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

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When Helwa is not reading at coffee shops, she can be found climbing mountains, camping in deserts, h A. Helwa believes that every single person on Earth is deeply loved by the Divine. She is a writer who has inspired hundreds of thousands of readers through her passionate, poetic, and love-based approach to spirituality. Her popular blog @quranquotesdaily, was established while obtaining her Masters in Divinity, as a means of helping others overcome personal and spiritual struggles on their journey of experiencing divine love.

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. Alhamdulillah, aku berjaya juga habiskan Secrets of Divine Love ni dalam bulan Ramadan. Takut juga kalau aku tak dapat habiskan, sebab tiba-tiba ja bulan Ramadan aku jadi penuh dengan aktiviti. Haha. Walaupun menggunakan pendekatan rasional, Ia alam tetap bisa menyusun buku ini dengan berdasar kepada hati dan terhadap Al-Quran yang tak hanya bisa mencerahkan pikiran, namun juga bisa mengilhami jiwa menuju kedekatan yang lebih dalam dengan Allah SWT.

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The Prophet ﷺ was inclined to believe that the goodness that resides in the heart of all human beings could blossom at any moment if God willed it.” (p165) God’s loving qualities do not change in response to our choices because God is not reactive. He is the cause of everything in existence. Just as the sun doesn’t stop shining if we close our eyes, when we sin it is not that God hates us, but rather we who are closed off from experiencing His love". Banyak bgt part dri buku ini yg membuat ngomong sendiri: Benar bgt yahh / yaampn ngena bgt / Ya ampn kita gak ada apa2nya🥹

This inner state can be enhanced and purified with tawba (repentance) which “purifies our heart so that Allah’s light can penetrate our soul, giving us divine insight.” A. Helwa discussed the significance of tawba through a dedicated chapter with practical tips. She writes: “Repentance is the act of emptying and breaking all the idols and gods we have placed in the sanctuary of our hearts before the one true God…t he practice of tawba is a means of spiritual course correction, in which we align our hearts and intention towards Allah.” 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. When we read only the parts of the Quran that resonate with us and ignore the parts we don't agree with, we run the risk of shaping the scripture around our likes and dislikes, instead of allowing the book to shape us. Secrets of Divine Love is a quintessential read for those who want to understand God’s love. It’s written relatively broadly so that it resonates to people regardless of their religious belief. This book’s focus on the different major aspects of Islam is something that I truly appreciate. Being born a Muslim, I often take my knowledge and understanding for granted. This book serves as a reminder to really search for the deeper meanings of Islamic practices and pushes me to improve my deen. I am simply entranced by A. Helwa’s metaphors and insights. The bulk of her sentences are poetry in motion and studded with pearls of wisdom…The creative way Helwa has integrated her heart knowledge into her understanding of Islam is stunning.”

To whoever planning to own one, I hope the book or its journal helps you in nurturing your relationship with Allah, fixing things you’ve been wanting to fix all these while, and provides you with some sense of peace or ease or whatever it does to me. aamiin ❤️ God does not test us because He hates us, but because He loves us and sees in us a potential that can only be manifested and unveiled through the fires of purification. Just as muscle must tear to grow, the friction between sin and our inner holiness creates the conditions for spiritual growth". But what if a sense of peace was a possibility in the here and now? Secrets of Divine Love discusses the inner depths of the rituals of Islam, revealing their meaning and philosophy, helping to guide us to a different and profoundly empowering view of the Almighty and ultimately our own reality. “Life is not about reaching heaven after we die, it is about dwelling in the palace of God’s eternal presence while you are living.” 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.”

We do not worship God because God needs it, we worship God because we need it. Prayer is not you reaching out for God, it is you responding to God, who first reached out to you".This book speaks to the heart and soul in a way that it uplifts my faith. I would be lying if I don’t say that this book transformed my spiritual strength. It’s not repetitive as most Islamic self-help book I find. This is the kind of book where every sentence deserves to be highlighted. I had to cut 50+ notes into 9 slides (for this post). The Secrets of Divine Love Journal is based on the award-winning book, Secrets of Divine Love: A Spiritual Journey into the Heart of Islam. Through heart-centered reflections, insightful prompts, and thought-provoking questions, Secrets of Divine Love Journal can help you foster a deeper relationship with Allah by connecting you with the heart of your faith in a more intimate and inspiring way.

Released at the outset of the pandemic, which has unveiled the undeniable truth that nothing is in our hands, not health, not wealth, and not well-laid plans, this book emerged at an opportune time to inspire us with the profound lesson of relinquishing control to Allah and “giving up our limitations and pictures of how reality should be, to become receptive to everything that God wants to create through us.” Since “as long as our happiness is dependent on things we cannot control, we will never experience contentment… [but] when we accept that we have no control over the future and rely entirely on God, we feel peace.” So often we are asked where and how one accesses the inner heart of the Islamic tradition — here it is!" —Professor Omid Safi, Duke University

Buku yang satu ini mengingatkan lagi mengenai pesan klasik bahwa Agama Islam diturunkan sebagai suatu rahmat pada semesta alam atau rahmatan lil alamin. Dengan begitu, semua aspek keislaman dalam hubungannya dengan ketuhanan, interaksi antar makhluk, dan kehambaan, seharusnya berdasarkan rasa cinta, bukan sebuah egoisme, rivalitas, ataupun kekerasan. Secrets of Divine Love was 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 fact, it has been said that the distance between our head and our heart is approximately 18 inches, but it is arguably the longest journey we will spiritually ever take".