The Unromantic Orient
Muhammad Asad
translated by Elma Ruth Harder

This first English translation of Leopold Weiss’ travelogue to the Middle East is not only an impressionistic journal of a young man in search of certitude, it provides insights into the spiritual transformation of Leopold Weiss (1900-1992) who would soon convert to Islam, his name would change to Muhammad Asad, and he would spend the rest of his life in studying and writing about Islam. The travelogue starts at the Jerusalem train station and takes us through Cairo, Amman, parts of the TransJordan, Palestine, Damascus, and Istanbul.  First published in German in 1923 as Unromantisches Morgenland, aus dem Tagebuch einer Reise, this volume includes 32 pages of original photographs taken by the author himself in1922.

Paperback
192 pages
Al-Qalam, 2004
ISBN 9839154613

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Searching for Solace, a Biography of Abdullah Yusuf Ali, Interpreter of the Qur’an
M. A. Sherif

This is the first detailed account of the life and ideas of Abdullah Yusuf Ali whose English translation of the Qur’an has been widely used since it first appeared in 1934. Born in Gujrat, India, being well-versed in Arabic and later attending an English school,  Yusuf ‘Ali belonged to both East and West. He had an abiding faith in the British empire and wrote extensively on social, political and historical issues. But despite his public acclaim, Yusuf ‘Ali died a lonely man in 1953. In this  candid and sympathetic study, the author has drawn on Yusuf Ali's writings and private papers, as well as unpublished sources.

Paperback
314 pages
Islamic Book Trust, 1994
ISBN 9839154001

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The Road to Mecca
Muhammad Asad

 “We ride, ride, two men on two dromedaries, the sun flames over our heads, everything is shimmer and glimmer and swimming light…” So begins this tale, which Muhammad Asad says is simply the story “of a European’s discovery of Islam and of his integration within the Muslim community.” This book is more than an autobiography, which the Times Literary Supplement calls a "narrative of great power and beauty". It gives us a window to view the life and times of an articulate and impassioned Muslim scholar who was devoted to the revival of Islam and its reconciliation with the modern world. First published in 1954.

Paperback
380 pages
Islamic Book Trust, 1996
ISBN 9839154125

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Excellency: Journal of a Diplomat
Tan Koon San

More a journal than an autobiography, this book embraces a rich blend of diplomatic practices, personal anecdotes and penetrating observations by the writer. Tan Koon San  served in various diplomatic capacities in Malaysian embassies in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. It begins with a quote, "Diplomats are blessed with hope, soldiers with courage, and politicians with promises."

Hardbound with dustcover
239 pages
The Other Press, 2000
ISBN 9839541099

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From Beirut to Jerusalem
Ang Swee Chai

This is the story of Dr Ang Swee Chai, a Penang-born orthopedic surgeon, and her flight to war-torn Lebanon in 1982 to treat the wounded and dying. This new edition, twenty years after the Zionist terrorism in Shabra and Shatila which killed thousands of Palestinian civilians, is a tribute to the ongoing struggle against Zionist occupation.

Paperback
327 pages
The Other Press, 2002
ISBN 9839541323

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