Person
Every book Hamza Yusuf recommended on podcasts
Hamza Yusuf is an Islamic scholar and educator whose appearance on The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast highlighted his extensive engagement with comparative religion, classical philosophy, and human psychology. While discussing foundational texts, Yusuf noted how major Abrahamic traditions have deeply benefited from Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, and he referenced Plato's dialogue Timaeus when exploring the philosophical principle of the triad. He also examined William James's seminal work The Varieties of Religious Experience, noting how Charles Taylor revisited James's ideas to explore different ways individuals approach the religion they are born into. To illustrate profound resilience and gratitude, Yusuf brought up Jacques Lusseyran's compelling memoir And There was Light, which recounts the author's experiences as a French resistance fighter and his journey after losing his sight in childhood. Furthermore, he referenced Raymond Moody's Life After Life when recounting his own research into near-death experiences following a severe accident, and he discussed Thomas Cleary's Unlocking the Zen Koan to explain how koans serve to disrupt preconceived notions and intellectual rigidities. Through these varied discussions, Yusuf bridged ancient philosophical traditions, spiritual literature, and modern psychological inquiry.
Books recommended by Hamza Yusuf
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And there was light
Discussed“do you know jacques lesser that he wrote a book called and there was light he was that he was a he was a french resistance fighter and he wrote he wrote this very interesting autobiography”
Where to get it
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Life After Life
Life After Life by Raymond A.
Discussed“i actually went and met with dr raymond moody who wrote the books on life after life and uh he did a lot of the work with near-death um people that had had”
Where to get it
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Nicomachean Ethics
Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics is a foundational work of ancient Greek moral philosophy examining virtue, character, and the path to human flourishing.
Discussed“and we all really acknowledge and and really have benefited greatly from the nicomachean ethics all three traditions recognize the nicomachean ethics and its importance and that's why our ethical tradition our great treatises reflect many of the truths that aristotle articulated in the nicomachean ethics”
Where to get it
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The Dialogues of Plato
The Dialogues of Plato by Plato is a foundational collection of classical Greek philosophical texts utilizing conversational formats to explore ethics, politics, and metaphysics.
Discussed“so the trinity is you know the the principle of the triad is uh you know in plato and the timaeus talks about that”
Where to get it
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The Federalist papers
The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay is a foundational collection of essays written to urge ratification of the United States Constitution.
Discussed“in fact i think james charles taylor has a very interesting book revisiting james the variety's religious experience and he talks about this idea that james looks at people who have religion in this sanguine sense”
Where to get it
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The Varieties of Religious Experience
The Varieties of Religious Experience is a foundational 1902 psychological work by William James based on his lecture series regarding human consciousness and spiritual phenomena.
Discussed“in fact i think james charles taylor has a very interesting book revisiting james the variety's religious experience and he talks about this idea that james looks at people who have religion in this sanguine sense they simply accept their religion that they're born into”
Where to get it
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Unlocking the Zen koan
Discussed“a mentor of mine and a friend of mine dr thomas cleary wrote a book called zen koans he also translated the quran he's one of the brilliant translators of the of of our lifetime but he wrote a book called zen koans”
Where to get it
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| 255. What We Can All Learn From Islam & The Quran | Hamza Yusuf | The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast | 2022-05-23 | 7 |
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“so the orthodox tradition the catholic tradition aren't that different even though they split in the 11th century over a diphthong as gibbon points out”