Field: Others (Diary)
Title: Journey to Islam- Diary of a German Diplomat
Author: Murad Wilfried Hofmann
Publication: The Islamic Foundation
ISBN: 0 86037 326 6
Rating: 3/5
Level: Intermediate
Reviewed by: Safwan

A diary, though different from (auto)biography, tells as much about the author as the latter customarily would. This one in question records the life of the author, his quest of truth, intense curiosity, remarkable analysis and critical thinking, among many others, since the beginning of the second decade of his life.

Being a reader, a characteristic essential for a diplomat, Mr Hofmann acquainted himself with many books including the Qur'an, which he found to be unique. Years before actually becoming a Muslim he has extensively read on the hadith and Islamic philosophy. Finally on the 25th of September 1980 in Bonn, he declared his shahadah.

In the eyes of a German diplomat, a new Muslim, an ex-Catholic, Mr Hofmann saw many things otherwise hidden to both the general Westerners and Muslims. In the many ocassions where the former see Islam as a threat, he sees it as an alternative, and when the latter take something for granted, he appreciates it like anything. It was only a matter of time before his intellect and piety took him to another stage; everywhere in the world people longed to learn from him.

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Field: Wars, Others
Title: Race with Death
Authors: Vahida Demirović
Publication: TA-HA Publishers
ISBN: 1-84200-005-5
Rating: 3/5
Level: Beginner
Reviewed by: Safwan

“…For a hundred days he had to endure abuse, humiliation and beatings: they kicked him, beat him with iron rods, heavy logs, and anything else they could lay hands on. Nursing his own wounds, he wished he could block out the noise of the sufferings of other inmates… Even worse was the sense of impotence. In particular the cries for help he heard from the Muslim women and girls being raped and tortured… He wondered what his wife was enduring and he thanked God that he had no daughters. Perhaps it would have been better if his wife just died, if she was being tortured like this… And he thought of Risto (his Serb neighbour), how he had transformed from their helpful neighbour into a torturing criminal overnight. What has snapped in his psyche all of a sudden? Or was the good neighbour act all those years a mere façade? Why does he begrudge my existence? What have I done to him to deserve this?”

This book collects within its two covers 22 personal stories of the brutal Bosnian war, as communicated by Vahida’s patients. Reading one after another is painful, but surely experiencing it is worst. Words can describe so much but it needs a higher faculty, strength and endurance to be inflicted with- and survive- such great ordeal. In the words of Vahida, “only a parent who has lost a child could understand the pain of losing a child”. These instances, however distressing, make only an imperceptibly tiny fraction of what happened to Bosna as a whole.

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Title: Matter The Other Name for Illusion
Author: Harun Yahya
Publication: Arastirma Publishing
ISBN: 975-6579-70-6
Rating: 5/5
Level: Intermediate
Reviewed by: Nur Nabilah Ahmad Puzi

Another fantastic book by Harun Yahya. The book discusses the topic of matter, substances made from tiny particles called atoms that learn in science that makes up the whole world. Harun Yahya introduces a new point of view in seeing and perceiving the world we know. His arguments are scientific yet based corely on the noble Qur’an. The book presents a very interesting concept and it requires a change in the view of the world almost completely 180 degrees. When you fully comprehend the book, it is life-changing. You will lose your love for this world and materials and start to love something more. A highly recommended book.


For a more personal review, please visit my blog [here].

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Field: Others, Islam
Title: From my sisters’ lips
Author: Naima B. Robert
Publication: Bantam Books, Transworld Publishers
ISBN: 978-0-553-81717-1
Rating: 4/5
Level: Beginner
Reviewed by: Nur Nabilah Ahmad Puzi

The book revolves around the reversion of the author to Islam. Divided into 10 chapters that elaborates the journey to reversion, joy and aches and issues of faith and contemporary, the author took a narrative approach intertwined with stories from other fellow reverts (only women/sisters). For non-muslims, the books offers an insiders view to what it is like being a women muslim, a veiled one at that, from fashion, to family, to marriage, even to sex. For muslims, the book uncovers the discovery of truth, the challenging journey of a revert and most extraordinarily, the meaning of Submission. The book, at times, however, is elaborative and winded, and therefore requires patience in reading. A highly recommended book nonetheless.

The best thing I like about the book is Mrs. Robert’s faith and determination. The depth of her beliefs and how it made her want to follow Allah’s commands without question. It is amazing to read her story of growth and the ups and downs of faith. An inspiring book to help us again and again fight against lure of this world and build up our iman.

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Field: Others
Title: Overcoming Depression – A self-help guide using Cognitive Behavioral Techniques
Author: Paul Gilbert
Publication: Robinson Publishing Ltd
ISBN: 1-84119-125-6
Rating: 3/5
Level: Intermediate
Reviewed by: Nur Nabilah Ahmad Puzi

Despite the title, I am not under depression. Just partially interested in the condition. Now, back to the book. In all its glory, the book speaks true to its title, at the least, half of its title. It is, as it stated, a book on cognitive behavioral technique. The book focuses heavily on the definition of depression, on its various divisions and types and colourful external expressions.

At the end of every chapter, a small portion was dedicated to self-help tips. At the end of reading it all, I get the feeling that I now know a lot a more about depression than the actual ways of overcoming it. Needless to say, I was disappointed. But then again, that is what cognitive behavioral technique is all about. Cognition literally means, to be aware of a sensation and also aware of its source. The emphasis here is on awareness. Most sufferer of depression aren’t aware of their condition. Hence, they think that the sadness that they feel is a part of them, it’s who they are and they do not recognize it as something pathological that needs to be addressed. In that dimension, the book tries to cover as many part and type of depression as possible to induce cognition of the disorder in sufferers.

However, although I think the book therefore has a noble intention, I do not believe actual depressionist will pick up the book. They are not aware of their condition and hence will not be interested in picking up the book in the first place. In conclusion, from my perspective, the book is not a self-help book per say. It is more suitable for medical students or student of psychology. It covers many aspects of depression and gives many interesting and valuable information of the much misunderstood disorder.

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Field: Others
Title: First things first
Author: Stephen R. Covey, A Roger Merrill, Rebecca Merrill
Publication: Prentice Hall & IBD; Reprint edition (1 Jun 1995)
ISBN: 0-684-80203-1
Rating: aaa
Level: Beginner
Reviewed by: A.S Abd Mokti

From the 7 habits of highly effective people, Covey and the Merrill’s extracted the 3^rd habit which is to ‘put first thing first’ and elaborated the framework of time management in a more relevant perspective of today’s hassle and bustle life. The book discussed on the levels of time management and to the 4^th generation of management which incorporates all the other 3 generations’ strength transcends readers to enhance their techniques from being in the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd generation and eliminates their weaknesses. As the title suggests, the book is relevant to busy people and the alike.

The book also incorporates the other 6 habits into the 3^rd habit and enhances discussion on the importance of people to realize the need and capacities of human; i.e. the need to live, love, learn and to leave a legacy. He argued that human achievement are not based on ‘numerical’ values such as money in the bank, properties, number of friends etc, but rather it’s the quality of those few that matters. Putting first things first also coincides with the four endowments- self-awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination all of which needed to fulfill our needs and capacities in a principle-centered way.

Covey and the Merrill’s also introduced the concepts which could be foreign to other non-reader of his book such as ‘setting the compass right instead of the clock’, avoiding ‘cotton-candy’ satisfaction, living on a ‘true-north principle’ etc. Rather than confusing, these concepts are highly relevant in our lives today as we are used to be living on a ‘quick-fix’ world instead of endeavouring the rough lane. He also outlined the ‘four quadrants’ of activities, which many of us would have missed out and showed how the power of vision and personal leadership could govern the time management. Balanced in roles and seeing the roles as interdependent rather than competing each other is also the essence of his discussion in this book.

Although most of the sections in the book concern personal time management, there is also a section of interaction with other people in putting ‘first things first’. Here, he discussed the ‘think win-win’ manifestation in a company and how to create synergy from difference and to always seek a 3^rd solution to the problems that arise. The book is loaded with a lot of real life examples based on the experience of the Covey and the other 2 authors in handling seminars to improve companies and their experiences with individual people in their daily lives in realizing the reality.

The end section of the books emphasizes the importance of ‘the peace of the results’ with the realization that all are not governed by us, only are actions are, but the results are based on the ‘natural law’. As M. Scott Peck observed on the ‘Road Less Traveled’:

“Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. Its is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. Once we know that life is difficult- then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.”

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