Inside the Soul of Islam: A Transformative Guide to the Love, Beauty and Wisdom of Islam for Spiritual Seekers of All Faiths Paperback – 15 October 2018
by Mamoon Yusaf (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars 107 ratings
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lslam is currently the most spoken about religion in the Western world, and yet it is also the most misunderstood and misinterpreted. Despite frequent news coverage, we remain poorly informed about the true beliefs at the heart of Islam. How many of us would be able to explain who the Prophet Muhammad was or what the Quran actually teaches?In this profound yet highly accessible book, practising Muslim Mamoon Yusaf provides a vital introduction to the essential teachings of Islam.
In each short chapter he focuses on a core teaching from the Quran, such as loving kindness, resilience, gratitude or forgiveness,
and shares his unique insight into how these teachings can lead to spiritual evolution in anyone, regardless of their beliefs, religion or background.Mamoon also considers the role of women in Islam, as well as the true nature and meaning of the words jihad and Shariah. Finally, touching upon current events, he demonstrates how acts of violence committed in the name of Islam are inherently un-Islamic, and boldly concludes not only that Islam is not the cause of terrorism - Islam contains the cure for it.
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Print length
322 pages
Language
English
Publication date
15 October 2018
Dimensions
Publisher : Insight Publications (15 October 2018)
Language : English
Paperback : 322 pages
ISBN-10 : 1527231593
ISBN-13 : 978-1527231597
Dimensions : 12.7 x 1.85 x 20.32 cm
Best Sellers Rank: 508,724 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
482 in Sufism (Books)
615 in Quran (Books)
91,180 in Christian Books & Bibles
Customer Reviews:
4.7 out of 5 stars 107 ratings
Top reviews from other countries
Sez
5.0 out of 5 stars Definitely recommend reading this book.Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 December 2017
Verified Purchase
I watched Quran coach a few times and really enjoyed it so I thought that I would try the book. I bought Kindle version which was so much easier for me.
Alhamdullilah, this book is inspired and really motivated me to think differently about studying and particularly to actually count my blessings rather than focusing on the negatives in life which we all too often do. I would really recommend this book to anyone who both wanted to learn a little more Islam and people who are just starting out on spiritual journey.
I do hope that the author writes more books in this easy read style as you can almost hear his voice!! As I'm a very visual person, I had draw a vend diagram and write notes as I was reading but that's just me and not a reflection of the book itself.
Of particular usefulness is the chapter on thankfulness and even the relevance to paying bills! If do get the book, bare with it at the beginning read it all the way through. At the start, it discusses terrorism and the basics which can be easy to skip it you're a Muslim but Really recommend that you don't and just stick with it as the author puts different perspective to these things.
Read less
9 people found this helpfulReport abuse
Bessma
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book, I really enjoyed reading this book it ...Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 December 2017
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An excellent book, I really enjoyed reading this book, it is a wonderful read. This book clears misconceptions about Islam. I highly recommend this book to everyone to those who are muslims so they will understand their religion even more and also to non Muslims too. I particularly liked the concept of inside-out and outside-in, and how thoughts influence feelings etc. Reading this book is a life-changing experience.
I definitely recommend this great book!
4 people found this helpfulReport abuse
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars inspirational bookReviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 November 2017
Verified Purchase
Wow.....totally blown away by the beauty and touching nature of the book. It gives amazing insights into Islam for someone following a different faith but also invaluable clarity and depth for a Muslim I believe. As the author puts it so beautifully, when you hear truth, you can feel it touching your heart and this is truly what happened to me. I thank you for it. It is a very special book which will hopefully help answer people's questions in this most controversial time.
11 people found this helpfulReport abuse
Purple Sky
5.0 out of 5 stars Self-help meets Islam!Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 February 2018
Verified Purchase
I picked up this book and it really wasn't what I was expecting! It's self-help meets Islam! What a beautiful combination and illustration of the true Islamic principles.
I recommend this book for both Muslims and non-Muslims who want to understand what Islam is REALLY about! A must read if you are ever confused as to how Islamic terms such as 'jihad' has been totally misconstrued by the media..it doesn't even translate as 'holy war'! But this book is so much more than clearing up misconceptions, it really is about what Islam is and what it means to be a Muslim!
This book is not meant to be rushed but 'savored' and taken the time to understand the concepts as Mamoon explains the 'inside-out' paradigm. This is not a new concept if you are familiar with self-help, but Mamoon shows you that this is, in fact, the true essence of Islam's teachings! There is also a link for videos and extra resources to accompany the book! Great book!
2 people found this helpfulReport abuse
saadia hasan
5.0 out of 5 stars Warning: Reading this book can be a life-changing experience!Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 June 2019
Verified Purchase
I started reading this book quite unassumingly, after discovering it lying on a coffee table. I certainly did not expect that after reading the first few pages, I would be hooked and unable to stop reading! The message is beautiful and touching, and left me with a sense of immense peace. I have found myself often returning to the book when I need to (the chapter on how to be present is amazing), and have gifted copies of it to many friends. I have no doubt that everybody will benefit from reading this book, whichever angle they choose to approach it from.....whether to learn more about Islam, to get in touch with their spirituality, to improve mental health or just as a practical guide for enhancing the quality of daily life. A wonderful, life-impacting experience; thank you, Mamoon, for sharing this with us!
2 people found this helpfulReport abuse
Read less
Print length
322 pages
Language
English
Publication date
15 October 2018
Dimensions
Publisher : Insight Publications (15 October 2018)
Language : English
Paperback : 322 pages
ISBN-10 : 1527231593
ISBN-13 : 978-1527231597
Dimensions : 12.7 x 1.85 x 20.32 cm
Best Sellers Rank: 508,724 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
482 in Sufism (Books)
615 in Quran (Books)
91,180 in Christian Books & Bibles
Customer Reviews:
4.7 out of 5 stars 107 ratings
Top reviews from other countries
Sez
5.0 out of 5 stars Definitely recommend reading this book.Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 December 2017
Verified Purchase
I watched Quran coach a few times and really enjoyed it so I thought that I would try the book. I bought Kindle version which was so much easier for me.
Alhamdullilah, this book is inspired and really motivated me to think differently about studying and particularly to actually count my blessings rather than focusing on the negatives in life which we all too often do. I would really recommend this book to anyone who both wanted to learn a little more Islam and people who are just starting out on spiritual journey.
I do hope that the author writes more books in this easy read style as you can almost hear his voice!! As I'm a very visual person, I had draw a vend diagram and write notes as I was reading but that's just me and not a reflection of the book itself.
Of particular usefulness is the chapter on thankfulness and even the relevance to paying bills! If do get the book, bare with it at the beginning read it all the way through. At the start, it discusses terrorism and the basics which can be easy to skip it you're a Muslim but Really recommend that you don't and just stick with it as the author puts different perspective to these things.
Read less
9 people found this helpfulReport abuse
Bessma
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book, I really enjoyed reading this book it ...Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 December 2017
Verified Purchase
An excellent book, I really enjoyed reading this book, it is a wonderful read. This book clears misconceptions about Islam. I highly recommend this book to everyone to those who are muslims so they will understand their religion even more and also to non Muslims too. I particularly liked the concept of inside-out and outside-in, and how thoughts influence feelings etc. Reading this book is a life-changing experience.
I definitely recommend this great book!
4 people found this helpfulReport abuse
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars inspirational bookReviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 November 2017
Verified Purchase
Wow.....totally blown away by the beauty and touching nature of the book. It gives amazing insights into Islam for someone following a different faith but also invaluable clarity and depth for a Muslim I believe. As the author puts it so beautifully, when you hear truth, you can feel it touching your heart and this is truly what happened to me. I thank you for it. It is a very special book which will hopefully help answer people's questions in this most controversial time.
11 people found this helpfulReport abuse
Purple Sky
5.0 out of 5 stars Self-help meets Islam!Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 February 2018
Verified Purchase
I picked up this book and it really wasn't what I was expecting! It's self-help meets Islam! What a beautiful combination and illustration of the true Islamic principles.
I recommend this book for both Muslims and non-Muslims who want to understand what Islam is REALLY about! A must read if you are ever confused as to how Islamic terms such as 'jihad' has been totally misconstrued by the media..it doesn't even translate as 'holy war'! But this book is so much more than clearing up misconceptions, it really is about what Islam is and what it means to be a Muslim!
This book is not meant to be rushed but 'savored' and taken the time to understand the concepts as Mamoon explains the 'inside-out' paradigm. This is not a new concept if you are familiar with self-help, but Mamoon shows you that this is, in fact, the true essence of Islam's teachings! There is also a link for videos and extra resources to accompany the book! Great book!
2 people found this helpfulReport abuse
saadia hasan
5.0 out of 5 stars Warning: Reading this book can be a life-changing experience!Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 June 2019
Verified Purchase
I started reading this book quite unassumingly, after discovering it lying on a coffee table. I certainly did not expect that after reading the first few pages, I would be hooked and unable to stop reading! The message is beautiful and touching, and left me with a sense of immense peace. I have found myself often returning to the book when I need to (the chapter on how to be present is amazing), and have gifted copies of it to many friends. I have no doubt that everybody will benefit from reading this book, whichever angle they choose to approach it from.....whether to learn more about Islam, to get in touch with their spirituality, to improve mental health or just as a practical guide for enhancing the quality of daily life. A wonderful, life-impacting experience; thank you, Mamoon, for sharing this with us!
2 people found this helpfulReport abuse
---
afshan hussain
5.0 out of 5 stars A true spiritual seekers guide
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 June 2019
Verified Purchase
I brought this book and it lay on my shelf for two months. I finally decided to downloaded the audiobook, via audible and 6 hours later my doubts regarding Islam were rectified. A truely amazing, inspirational, self healing guide.
As a muslim I had many questions relating to Islam. I had spiritual seeking non muslim friends who were at peace, why wasn't I? Growing up you aren't taught about the peaceful side of islam, you are taught about prophetic stories, fasting, salah, etc, but how to search for ultimate peace is never answered. Mamoon teaches you how to quieten your mind to be able to listen to your soul. As the book states we are created of mind, body and soul, in turn all are connected. Our thoughts are not us, learn to control them and quieten your mind and find the peace in your life, the true love for islam, for Allah should come from your soul. I promise you try and master the techniques in this book and depression, anxiety and unhappiness will be of the past. Alhamdulillah, for this book, it has made such an impact on my life, that i feel as if i truly love Islam and want to grow further, the beauty of it equals the peace in your life, the "sadness" in your life is of value and Alhamdulillah for all of Allahs mercies.
Thank you Mamoon!
2 people found this helpful
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TT27EM
5.0 out of 5 stars Beyond Amazing and Life Changing
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 May 2019
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This book was bought for my sister: This book is life changing and really makes you think about everything, the deepness of the mind and soul is fascinating, really opens my eyes to a lot different factors of my life, the book is defiantly worth reading and even defiantly worth looking to the life Coach who wrote the book who will really connects with all the readers, so happy with this book will recommend it!
2 people found this helpful
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Zain-ul-abedin Amir
5.0 out of 5 stars A very engaging, inspiring, soul nourishing, and heart touching read.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 January 2018
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I've just finished reading Inside the Soul of Islam. A very engaging, inspiring, soul nourishing, and heart touching read. I pray this book reaches the hands of every seeker of the truth. I also pray that Allah (God) accepts this piece of work, and it's author Mamoon Yusaf, and all those who facilitated it in whatever way or form, and it's readers, and that Allah (God) grants all of them a generous reward, and may the peace, love, and blessings of Allah (God) be with them always.
2 people found this helpful
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Louay Aduli
5.0 out of 5 stars Transformative read!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 June 2019
Verified Purchase
Read this book twice and would read it again. Was a very enlightening and transformative read. Love the idea of the inside-out paradigm although the penny hasn't quite dropped but would love to understand it further and try to implement it in my life. I bought a copy for my local community library so I can share the insights into Islam with others too. I would highly recommend Inside the Soul of Islam for anyone who wants an introduction into the spiritual lives of Muslims in clear and readable manner.
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Mrs KH
2.0 out of 5 stars Not transformative
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 April 2020
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This book never seems to get to any point and keeps going in circles in a kind of pseudo religious meandering. I did not find it transformative or particularly insightful. The author seems like a decent guy however, hence the two stars.
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Umaymah
5.0 out of 5 stars Good in theory
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 July 2019
Verified Purchase
This book I got at a very crucial point in my life. What I missed were exercises to help me key in to the inside out paradigm. I read it understood it but couldn't really practise it.
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Jan 16, 2018Jenks rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Brilliant .
Well written , encompasses a lot of important messages for Muslims and non Muslims alike. Pays particular attention to the spiritual element of Islam and it’s everyday practices that make it such a beautiful and peaceful religion
flag9 likes · Like · comment · see review
Fuzaila
Jul 25, 2021Fuzaila rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Shelves: books-i-own, islamic, all-time-favourites, life-changing, non-fiction, why-no-hype, woah-stuff
I've hated every self-help book I read.
But this one changed my life.
I wish this book had a different title if only people would pick it up and read.
Note - this book is NOT preaching Islam. It's about a way of life, of changing the way you think inorder to be a better version of yourself. In retrospect, that's what Islam is about, hence the title. (less)
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Adam Donaldson
Jan 09, 2018Adam Donaldson rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Good book, but could have been better
As an introduction to Islam book I would say this is not one of those. The author does offer many helpful insights into the heart and soul of Islam through stories of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and the Hadith traditions but overall I kind of felt like this book was more of a self help book using Islam as the healing mechanism.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book and appreciate a different take on explaining Islam to others then just the typical "what everyone needs to know," but it could have been more wide ranging in topics. Over all I give this book 4/5 stars and I would recommend it. I'm just saying that if your looking for a book solely about Islamic beliefs this is not it. (less)
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Sughandh
Feb 26, 2018Sughandh rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
There is much to admire in this book: It offers an elegant and careful analysis of Islam as a religion for an outsider’s understanding.
Mamoon Yusaf’s writing is crystal clear and he aims to debunk the myths about Islam that are prevalent in the western world.
His sincere and unfailingly intelligent effort to explain the Soul of Islam is a much-needed antidote to the blinkered bluster we find in media today.
I believe everyone, with an open mind, should read this book at-least once, and I highly recommend it to my Non-Muslim community. (less)
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/d.
Jul 21, 2019/d. rated it it was ok · review of another edition
Recommends it for: anyone trying to understand similarities in the holy scripture of Islam and other wisdom traditions
Shelves: middle-east-and-islam
2,5*
TL;DR at the bottom
Inside the Soul of Islam explores an alternative view of Islam as a wisdom tradition, seen, primarily thorugh the lens of the so-called Inside-Out Paradigm which states that our entire existence is based on nothing but the present moment and that our every feeling is exclusively based on how we relate, via thought, to said present moment. The core message of the book echos the general ethos of new-age thinkers such as Gary Zukev in The Seat of the Soul or Eckhart Tolle in A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose as well as works on Eastern philosophies such as Alan Watt's The Way of Zen. Yusaf has a pleasant way of writing, occasionally compelling in his way of communicating old ideas with a fresh spin to them, though his manner of repeating himself - particularly the basic essence of the Inside-Out Paradigm - grows somewhat tiring toward the end of the book. I would argue that it is here that the book slips one star in its rating, as a more solid copy-editor could have easily cut the text by 20% without losing any substance whatsoever.
A more substantial critique however, centers around Yusaf's second objective of addressing some of the misunderstandings and misconceptions about Islam and Muslims. Yusaf (rightfully) lambasts the way in which Islam has come to be associated with international terrorism and how, furthermore, it is misunderstood in its practices and views as a somewhat bigotted religion. As mentioned before, Yusaf does a fantastic job in communicating the ways in which the teachings of the Quran resemble other wisdom traditions in their calls for love, compassion and loving kindness, and had the book stopped here, I would have rated it a solid 4 stars.
But Yusaf wants to address some "hot-button issues" surrounding Islam, including the role of women, in the West, which he - to my mind - simply never does. First of all, what are the hot-button issues? Of the top of my head I would assume those to include:
1. The Quran or the Hadiths stating that a man's voice/vote is equal to two female votes
2. Prevalent views on women's rights, homosexuals' rights, and punishment for different offenses.
3. How to deal with apostasy
4. How to deal with rape (victims)
5. How to deal with critique of Islam or the Prophet (Rushdie; Danish cartoon; etc.)
6. What to attribute to culture and what to religion
7. Honor killings
8. Western mosques as alleged recruitment centers for Islamic fanatics
9. The gap between Quranic teachings and the reality for many people - particularly women - in Muslim majority countries
I am not saying that any of these issues is a particularly Muslim issue, but that many of them seem to be among the topics I'm sure many people think of when Yusaf states that we wants to address misconceptions around "hot button" issues. And that just simply doesn't happen. I'm aware of the fact that it is too much to demand of a single person to exhaustively address all of these issues.
But, to give just one example, Yusaf's way of exemplifying the strong role of women in Islam, is to (1) state that there are many women who choose to wear their hijab and (2) describe his surprise of finding more than 8000 biographies of Muslim female scholars. Yes, this is a super complex topic, but I was left with a strong sense of Yusaf artfully avoiding the real issue by focusing on a couple of light, feel-good examples.
The same goes for apostasy, of which Yusaf states that the Quran says that it is permitted, while completely disregarding the often quoted hadiths pronouncing apostasy's punishment to be death. Again, I am not myself arguing for it to be one way or another, but I would have expected Yusaf to address it, to clear up the misunderstanding and to somehow harmonize it with the the core message of his book that the Quran is exclusively about loving-kindness.
Moving on, another issue I see centers around Yusaf's occasional foregone conclusions where he constructs a causal argument around a circual logic that simply doesn't stand a chance to rational thought:
The true opposite of 'impossible existence' is what we might call 'definite existence.' It's something whose non-existence can't be imagined or rationally conceived of. Just as one can't imagine or conceive of the existence of the 'impossible,' in the same way, one can't imagine or conceive of the non-existence of the 'definite.'
What does Yusaf mean that we cannot imagine the existence of the impossible?
Certainly, it is impossible for me, regardless of anything I could ever do, to uproot a full-grown redwood tree with my bare hands, without the aid of any machinery whatsoever. That act is both impossible but also imaginable. So we are already confronted with a rather preposterous proposition. However, Yusaf uses the above-mentioned quote to continue arguing in the next sentence:
Allah is definite existence. No rational person could, therefore, deny the existence of Allah. If you find this confusing, give it some time and come back to it later.
I have now given this quote its fair time, and I still don't get the wiser of it. I mean, how this a rational argument? How do you jump from the first quote to conclude the second? I have full respect for any individual person's faith - be it in God, Allah, Buddha-nature, you name it. But the argument that "Allah is definite existence and must therefore exist" is so perfectly circular that pointing out that circularity should suffice.
At another point, Yusaf emphasizes the "unprovability" of atheism, ignoring the fact any belief system, including Islam, is, by its very nature and definition, unprovable.
Here's the bottom line. Inside the Soul of Islam feels a lot like a carefully cherry-picked selection of surahs that pronounce the role of compassion in the Islamic faith, and had the book been solely aimed at illustrating this aspect of Islam to "spiritual seekers of all faiths" it would have been a pretty good, solid 4 star book.
But Yusaf is too ambitious in his stated objectives, namely addressing misconceptions surrounding Islam, and doing so dangerously stretches the fabric of his scholarly credibility. One star is lost in the book's repetitiveness, one star in the cluster of Yusaf's repeated logical fallacies and one star in simply falling short of the book's stated objective.
I am left with rating this book 2* which seems overly harsh, considering that I actually really enjoyed large parts of it, particularly the mass of beautiful quotes from both the Quran, the Prophet and Islamic thinkers.
Finally, I wish to concede that I am in the process of addressing my own ignorance on the topic and more than open to learn more. If you feel that any of my criticism is unwarranted I hope to be corrected in the comments. (less)
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Leo Africanus
Feb 21, 2021Leo Africanus rated it really liked it · review of another edition
A deeply fulfilling listen. It really helps that the author himself is narrating it (and doing so very engagingly indeed!) His encouragement for inside-out transformation - recognising that our feelings are nothing but a reflection of our thoughts at that time - is heart-felt, inspiring and implementable.
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Mo
Aug 11, 2019Mo rated it liked it · review of another edition
First review, I’m a little nervous but here we go.
Definitely a life changing book.. Lots to take away. However, I have a couple of things that kinda knocked it down in terms of just HOW good the book was.
1) I think to read it people should definitely have a little bit of a background concerning islam. But whatever my main point is 2) The book completely ignores mental health Completely discounts it. Which is weird considering this is coming from someone supposedly onboard with modern psychology ...more
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Johannes
Jan 07, 2018Johannes rated it really liked it · review of another edition
When the author mentioned his admiration for Tony Robbins, I worried that this book might be heading in directions that I wouldn't be terribly interested in, but Yusaf soon moved into slightly different territory. On the one hand, the author intends this to be a sort of self-help book, but I'm not sure I entirely understood his "inside-out" paradigm (cf. Sydney Banks--in which our thoughts determine our feelings), or am convinced by it. I have a hard time believing that an actual diagnosable "mental illness" is caused strictly by our thoughts. (less)
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Michael Storer
Feb 04, 2019Michael Storer rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Mamoon Yusaf artfully combines theology, psychology, and biography into such a surprisingly neat volume. The more that I read the deeper I felt my knowledge becoming! It's a lovely and refreshingly easy read that uses reputable prophetic sources where appropriate. (less)
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Maria
Apr 22, 2018Maria rated it liked it · review of another edition
this was a good introduction to some tenets of islam. the author is a devout muslim but self-admittedly not a scholar, so there is some lack of intellectual rigor. however, he provides a bibliography for those wishing to study further. he also glosses over many of the internal rules of islam, for example dietary restrictions, as onky of interest to practitioners of the faith. i understand why as he is trying to show how islam has commonalities with most of the other great religions and also give it some good propaganda but it would be interesting to know more about the differences. (less)
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R.B.
Apr 23, 2018R.B. rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Shelves: favorites
"After many years of studying and teaching personal development, this is the first time I've ever come across an understanding of psychology that leads to an automatic, effortless embodiment of the virtues taught by Islam, and indeed all religions and spiritual traditions." (Mamoon Yusaf)
An absolutely excellent book and guide! Very, very well written, quite informative, both soulful and humorous. Delves into the role of psychology (specifically the Inside-Out Paradigm) in a person's spiritual development using Islam as the foundation. Special emphasis is placed on the gift of thought that is bestowed upon all of us and how using this gift creates our entire felt experience of life.
The information contained in this book undoubtedly has the potential to be life changing for some, both in terms of their mental and spiritual health.
I'm looking forward to more from Mamoon, whose personality is just as admirable as his book! (less)
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Mailee
Nov 18, 2018Mailee rated it really liked it · review of another edition
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
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Gabriela Busmar
Aug 01, 2019Gabriela Busmar rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Recommended for all people who want to become a stronger, a more brilliant, a deeper, a better version of yourself from the inside out.
Based on what Muslims truly are from a western Muslim eyes is the perfect way to show and understand in a explanatory way along the book the essence of Muslims for the western communities who never have been closer than the TV of a Muslim.
Postscript:
If you started reading the book and in the middle of the way you didn't like it, please skip at the end of the book to find a surprise that you'll love to visit. (less)
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Dua Zia
Jul 31, 2020Dua Zia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
A breath of fresh air, indeed. Thrashes through the Islamic stereotypes so firmly planted into the very roots of Western culture. A must-read for anyone wondering why a religion followed by a third of the entire world population is so clearly misunderstood. Yusaf dissects Islam into easily understandable sections. All the way, he provides enlightening quotes from the Quran and from the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He also explains the similarities of Islam with other religions and discusses why extr ...more
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Deanna Brasseur
Apr 18, 2019Deanna Brasseur rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
This book is phenomenal. It has helped me shape my way of thinking religiously, socially, and personally. It brought me back down to earth and reminded me to be humble, kind, and compassionate. Anyone who is a practicing Muslim, and anyone who is not, should read this book. Not only will it reshape the way you look at Islam, but it will reshape the way you think about this life and whatever you believe comes next. WONDERFUL.
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siso.sofy
Apr 12, 2021siso.sofy rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Alhamdulillah, I am so glad that I choose to read this book right before the 2021 Ramadan started. The inside out perspective really helps to put things into perspective.
In the first few chapters, I find it a bit slow, maybe because the book also focuses on the non-Muslim reader.
How the author relates some of the points to his personal experiences make the book feel more grounded and relatable.
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Aliya
Apr 16, 2021Aliya rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH. This book brings to bloom the good seeds within me and lifts my spirit up, I love being a Muslim, and this book makes me love it even more. Easy to understand for people (who don't have to be Muslim) non-muslim, people who is currently seeking faiths, or people who always curious about what is Islam about, or a spiritual in Islam.
Love this book, so grateful I found this book.
(less)
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Rooh Song
Jun 20, 2019Rooh Song added it · review of another edition
Have this book on my shelf for two years now.I have listened to the webinar of the author and I know this is what he teaches best.inside the soul of Islam takes a deep look into the psychological social lens of Islam , individually, socially, and in a larger framework of the ummah. A must read for anyone who is struggling to put life and world events in perspective.
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Rabeet
Jun 08, 2020Rabeet rated it really liked it · review of another edition
This book basically views several religious messages through Inside out paradigm for self-help and healing along with countering some vague criticisms of Islam. Many parts are well written and explained but I the books like this are just very subjective. Many people may connect to it, I just didn’t. Not that I didn’t like it, just that I didn’t really feel it that intensely.
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Sania Safdar
Nov 26, 2020Sania Safdar rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
This book helped me think in a different way. It helped me understand that at the end of the day its only Allah you need to get close to. One needs to be grateful and patient. I still go through few of its parts that I highlighted when I am down. This helps me keep going in life and my head high specially when I face any failure.
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Emily Costello
Jun 15, 2018Emily Costello rated it liked it · review of another edition
I found this book to be informative, but coming from a non-Islamic background, there were parts that were hard to follow. I really would’ve appreciated a glossary of terms that I could’ve referenced throughout the book. However, the book was insightful and informative.
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Rida Rizvi
Nov 14, 2018Rida Rizvi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
And this book ends here :( i wanted this book to go on and on. If there is one book i would like everybody to read it is certainly this. @mamoonyusaf has so brilliantly touched the essence of religious, spiritual and psychological aims. I have no words to express about this book. Excellent read.
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Ainil Farhan
Feb 18, 2021Ainil Farhan rated it liked it · review of another edition
More towards a motivational book. The author himself is a motivational coach and he promotes his Inside Out paradigm throughout the entire discussion of the book. I think the discussion only touches the surface of the soul of Islam, and I find it lack of in depth discussions.
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Jasper Fern
Mar 21, 2021Jasper Fern rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Beautiful book about the spiritual principles of Islam! At points it got a little bit repetitive but I’m still giving it five stars because this book is a great beginners intro to Islam. Would definitely recommend to spiritual truth seekers of all faiths :)
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