Treasure From the Treasures of Paradise (P/B)

Shaykh Muhammad Salih al-Munajjid’s little book is perhaps one of the most widely-circulated among Muslims today. This is because the topic touches worshippers where it hurts—we know that we often lapse into an automatic sort of prayer when we lose concentration. The Shaykh points out that this loss of concentration really stems from a lack of humility and devotion—in Arabic, khushoo‘. His aim in writing this book is to help us to get back that khushoo‘. His step-by-step approach makes it simple. He gives practical advice and uses the excellent example of the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) to guide us, so that as worshippers, we can truly return to a state of humility and devotion before the Lord.

The writer is a survivor of an accident that altered his life. He is a man who managed to overcome adversity and transform bitterness into personal success, as his literary gains outweighed his physical restrictions. Where his physical condition limited his movements, his creative writing opened up a new horizon that enabled him to freely interact with his readers.

This is a real-life account of how a human being can overcome obstacles, giving effect to the epithet: ‘What does not kill me makes me stronger.’ The autobiography defines patience in two ways: first, as a bitter experience and then second, as the ability to tolerate and turn one’s misfortune into investment. The accident that the writer suffered has paralysed his body, but at the same time it has unleashed his writing talents. (Yousef el-Sharoni, Egypt)

Like other guides to good health, Healing Body & Soul advocates abandoning an unhealthy diet and altering a sedentary lifestyle, but this book goes beyond the mere physical aspects of health. Amira Ayad is a practitioner and researcher with a Master’s in Pharmaceutics and pursuing her Doctorate in Natural Health. She writes: During the course of this work, I try to explain how you can combine the rich tradition of Islamic teaching with beneficial contemporary scientific knowledge in order to lead a holistically healthy and happy life. The book is divided into five chapters, each concerning one of the five components that make up your body, mind and soul, clarifying in each chapter how to look after that part of you and keep it healthy. During the course of the book you will notice how these bodies are interconnected; the health of one is highly dependent on the wellbeing of the others, so that a happy, healthy life entails a balance between all of them. Healing Body & Soul presents holistic Islamic health science in a simple yet comprehensive user-friendly guide to better health. Healing Body& Soul is an invaluable reference that encourages and empowers people to take control of their health and their lives.

This book examines the role of women in Islam, their education and marriage, and several controversial topics such as domestic violence, female genital mutilation and polygyny. It addresses honestly the divergence between Islamic teaching and actual culturally-influenced practices.