Nonviolent Soldier of Islam
Khān Abdul Ghaffār Khān (Badshah Khan or Bacha Khan) came from a Pathan society that was steeped in a tradition of blood revenge, but Khan raised a nonviolent "army" of 100,000 men and joined Mohandas Gandhi in civil disobedience to British rule in India.
Easwaran’s biography of Khan is a comprehensive account of the man who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 and who embodied the nonviolent tradition within Islam. Under Khan's leadership, the Pathans proved that it is often those who are capable of great violence who have the courage to stand unarmed against injustice. Khan's story of hard-won victory offers inspiration for nonviolent solutions to today's world struggles.
Easwaran, author of Gandhi The Man, is one of the twentieth century's great spiritual teachers and an authentic guide to timeless wisdom. His books on meditation, spiritual living, and the classics of world mysticism have been translated into twenty-six languages. His Bhagavada Gita, Upanishads and Dhammapada are the best-selling translations in the US, and over 2 million copies of his books are in print.
This book is for anyone seeking to understand more fully what Islam can mean in the world of today.
Eknath Easwaran (1910–1999) is respected around the world as an authentic teacher of timeless wisdom. More than two million copies of his books are in print, including his best-selling translations of the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads.
Easwaran grew up in Kerala, India. As a young man he visited Mahatma Gandhi in his ashram and was deeply influenced by the way that Gandhi brought spiritual values into daily life.
He later became professor of English literature at a leading university, and was well known as a speaker and writer before coming to the United States in 1959 on the Fulbright exchange program.
A gifted teacher, Easwaran gave talks on meditation and spiritual living for 40 years. In 1961 he founded the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation, a nonprofit organization that publishes his books, videos, and audio talks, and offers retreats and online programs. His meditation class at UC Berkeley in 1968 was the first accredited course on meditation at any major university.
Easwaran lived what he taught, giving him lasting appeal as a spiritual teacher and author of deep insight and warmth.