Wings of the Dove

by Henry James
Wings of the Dove cover
Good Books rating 3.33
Technical
  • ID: 5310
  • Added: 2025-10-23
  • Updated: 2025-10-23
  • Reviews: 3
Reviews
newyorker.com · Unknown · 2025-10-24
inspiring 4.50

The book is a lyrical and practical guide to deepening one's love and faith in Allah, drawing from the Qur'an, Prophet Muhammad's teachings, and Sufi wisdom. It emphasizes the importance of spiritual practices and offers reflections to apply these teachings in daily life.

This book is a beautiful and heartfelt exploration of Islamic spirituality, written to inspire a deeper connection with Allah. The author, A. Helwa, shares her personal journey and insights, drawing from the Qur'an, the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, and the wisdom of Sufi mystics like Rumi. The book covers key Islamic concepts such as the nature of Allah, the message of the Qur'an, repentance, and the pillars of Islam like salat, Zakat, Ramadan, and Hajj. Each chapter ends with practical reflections to help readers internalize and apply the teachings in their daily lives. The book's lyrical prose and profound wisdom make it a valuable guide for those seeking to strengthen their faith and spiritual practice.

Quick quotes

    God sends hope in the most desperate moments. Don't forget, the heaviest rain comes out of the darkest clouds.

    Each moment contains a hundred messages from God. To every cry of, 'Oh God,' He answers a hundred times, 'I am here.

    The language of God is silence, all else is a poor translation.

martinjoneswriter.com · Unknown · 2025-10-24
good 4.00

The book 'Secrets of Divine Love' by A. Helwa is a spiritual journey into the heart of Islam, focusing on the five pillars and the spiritual dimensions of the faith. The author successfully reminds readers of the spiritual goals of Islam, but the repetitive language could have been improved with better editing.

The book 'Secrets of Divine Love' by A. Helwa begins with an introduction explaining the author's reasons for writing it, aiming to awaken the reader's heart to fall deeper in love with Allah. The author, born into a Muslim household, shares her personal journey of rediscovering faith and love for God. The book is structured into twelve chapters, each focusing on different aspects of Islam, including the five pillars and spiritual dimensions. The author uses quotations from the Qur'an, the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, and other religious traditions to illustrate her points. One of the key themes is the need to tackle the ego, which is seen as a veil between consciousness and spirit. The book could benefit from better editing to reduce repetitive language, but overall, it succeeds in reminding readers of the spiritual goals of Islam. The author's personal anecdotes and memorable passages make the book highly recommended for new Muslims and those seeking to reinforce their faith.

Quick quotes

    …like a fog that distorts out vision, the ego is a veil between our consciousness and our spirit. The purification and detachment of the ego is so vital within Islam because the more we purify the illusions of the self, the more we are able to witness the light of Allah.” (p46)

    The transformation of the heart and the purification of the ego is one of the fundamental purposes of divine revelation. Every pillar and practice in Islam serves to purify the ego by turning the heart from the desires of the fleeting world towards the everlasting love of God. The two most powerful ways the Qur’an speaks of how to refine the ego and transform the heart is through the practices of repentance (tawba) and remembrance (dhikr).” (p59)

    No one knows when they will die or when the Day of Judgment will come, the only thing that is in our power is how we actively choose to live the one life that Allah has given us in this very moment. Instead of worrying about when we will die, it serves us better to focus on what we can do to positively affect this world. As the eleventh-century Persian scholar, Abu Sa’id Abul-Khayr said, ‘You were born crying and everyone around you was laughing. Strive to live in a way that when you die you are laughing and everyone around you is crying.’ ” (p273-4)

booknaround.blogspot.com · Unknown · 2023-11-20
critical 1.50

The reviewer found the book problematic and not suitable for learning about Allah's love, recommending other books instead. Many readers agreed with the review, finding the book to be misleading or not helpful.

The reviewer expressed concerns about the book's content and its suitability for learning about Allah's love. They recommended other books, such as 'Reflecting on the Names of Allah' by Jinan Yousef, as better alternatives. Many readers agreed with the review, finding the book to be problematic or not helpful in their spiritual journey. Some readers appreciated the honest and helpful review, while others shared their own experiences with the book, reinforcing the reviewer's criticisms.

Quick quotes

    This book is horrible on so many levels.

    I prefer to read books from Sunni Scholars.

    This review completely misses/underestimates one of the core purposes of the book.

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