Secrets of Divine Love: A Spiritual Journey into the Heart of Islam

Product Information

Secrets of Divine Lovewas written for the longing heart, for the one who is searching for something they have not been able to find. For the one who sometimes spirals into hopelessness and cannot help but feel too imperfect for a perfect God to love. This book is for the one who is at the edge of their faith, who has experienced religion as a harsh winter instead of the life-bearing spring it was sent to be by God.

In the beautiful exploration of death, A. Helwa reveals the fear of death as a “sign that we are holding on to something other than Allah.” Our view of death is erroneously narrow and negative: “Death is not extinguishing the light; It is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come.” In Western society, we have come to misunderstand death, to fear it, and avoid discussing it. But A. Helwa argues:

Success!

This book speaks to our very fears and insecurities, it offers a reassuring hug and wills us to keep going, to unveil the layers shielding our eyes from Allah’s love and mercy: “We must be honest with how we feel, because we cannot receive God’s deep healing if we continuously avoid facing our pain.”

This book made me see the reflection of light in the depth of imperfection, each word spoke a language that rhymed with my soul. The author beautifully covered the most common spiritual topics majorly about Islam to help the troubled and lost souls who are trying hard each day.Create connection with your faith community: The questions and prompts within the journal were written for both private contemplations, to be shared amongst friends or answered in book clubs. In exploring the depths of fasting she writes: “When we are asked to restrain the ego, our addictions reveal themselves, giving us the awareness we need to break free from them. When we can no longer dull the pain of our emptiness with outer forms, we are forces to search for the root of our longing.” The author also delightfully describes the Quran as “a lullaby for the spirit and an alarm for the ego.” This is because “it interrupts the negative patterns of our worldly conditioning by shedding light on the places where we resist divine union with God…parts of the Quran will trigger you, because this revelation is like a pure mirror.” I will end my review by stating that, bar the abovementioned issues (that indeed need to be rectified, should there be a second edition), this is a well-rounded, holistic and encouraging book for the lay Muslim, and succeeds in achieving its aim, which is to enhance the reader’s relationship with God via love and obedience. This is a decent starting point for the unlearned individual who desires a basic understanding of Islamic spirituality but perhaps feels intimidated by scholarly works, or just doesn’t know where to begin. Islamic seminaries and classes aren’t always accessible and affordable, so if this book functions as the preliminary vehicle by which the reader feels even the smallest connection to God and a new-found love for Him, then I’m confident it can aid in the reader’s journey of spiritual progression while remaining rooted in orthodoxy. Masih banyak orang yang tidak menyadari bahwa rezeki yang diperoleh dari bekerja adalah sebuah pemberian. Allah itu Ar-Razzaq sebagaimana firmannya di dalam Al-Quran Surat Saba ayat 39, yang artinya: “Katakanlah, sesungguhnya Tuhanku melapangkan rezeki bagi siapa yang dikehendaki-Nya di antara hamba-hamba-Nya dan menyempitkan bagi (siapa yang dikehendaki-Nya)’. Dan barang apa saja yang kamu nafkahkan, maka Allah akan menggantinya dan Dia-lah sebaik-baik pemberi rezeki,”.