Book Review: A Temporary Gift by Asmaa Hussein

I thought this book would weigh me down, yet I felt as light as a feather once I finished it. Asmaa Hussein recounts her and her daughter’s life that unfolds after the murder of her husband during the uprising in Egypt through a collection of journal entries. Through her journal, she attempts to make sense of everything, and she grows from her experiences with the passage of time. Words helped her to understand her loss and grief. The beautiful thing about this book is that she found solace in writing down her thoughts, and so will you.

I didn’t expect to learn so much about Islam as it is more of a memoir by a Muslim as opposed to the usual non-fiction Islamic titles you come across. Yet there is a sense of reliability, in the honesty of her words that speak from the heart, that you may not find in other Islamic books. I see a reflection of myself in her perspective as a fellow Muslim, and her life reminded me that we are all just trying our best to hold onto the rope of Allah.

A Temporary Gift shows you how beautiful and empowering Islam is in motion.The concepts of tawakkul (reliance of Allah), sabr (patience) and love for the sake of Allah come to life through her personal journey. She found strength, inner peace and courage by connecting with her Creator in these difficult times and in turn, allowed me to see Islam in a whole new light.

You don’t need to have lost someone in your life to relate to this book. A Temporary Gift is for everyone, because we are all attached to things in this dunya, and we can forget that they are just temporary loans from Allah. We as Muslims have all lost, sacrificed and struggled with our attachments in life and will continue to do so till the end of times. It’s how you deal with it that matters.
This book will no doubt move you (possibly to tears), but by the end of it I didn’t feel sad. In fact, her words are comforting. I felt like everything was going to be okay. It reminded me that regardless of what life throws at me, I have Allah, and I know that He loves me.
Memorable quotes:
“Every sunset reminds us that this life is waning, escaping, disappearing before our eyes. It reminds us that there are both light and darkness in this existence, both happiness and sadness. It reminds us that nothing is stationary…”
 
“Sometimes the pain that is left in the absence of what you desire is the soil that your heart needs to grow”
 
“It is necessary to die so we can truly live”

 

I loved this book so much that I got it stocked at EMAAN, we're currently the only stockists in Australia. 
Yours truly,
 
Anisa, Director of EMAAN

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