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.” Just as when you read a beautiful and thoughtful book you are naturally inclined to ponder the brilliance of the author, when we reflect on the intricacy of our creation, it naturally points us to the unfathomable perfection of the Author who wrote us into existence". There are a few potentially contentious points I was made aware of both prior to and during my initial read of SoDL. These include theological statements (expressions and wording), inaccuracy/misassignment of quotes, sectarianism, conduction of independent exegesis and an alleged rejection of the finality of prophethood. With the prominence and ever-increasing popularity of inspiring and positive personalities like Sheikh Javad Shomali and Sayed Hussain Makke, we already find ourselves drawn to a different perspective of Allah that we may not have grown up with. The spotlight shifted from the Justice of Allah that sees all of creation being held accountable for their deeds to balancing this with His endless mercy and kindness.

DR. FAWZIA AL-RAWI, Author of Divine Names: The 99 Healing Names of the One Love and Founder of theCenter for Feminine Spirituality and Sufism 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.”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: 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". 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. A. Helwa not only unveils dozens of spiritual secrets hidden within the Qur’an, but she does so in an uplifting and gentle way that meets each reader exactly where they are on the path to God. While staying true to classical Islamic theology, A. Helwa’s emphasis on the forgotten teachings of love in Islam has a way of speaking not to just Muslims but to spiritual seekers of all traditions. Unlike your average book on religion that is focused solely on rules and outer practices, Secrets of Divine Love is a motivational and inspiring guide of how to experience the beauty hidden in the heart of the Qur'an and the Islamic tradition from a place of love, passion, and joy. If you have been longing to experience a more intimate and loving relationship wiht Allah, then this book was written for you. She offers mindfulness strategies to enhance awareness of our blind spots and our veils from the mercy of the creator, for it is only in removing these veils can we fully appreciate and experience the beauty and connection with Allah (SWT).

Nevertheless, I remain confident in SoDL’s ability to spark an interest for Islamic sciences in the reader, and that in due time, the reader will indulge in established, traditional scholarly literature. Allah SWT itu Maha Cinta. Dimana cinta Allah SWT merupakan cinta tanpa batas yang hakikat dan besarnya tidak dapat dibandingkan dengan kasih sayang makhluk dan siapapun itu. Melalui buku Secrets Of Divine Islam: A Spiritual Journey Into The Heart Of Islam, Helwa selaku penulisnya mengajak para pembacanya untuk menyelam jauh ke dalam Agama Islam sampai bisa merasakan betapa agama ini merupakan sebuah manifestasi cinta dan kasih dari Sang Maha Cinta.A marvelous book that gives a sound grasp of this great religion andnourishment to the heart we deeply need. This book is a source of majesty and beauty.” The Secrets of Divine Love Journal connects you more deeply with Allah through exercises and questions designed to help you: 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 Our work is not to change the world. Our mission is to serve and love the world, believing that when we serve God and His creations from a place of love, by the virtue of God’s mercy the world begins to heal.

IMAM JAMAL RAHMAN, Author of Spiritual Gems of Islam: Insights & Practices from the Qur'an,Hadith, Rumi & Muslim Teaching Stories to Enlighten the Heart & Mind This journal goes beyond SODL, and is curated with love to reflect deeply upon your relationship with Allah, His words and His creation. You will be confronted, comforted, reminded, inspired, and if God wills, awakened to experiencing the faith you have always carried. It comprised of “sessions”, which correspond with the chapter of the same name in SODL. The intention being that after you read a chapter from SODL you can then refer to this journal to reflect and contemplate more deeply on the themes and concepts presented in the book.

Simply put: this is my favourite Islamic book I have ever read so far. Truly inspiring, compassionate, heartwarming, sentimental, and eye-opening. A. Helwa delicately discusses the many aspects of Islam including the question of God, who we are, the ‘mysterious’ world of the Qur’an, the spiritual dimension of Islam, repentance, the shahadah, salat (prayer), zakat, Ramadan, Hajj, death, and the mysteries of Heaven and Hell. Most of the things discussed are things we already know, but in my opinion A. Helwa’s writing has the power to make me sit down, internalise and reflect the practices of Islam that I have taken for granted. It also helps me put my life: the good and the bad in perspective. The author's work has a special way of speaking to the heart. This reading offers exceptional spiritual nuances on the core ofIslamic belief and practices. More than ever, we are in need of content like this that shines a luminous light on a faith that is frequently misunderstood.” The first gulp from the glass of natural sciences will turn you into an atheist, but at the bottom of the glass God is waiting for you.” WERNER HEISENBERG, PIONEER OF QUANTUM PHYSICS

I cannot describe my deep connection with the Almighty after reading the book, so rather I decided to cite some content from the book for you to be able to feel its warmth and love language: Allah SWT telah menciptakan alam semesta ini dengan sangat sempurna. Siklus galaksi dan juga tata surya yang sudah dihitung dengan akurat. Pergantian siang dan malam, rantai makanan, dan semua mekanisme fisika yang sudah diatur dengan hukum Allah. Sehingga siapa saja yang menghuni alam ini bisa hidup dengan nyaman. The author asks us to be open and to forgive others “not because someone deserves it, but because our hearts deserve peace…as lovers of God we are called to reflect the divine loving qualities upon all people without discrimination.” This includes allowing for others to make mistakes as we do in our endeavour to move towards perfection. Cover : Sangat menarik dan aesthetic. Design bunga & dedaunan yg walaupun rame tp pemilihan warnanya membuat judul buka tetap menonjol yg menggambarkan isi buku.We are called by God not to react to the ignorance of men, but rather to live a life that reflects the love and wisdom of God. To serve Allah means to serve His creations, because how can you truly love the Creator if you do not deeply revere and love what He creates? We are called to be mothers of creation, called by God to take all the creatures of the Earth under our wings of compassion and care for them as if they are our own children". The more you take time to express gratitude the more you will notice the abundant blessings God has given to you. It is not death that we fear, what we fear is not living the life we know we were created to live.” Ramadan teaches us how discipline and boundaries don’t restrict our freedom, but actually lay the foundation for true freedom. Our addictions enslave us. Our attachments to our desires enslave us.” Helwa writes: