Sacred Texts Series

A wonderful translation of the most important Muslim text, The Koran, The Holy Bible of Islam, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.

The Koran, literally meaning ‘The Recitation’ it is the central religious text for Muslims. Muslims believe the Koran was verbally revealed by God to the Prophet Muhammad in Arabic through the angel Gabriel over a period of approximately 23 years Muslims regard koranic revelations as the sacred word of God, intended to correct any errors in previous holy books such as the Old and New Testaments.

The Koran is accepted as the foundation of Islamic law, religion, culture and politics. Some Koranic fragments have been dated as far back as the eighth, and possibly even the seventh, century. The oldest existing copy of the full text is from the ninth century. Although early variants of the Koran are known to have existed, Muslims believe that the text we have today was established shortly after the death of the Prophet by the Caliph Uthman. This superb translation by E.H.Palmer brings an appealing clarity to this ancient and revered text.

A landmark collection of 14 texts from the Nag Hammadi library that shed new light on the esoteric knowledge of Gnosticism—including the Gospels of Mary Magdalene, Thomas, and Judas, and The Sophia of Jesus Christ.

Discover the intimate conversations between Jesus and his Disciples.
 
In 1945, several gospels, hidden since the first century, were found in the Egyptian Desert at Nag Hammadi. This discovery caused a sensation as the scrolls revealed the mysteries of the Gnostics—a movement which emerged during the formative period of Christianity. ‘Gnosis’, from the Greek, broadly meaning ‘hidden spiritual knowledge’, was associated with renouncing the material world, and focusing on attaining the life of the Holy Spirit. Many Christian sects are derived from the esoteric knowledge of Gnosticism.

The gospels selected here by Alan Jacobs reveal intimate conversations between Jesus and his Disciples. The Gospel of Mary Magdalene sheds new light on his relationship with his favorite follower, while the Gospel of Thomas consists of mini-parables of deep inward and symbolic meaning—many of which are not found in the New Testament. The wisdom in this inspiring collection of texts is wholly relevant to our lives today, addressing the questions of good and evil, sin and suffering, and the path to salvation.

Discover the most important teachings of the Buddha in this updated translation of one of the most beloved and best-known Buddhist scriptures in the Pali Canon
 
In more than 400 verses, the Buddha clearly expounds his noble path of virtue for everyman. This foundation scripture teaches the supreme doctrine of nirvana and the way to the highest possible happiness for mankind. Oxford professor Dr. Max Muller, a great scholar and Orientalist, did the translation.