blacker than the blackest melancholy. I have a contempt for humanity. I despise the people I have been fated to call my contemporaries. I feel suffocated by their presence.

And shair-e-mashriq(poet of the east) Allama Iqbal wrote:

Duniya ki mehfilo se ukta gaya hu ya rab,

Kya lutf anjuman ka jab dil hi bujh gaya ho.

O Lord, I'm tired of this life,these human gatherings these daily chores. What is the point of having people around when the heart is worn out?

Sometimes I find myself overwhelmed by such a sense of negativity that every aspect of life seems too heavy on me.

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his-heart-hymns · 7 months

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Subh ka suraj humare darwaze pe dastak de raha hai,aur hum tere khawaabo se lipat kar so rahe hai.

#from shoaib's diary #good morning #subha bakhair #urdu lines #desi tumblr #urdu stuff #urdu aesthetic #urdu shayari #urdu literature #desi academia #desi aesthetic #desiblr #urdu poetry #shoaib ki diary se

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his-heart-hymns · 5 months

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When Eliza Scott wrote in her book 'The unwritten rule':

What are you if the people who are supposed to love you in your difficult times leave you like you're nothing?

And when Farhat Abbas wrote:

badal gaye mere mausam to yaar ab aaye

ghamo ne chaat liya gham-gusaar ab aaye

Gham-gusaar=one who shares grief/comforter

And when Jaun Elia wrote:

Main to safo ke darmiyaan kab se pada hoon neem-jaan

mere tamaam jaan-nisar mere liye toh mar gaye

Neem-jaan=Half dead Jaan-nisaar=devoted friend

We realized that certain friends and relatives are only there for casual greetings and showcasing achievements.They never lend you a hand during challenging times.

#from shoaib's diary #urdu poetry #urdu lines #urdu literature #urdu shayari #urdu aesthetic #urdu stuff #desi academia #desi aesthetic #desi tumblr #desiblr #dark acamedia #desi #dark acadamia aesthetic #shoaib ki diary se

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his-heart-hymns · 5 months

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When Muneer Niazi wrote: Kal dikha ek aadmi,atta safar ki dhool mai,ghum tha apne aap mai,jaise khushboo phool mai. He was talking about me.

#from shoaib's diary #urdu lines #urdu poetry #urdu literature #urdu shayari #urdu aesthetic #desi academia #desi aesthetic #desi tumblr #desiblr #urdu stuff #shoaib ki diary se

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his-heart-hymns · 3 months

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I see life in nothing but the certainty of your love convince me of it,my sweetest.If I am not somehow convinced I shall die of agony.

-John Keats,Letter To Fanny Brawne

My greatest revolt against this meaningless world is the happiness I feel because of you.