When I picked up this book, I was in a bad place. I felt spiritually empty and I desperately needed to fill my cup again. It took a toll on my relationship with my loved ones and my heart felt diseased. Now, I’m not saying this book is the answer to my problems. But it sure did gave me the push I needed to start purifying my heart.
@officialmizznina wrote about her hijrah journey and how she became the amazing masha Allah person she is today. She wrote many wonderful gems and tips (some in this post when you scroll through) and they are practical to follow.
Her hijrah journey resonated with me because it took a big change in my life to set things in motion. For me, it was the birth of my son and the need to be a better mother to be able to care for and teach my son Islamic values.
Throughout this book, she frequently reminds us to hold on to Qur’an and sunnah. And my favorite part of this book is when she wrote about verse 21 in surah Al-Hashr where the mountains would crumble if they were sent the down the Qur’an, but imagine that our hearts could hold it and remain intact and in fact become stronger with it. Subhanallah. Amazing stuff.
Category Archives: Book Reviews
With the Heart in Mind: The Moral & Emotional Intelligence of the Prophet SAW
While recording our latest podcast, I got reminded of this story in this book, With The Heart In Mind by Sh. Mikaeel Smith.
It was a beautiful story of the Prophet (saw) and Aisha (ra) and the way our Beloved Prophet (saw) reacted is such a big takeaway for me. The Prophet (saw) identified the cause of her behavior and then reacted accordingly, but that doesn’t mean that He (saw) left the behavior unchecked.
Sh. Mikaeel says that when you understand the cause of the behavior, you will be more likely to develop a deeper tolerance for it. You can rationalize and justify. I’m still learning everyday and I guess in marriage, a lot of understanding is needed.
He also touched on parenting and how developing your emotional intelligence would benefit those around you. This book is content heavy so I recommend reading and re-reading it for maximum benefit. The first chapter may be a little dry but the contents are 💯
This unassuming (I may not have picked it up if not for a few recommendation from friends) book is really packed with gems and it makes you want to learn further about the character of our Prophet (saw) and to strive to apply it to our daily lives.
Light Upon Light: A Collection of Letters on Life, Love and God
Been reading this 2018 book (gifted by my sis-in-law 💖) and amazed at how relatable it is to my life.
The author’s @fadhilahwahid thought process in the situations she faced made me feel as if we were the same person, yet her reflections and lessons learnt are MashaAllah – I’m ashamed to say I’m not there yet. 😔
Thanks for planting the seed in my mind of always asking: ‘What is Allah SWT trying to tell me?’ in every situation, good or bad. It’s these moments that teach us to be grateful for His hidden blessings.
The Clear Quran
I recently acquired – ok bought – The Clear Quran: A Thematic English Translation of the Message of the Final Revelation after recommendations by the other girls of OQJ. The version I have is the hardcover copy with English translation and Arabic text.
Truth be told, I already have 3 different copies of the Al-Quran at home, so why another one right?
After reading The Clear Quran, I am particularly amazed at the translated verses and how easy it is to comprehend what they mean. In other books, I felt that some of the tenses and vocabulary used were archaic, for example, ‘thy’, ‘hath’ and ‘behold’.
I don’t speak Arabic (except in reading the Quran), but it is said that as a Semitic language, it has words that have meanings and nuances that do not easily translate into English. It can be almost impossible for translators, who are not masters of both English and Arabic, to reflect the Arabic style, rhythms, and figures of speech 100% accurately.
To achieve accuracy, the translator of The Clear Quran (Dr Mustafa Khattab) has made use of the greatest and most celebrated works of old and modern tafsir (Quran commentaries), and shared the work with several Imams in North America for feedback and insight. For clarity, every effort has been made to select easy to understand words and phrases that reflect the beauty, flow, and power of the original text. Along with informative footnotes and surah (chapter) introductions, verses have been grouped and titled based on their themes for a better understanding of the chapters, their main concepts, and internal coherence.
Source: Wardah Books
I really like the themed verses in The Clear Quran as the breaking up of verses gives a clearer picture of the lessons to be learnt as I am reading. The footnotes also provide more context to the terms and references mentioned in the Quran.
You will also be relieved to know that this translation has been officially approved by Al-Azhar University and endorsed by ISNA and the Canadian Council of Imams.
Although it does not have transliteration of the verses and the tajweed rules, I have been seeing myself go back to this Quran more often than my other ones, especially for Tadabbur if I need better understanding of the verses in the Quran.
I do believe everyone should own a copy of The Clear Quran. It is available at Wardah Books in Pocket size, Paperback, Flexicover and Hardback.
May Allah SWT ease our affairs in learning the sacred verses of the Quran. InshaaAllah.
In the month of July, OQJ is also hosting a mini book giveaway of The Clear Quran, kindly sponsored by Real Estate Dad. To win a copy, head to Our Quran Journey’s Instagram for more details.
Muhammad – His Life Based on the Earliest Sources
This book by Martin Lings was a recommendation by Ustaz Nouman Ali Khan that someone shared on Instagram. It’s an easy read for a beginner of seerah studies, despite 300+ pages (as a FTWM, it’s a struggle sometimes!).
It’s a great feeling to finally read and know about our beloved Prophet’s ﷺ life story and to understand his character and how he handled different situations. I find myself going through a whole spectrum of emotions while reading the book – amazement, anger, sadness.
At the beginning, the author wrote about the Prophet’s ﷺ lineage starting from his great grandfather and I find that you may easily feel lost or not be able to remember all the names. It’s best if you read the book several more times (recommended 3 times) in order to truly understand the contents. It’s not easy to go through the same book many times but it makes the book purchase worthwhile!
I do recommend asking or learning from a Ustaz/Ustazah if you are unsure, or to follow a seerah class. For starters you could listen in to Al-Qudwah Academy’s sessions on Mondays. AQA uses Fiqh Us Seerah, but Ustaz explains it all the same.
This book is available for purchase from our favourite bookstore – Wardah Books.
Happy reading! May Allah swt gifts us the gift of time to increase our knowledge and may the knowledge be beneficial for us.
The Study Quran
The Study Quran – I was intrigued by this version of the Quran after seeing in an article by @havehalalwilltravel. The Study Quran offers commentaries of the sacred verses of the Quran, which allows readers to have a better understanding and explore the deeper spiritual meaning of the Quran.
While reading the Quran, I often find myself not fully understanding the verses and its meaning. So The Study Quran is a great addition to the resources that I refer to especially in preparation for our tadabbur sessions.
I bought mine from Kinokuniya (SG). But you can also purchase from Amazon or Book Depository.
A Perfect Code of Manners and Morality
Al-Adab al-Mufrad with Full Commentary: A Perfect Code of Manners and Morality – is a collection of hadiths by Imam Al-Bukhari, which have been translated by Adil Salahi, who also provided the commentaries throughout the book.
The book is divided into various thematic chapters such as Dutifulness to Parents and Kindness to Relatives, among many others.
I find the commentaries easy to follow and allows the reader to have a better comprehension of the hadith. It is pretty comprehensive yet simple enough for readers to understand, in relation to how we conduct ourselves in the society that we live in.
As it was sold out at Wardah Books (last checked in Mar 2020), I bought this paperback version from Book Depository for SGD53.70. However, only the hardcover version is currently available.
Al-Ghazali on the Treatment of Anger, Hatred and Envy
“Know that the treatment of anger and disciplining it are a religious obligation, for it carries most people off to hell and from it many are sins born.”
I became curious about Imam Al Ghazali’s books and teachings after I listened to Ustazah Farhana’s (sisters only) podcast about guided reading of his book – The Beginning of Guidance. Ustazah said that imam had a way of telling you what went wrong in your face, but he also provided solutions and that piqued my interest.
This book is one of the many selections from Alchemy of Happiness and I find that it’s easier to digest in smaller breakdowns. On envy, he says it isn’t healthy and we shouldn’t be hateful of others blessings. Basically, problem + remedy.
I struggle a lot with this three things and this is a means to help me through this journey of trying to keep myself in check.
There are a lot of books sold at @wardahbooks on Al Ghazali’s works and all the titles look pretty amazing.
Our Quran Journey 