Category Archives: How-To

Mar9

Living with the Qur’an: A Yearlong Journey to Falling in Love with Allah’s Words by Aliyah Umm Raiyaan

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Living with the Qur’an: A Yearlong Journey to Falling in Love with Allah’s Words by Aliyah Umm Raiyaan

by Aliyah Umm Raiyaan 

I had heard that this book contained numerous transliteration and translation errors, that the humble brags and social media references affected the tone of the book, and the insight stayed pretty surface level.  I wasn’t too worried about the lack of depth, as I’m not particularly knowledgeable, but since I had preordered this book with the hopes of spending time with it in Ramadan, and I was really looking forward to it having enjoyed her previous books, particularly her Power of Du’a one, I was determined to find a way to benefit from it.  The logical choice for me, was to then not read the book, but listen to the audio book, as to not get hung up on any errors.  And alhumdulillah it was a great decision.  The author reads the book herself, so when the personal reflections are shared, it simply feels like a conversation and her referencing her own life as it relates to the topic at hand, the stories of other people are received as if she were talking about a friend who went through something similar, and the recitation of the Quran by  Sumayah Hassan, was beautiful and thus no transliteration was needed.  I also did not spend a week on each of the 52 chapters, I simply had it on when I got in the car and turned it off when I got out.  The actionable items will need revisiting at some point, but I was moved by a sufficient amount that have already been put into action, and a few passages that struck a chord, I did reread in the physical copy and highlight. Just because I didn’t use the book as intended, I overall did enjoy the book, benefit from it, and connect with the organization and messaging, alhumdulillah.

Each chapter is meant to be put into action a week at a time for the entire year.  The chapters have a theme, a verse from the Qur’an in Arabic, the transliteration in English and the meaning in English, a few paragraph description or detail tying it all together by the author, a story from some outside individual, a “Pause and Reflect” section highlighting what the author wants you to gleam from the story and how it relates to the topic of the chapter. There is then a “Live with His Words,” section that are action based tasks to engage the reader/listener with the Qur’an in practical ways.  Next is “A Question for your Heart,” where you are pushed to consider or reflect about your own relationship with the Qur’an, and finally a section called, “Fall in Love with The Author,” where Allah’s (swt) name or names are connected to the content of the chapter.  



The tone is personal and encouraging, the stories shared were by far my favorite part, as they ranged from relatable to incredible. I can see myself thumbing through the chapters in the future, or relistening on a road trip. I would love to hear how others engaged with the book, if anyone is working through it a chapter a week as intended, or if anyone else opted for the audio version, and why?


Mar7

Mini Muslim Minds: Heart Germs & Gems by Zanib Mian illustrated by Hilmy an Nabhany

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Mini Muslim Minds: Heart Germs & Gems by Zanib Mian illustrated by Hilmy an Nabhany

These are not books that you hand to an elementary aged child to read independently, they are meant to facilitate conversation, gently guide, and be a tool in shaping awareness and emotional intelligence for our little believers.  I love that once again the author has filled a gap in our repertoire and made the information accessible, age appropriate, and easy to engage with.  We often use words like generosity, gratitude, stinginess, and fail to properly explain what they mean, what they look like, what they feel like, and how to counter them or make them grow.  These are not fictional stories with heavy moral themes, these are non-fiction self help books for little kids, that require the adults to share and tailor to the child(ren) or situation at hand.  With Eid around the corner I have spent a few evenings going through the generosity and gratitude books with my six year old and referencing it as his Eid list continues to grow out of control. And the format and voice, even though text heavy, work great one-on-one, I can also see this series working well in small groups and classrooms as they are short and relatable in presenting emotional intelligence. InshaAllah these are just the first three installments of the series.

The first few pages of each 24 page book are the same: A reference to a Hadith regarding good character admitting people into Paradise, explaining the concept of Heart Germs and Heart Gems, and giving time to explaining that there is the heart that beats, and the one that is the “place where all our big emotions happen.” The format has the illustrations on the left and the text on the right in the small 7.5 x 8 soft bound books.

Heart Germs & Gems: Generosity: The book first explains the concept of stinginess and links it to being afraid that you won’t have enough.  It shares ways to help determine if you are being stingy, and how it makes you feel. It then explores how to cure that Heart Germ with Generosity.  It provides little ways to start small and how it brings joy to others, pleases Allah swt and can lighten the heart, as you truly learn that everything comes from Allah swt.

Heart Germs & Gems: Gratitude: Alhumdulillah is not just knowing that everything is a gift from Allah swt, it is feeling happy and thankful for all of it. The book explains gratitude and then the opposite, the germ in the heart, of being ungrateful. It provides ways to be more grateful, encouraging that one notices the blessings in life.  There is an English translation of the verse in the Qur’an, Surah Ibrahim, “If you are grateful, I will give you more,” and then explains it in action and highlights how true happiness does not come from riches, but from gratitude and contentment.

Heart Germs & Gems: Anger: The book starts with how to calm your anger by first understanding why you got angry, how it feels, and how to calm it before it grows. It then takes a page explaining why controlling one’s anger is important, and what can happen when we don’t. It teaches Audhoobillhi minashaytan nirajeem as a tool to help along with taking deep breaths, changing our position, and making wudu. It then normalizes that anger is a something that everyone deals with and references that controlling it makes Allah swt happy and that Prophet Muhammad saw, said that those that can control their anger are strong. The book also shares that anger isn’t always bad and can motivate us to stand up for what’s right, and as long as we are in control of the emotion, it can be good.

Feb15

The Ramadan Kitchen: Nourishing Recipes from Fast to Feast by Ilhan Mohamed Abdi

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At 223 pages, this Ramadan inspired cook book, is organized with the holy month in mind, but provides recipes that will work the whole year through.  With a few pages of text, reflection, and background before each of the eight sections: Suhoor, Iftar, Mains, Breads, Spices & Chutneys, Dessert, Drinks, and Eid, the author allows for the pages filled with the recipes themselves to be clear and less cluttered.  The individual recipes feature a description for a header, with some encouragement and guidance of how to change the recipe up and make it your own.  Some recipes have pictures, some are just text, and some are followed by two page spreads that show plating, pairings, or guidance for preparation.  The book stays focused on food with minimal religious inclusions aside from the religious framing, nothing that would make the book limited to a Muslim kitchen.  I liked the organization and found it intuitive and look forward to trying many of the Somali dishes that stand out to me in making this a unique collection, and a benefit to my shelf.

The book feels authentic in both the way Ramadan is presented and celebrated, and the approach and constraints of preparing meals. The personal commentary is very relatable and does a good job of conveying the factual with the spiritual, the goals with the reality, the food with the nourishment, and the multitudes that exists at different stages of life and even a different times of the blessed month as tiredness and excitement compete. Whether you pick up the book to thumb through and read, or grab it to find inspiration for a meal, the book has a lot to offer and return to.

Dec27

Rooza: A Journey through Islamic Cuisine inspired by Ramadhan and Eid by Nadiya Hussain

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Rooza: A Journey through Islamic Cuisine inspired by Ramadhan and Eid by Nadiya Hussain

This 191 page, highly illustrated cookbook by a well-known chef and author sets out to be a journey around the world with recipes of beloved foods associated with Ramadhan and Eid.  The introduction shares some of the author’s personal thoughts on the time of the year, what it means to her and her family, and while I cringe when she says, “not eaten from sunrise,” seeing as fasting starts at dawn, the premise of what is to come allows the reader to learn a bit and be inspired too. I do wish that there was more about the food and it’s connection to Ramadan or the culture, but it really is more about the recipes, and the framing, not the exploration of Ramdhan or Eid, her relationship to the dishes chosen, how the recipes came about, and why they are included.

The book is not organized by appetizers, main course, and dessert, or even by ingredients: vegetables, fish, poultry, etc., it is organized arbitrarily by country, with each of the featured cuisines getting two recipes spread over a few pages with gorgeous accompanying pictures, until the Eid section where countries of origin are not attributed with the food, desserts, and snacks.

Whether you want to cook a dish from a certain country, thumb through it and be inspired by a picture, or use the index to look up a specific food or ingredient, I enjoyed reading the book cover to cover and finding dishes I soon hope to try.

 

 

Apr9

Ramadan Reflections: A Guided Journal by Aliyah Umm Raiyaan

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Ramadan Reflections: A Guided Journal by Aliyah Umm Raiyaan

I had started this book on the first day of Ramadan thinking I could double up some days and finish it early with enough time to offer up a review for those wanting to know if they should acquire the book  and take advantage of it during the blessed month.  But alas, here I am nearly 10 days post Eid, finally finishing, and getting around to sharing my thoughts.  The 277 page book spans 30 days, it is divided into three parts, with each chapter/day covering a theme with the author’s personal connection, outside sourcing illuminating the thought, then moving on to a section entitled, “Let Your Heart Ponder,” followed by a “Dua Invitation” and then a few pages of guided journaling prompts, questions, and considerations.  I did not write in the book, I struggle to mark up pages since leaving school, and even annotate by taking pictures and attaching notes on my phone.  But even not using the journal as intended, the book requires you to slow down, to savor the reflections and insights, and put them in to practice.  To read it in one sitting, or to rush the chapters would not accomplish for the reader what the book sets out to do.  Even the chapters that did not directly resonate with me, I found still offered nuggets of empathy, or consideration, and the short chapter style allows it to not be a burden to spend time with.  The days that hit me the hardest, that taught me something, or reminded me of something long forgotten, or inspired me to be better, more intentional, more forgiving, more present, I look forward to discovering again and again in future Ramadan rereadings.  That isn’t to say that this book can only be read in Ramadan, or that next Ramadan chapters that I found unremarkable, won’t suddenly hit different, but there are some chapters that felt rather repetitive and memoir style anecdotes that were not developed enough to reach the reader beyond surface level understanding.  Had the whole book been like that, perhaps I wouldn’t remark on it as the Islam centered hadith, ayats, and quotes are consistently strong, but when the author’s personal reflections on her own life, and those close to her, were more deeply explored, a deeper resonance to the theme of the chapter emerged.  Perhaps because I read more fiction, but when character development, so to speak, was present, the connection to the message, and the empathy to others and one’s self bloomed very naturally, and thus those chapters became more memorable.  

I felt the latter half of the book was stronger than the beginning, perhaps intentional as the end of Ramadan draws near and our hearts desperate to cling to the closeness of Allah swt.  I love the thorough glossary at the end, I believe it is the same one in the author’s second book, “The Power of Dua” and it is such a benefit to truly understanding the words used that non Arabic speakers might think they know, but can benefit from having clearly articulated. 

It is never fair to compare books, but having read the author’s two books nearly together, I anxiously await and sincerely hope that there is a third.  I read them out of order, and the second is definitely stronger, but I struggled with the “memoir” style in both.  Reflections was the author’s own story, and Power of Dua was other people’s stories, and both felt forced and distracting for me more often than not.  I hope if there is a third book, that disconnect can be resolved and the author’s commentary and Islamic references in her signature palatable style can be expressed without being contingent upon a story that the reader may or may not relate too, or more personal info will be shared so that if the reader can empathize more readily.  The repetition of hearing the name Solace UK and that she started a charity from scratch, started to feel almost promotional, as I still am not sure, two books later, what the day to day work of the charity is, or what topics Honest Tea Talk seeks out to cover, only that they are constantly name dropped.  I would love to know who the author studied with and where.  The little snippets make the reader wanting to Google, but I think it distracts from the connection to the words in the moment.

Overall a solid addition to spend time with in Ramadan, or any time, and to reference when the heart needs to feel connections.  The writing makes for an easy read, the duas and parts to ponder allow you to put in to practice the teachings immediately, alhumdulillah.

 

Mar16

My First Salah Book: Why and How we Pray by Learning Roots

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My First Salah Book: Why and How we Pray by Learning Roots

Over 91 pages this informative book tells “The Story of Salah” through the miraculous night journey, how to do wudu and its benefits, step by step how to make salah, and then a story style portion of “Life with Salah.” I do not have the digital “kitab” pen that allows readers to have the book read to them and activities made interactive without parental involvement, but even with out it, the book is a pretty solid resource.  The hardback binding, and full color pages are not crowded, they introduce nine characters at the beginning and feature them throughout the pages learning the steps, imagining witnessing the events, and putting the lessons into practice.  Some of the recent Learning Roots books have the characters watching or imagining themselves in story’s of the Sahabas and Prophets, that make me uncomfortable.  The first chapter of this book, is more limited as it illustrates a light in the sky as the Buraq being seen by some children, not the characters in the book, and a silhouetted tree as Sidrat al-Muntaha.  As I am not knowledgeable enough to know if it is “right” or “wrong” to have a child seeing the silhouetted tree and pointing to it, or who it is meant to be, I’ve included pictures for you to decide what is best for your family.  I particularly like that on the pages where Arabic is spoken it is found written in easy to read Arabic with English translation and transliteration.  Within the text there are attributions of hadith and after each chapter there is an activity and questions.  The book concludes with a glossary.

Whether as a tool to learn for the first time, or a book to revise with children already praying, the approach is gentle and easy, inviting children to engage with the pages.  The four chapters are packed full of information, but the illustrations, diagrams, and steps, also allow the book to be referenced, or read cover to cover.

The last chapter, “Life with Salah” shows the character group engaging with salah in a very idyllic way, but given the tone of the book, it works, and will allow readers to see salah as more than just an obligation, which is important.

I got my copy from crescent moon store, if you use my initials (ISL) at checkout you can save 10%.

Jan24

Ramadan on Rahma Road: A Recipe Storybook by Razeena Omar Gutta recipes by Faaiza Osman illustrated by Atieh Sohrabi

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Ramadan on Rahma Road: A Recipe Storybook by Razeena Omar Gutta recipes by Faaiza Osman illustrated by Atieh Sohrabi

 

I would not know where to shelve this 40 page in a library, it has beautiful pictures, it is informative, resourceful, useful, and interesting- I’ve only delayed sharing it because I really have had to think, how best to use this book to its maximum potential, to make it truly effective. It is formatted externally as a picture book, but it reads much like an chapter book anthology with the stories connected by the road the diverse folks live on, Rahma Road, all coming together for a communal iftar, with some fasting and some not.  The spreads feature vignettes on the left of what each house is making, including tidbits of culture, facts about Ramadan, insights about method or ingredients, with the facing page being the recipe.  The book is incredibly meticulous and intentional in appealing to Muslims and non Muslims alike, as well as a variety of ages.  It works as a book for Muslims to see themselves in, non Muslims to get a peek at iftaar excitement through, messages about community and diversity celebrated, foodies to see new recipes that they can try, cultures to explore through food and native words, a story framing to feel connection, I really could go on and on with the layers and inclusions this book provides, alhumdulillah.  I think the best way to use and share the book is going to be for me to read it with my 5 and 9 year old children a week or so before Ramadan.  Where I can read the story portion, getting us excited for Ramadan, slipping in some reminders, appreciating Islam’s global presence, and then talking about the recipes so that they can pick dishes to try in Ramadan and add needed ingredients to the shopping list (I wish I made the effort to be this organized all year long).  I then will plan to leave the book out and have my teens flip through to find any recipes that they think sound good and will commit to making.  The book would work all year long, but as a new release, I’m sharing my plan with hopes that it can help your family as well. 

The book contains 25 globally inspired recipes, featuring 11 with accompanying stories.  I absolutely love that at the bottom of the recipes are page numbers for additional items that would pair nicely, or be condiments or beverages or desserts for the dish.  This allows easy personalization, fusion meals, and more importantly a way for different age groups to be able to help each other in the preparation.  Maybe koshari is a bit advanced for your kid, but the mint lemonade paired with it might be something they can tackle a bit more independently. 

The framing of everyone on the road coming together book ends with the neighbors sharing a meal at the end,  I love the backmatter explaining Ramdan, about the recipes, even about Rahma Road.  The message to the reader and the naming of consultants really is a credit to the time and effort put into this book.

A few of the dishes and countries featured are: Atayef from Palestine, African American Sweet Potato Pie, Nigerian Puff Puff, Japanese Temaki Sushi, Morrocan Harira, Uyghur Lamp Stir-Fry, Guatemalan Dobiadas, Turkish Chicken Gozleme, Malaysian Teh Tarik, Australian Mini Strawberry Pavlovas, South African Bunny Chow, Mexican Elotes  .I can’t wait to report back if my plan was successful, if the dishes prepared were a hit, and ideas for further maximizing the use of the contents it contains.

Dec9

The Power of Du’a by Aliyah Umm Raiyaan

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The Power of Du’a by Aliyah Umm Raiyaan

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Having not read the author’s first book, Ramadan Reflections, I wasn’t sure what to expect with this non- fiction/memoir/anthology/self help/spiritual focused book. Alhumdulilah the tone is easy to read, the chapters consistent in their format, the quotes and passages sourced, the personal stories relevant, and the information often moving and inspiring.  At times it did feel repetitive, but ultimately the book has staying power, and now that I have read it once cover to cover, I can see myself picking it up and reading a chapter or two at random and being again drawn in again.  While nothing in the book seemed “off” I did find myself wondering though, what qualifications are needed to write a book such as this, and did not find the author’s bio satisfying in providing that information.  Yes, there is a statement of praise by Mufti Menk on the cover, but similarly I don’t know if that means he “checked” and “approved” the book, or just liked the concept of it.  Ultimately, I don’t know that it matters, but I do feel it is worth disclosing, since it did linger in my mind, and I would have appreciated some transparency in the matter.  The 258 page book is meant for adults, but older teens will find it valuable too, even if a number of the stories are related to pregnancy.  I love that this book is traditionally published in the UK, it is for Muslims by a Muslim, but the glossary at the back and the way it is written, would allow even non Muslims to be drawn to the beauty of conversing with our creator, subhanAllah.

The book is divided into four parts: Du’a of Need and Want, Before Du’a, The Du’a, After Du’a, and each of the parts has multiple chapters that explore, develop, and illuminate the concept heading.  Each chapter starts with an ayat, or hadith, or quote, then gives a personal reflection of what the chapter sets out to do, and how the story about to be shared came to the author.  A personal du’a story from a real person is then shared.  The author then uses examples from the story, along with hadith, examples from the Qur’an, and/or guidance from scholars to build the case of the chapter’s intended goal.  Often there are then action items in a pull out box of suggestions the reader can do to “Develop Your Du’a” or strengthen one’s connection.  The final paragraph of the chapter is, “Allah, Transform My Du’a” where an example is given of a how to phrase your du’a.

I love that you can implement every single bit of knowledge into your du’a and your day, immediately.  If you read a chapter, you have something to ponder and act on, if you read multiple chapters you have more.  The implementation is easy and accessible, because of how it is presented.

Many of the stories, and the lessons from them are emotionally humbling.  I often found tears on my cheeks as I saw my own vulnerability, fears, worries, and hopes expressed on the pages.  And the passages that moved me today, I could see having a different effect on me if I reread them in the future.  Similarly, pages I skimmed, I have no doubt could truly grip me in the future as well.

I’m glad I own the book, glad I read it, and can see me recommending it, suggesting it, and gifting copies to others. The importance of du’a and the balm it provides is something we all know, but how to go about it to make the most of it, is often something we need assistance with and can be facilitated by this book, alhumdulillah.

Oct11

Auntie Aisha Answers: The Tween Muslim’s Ultimate Guide to Growing Up by Aisha Hussain Rasheed illustrated by Magdelena Zareba

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Auntie Aisha Answers: The Tween Muslim’s Ultimate Guide to Growing Up by Aisha Hussain Rasheed illustrated by Magdelena Zareba

Kids have questions, and in today’s world it is easier than ever to get answers, however parents need to parent and help provide CORRECT answers for their children. This 100 page book is a great resource to facilitate conversation, hand to tweens to read independently, or just have on the shelf for when a child is curious and knows the internet might not be the best resource.  For boys and girls, this book takes a conversational tone of answering questions that tweens are thinking about, and maybe some that they should be thinking about.  I love that it is not just a body or maturation or puberty book, it discusses boundaries, emotions, hygiene, wellness, it weaves Islam in for context and reassurance and direction, and also has workbook type activities to engage the reader.  The balance of facts and conversation keep it from not being dry, or overly heavy handed, which is also quite impressive.  The text, illustrations, size, and pacing make the information available in pieces or cover to cover.  We tend to have more female focused “growing up” books for our Muslim girls, and this one really is for both.  It provides insight into one’s own body and as well as understanding and compassion for the opposite gender.  If nothing else it normalizes that changes are nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed by and allows real conversation with proper terminology to be discussed in an age appropriate and Islamically rooted manner;  yeah, the Islamic references are sourced! If you have kids, go order this already, you will be glad you did, alhumdulillah.

The book starts with discussing the blessing of one’s body and moves into discussing abilities and disabilities before moving into male and female bodies.  The first section really focuses on the body: privacy, care, autonomy, healing.  The second section is called “Growing Pains” and discusses the changes the body undergoes.  Before opening the book, I for some reason, assumed it would be framed as questions and answers, and it is not, it is chapters, but the chapters have illustrations, activities, bolded words, and are visually engaging.

Ultimately I love that the book is easy.  The topic matter can seem intimidating when you are faced with discussing some of these topics with tweens, and this book really will put parents and children at ease in the way it approaches, discusses, and walks readers through concepts that Islam has provided resources and answers for in the Quran and Sunnah, in a contemporary tween friendly way.