Letters For the Fragile Heart

by Norhafsah Hamid

The heart is an amazing thing.

It is the one part of our body that we can’t see or physically touch but its presence has ways of making us feel wondrous things.

The heart can be bruised but it can also be mended. It is the heart and not the mind that longs for love but at the same time, fears for pain and loss.

Perhaps, some might feel that it is better to ‘harden’ our hearts to avoid any weaknesses and possibility of hurt.

But know this; when our hearts are at its most vulnerable and fragile state, that is when we have the potential and ability to be strong.


***

In Letters for The Fragile Heart, award-winning author Norhafsah Hamid illustrates the many ways the heart can be strong in times of pain and brokenness. This book hopes to ignite that spark of hope and gratification in the hearts of readers; to help them to seek the beauty behind each trial and tribulation.

Genres: Nonfiction, Spirituality

237 pages, Hardcover

First published October 25, 2023

About the author

Norhafsah Hamid was born in 1973 and received primary and secondary education in Malaysia. She then proceeded to pursue her studies in United Kingdom until she graduated with a law degree from Reading University, United Kingdom. She completer her Bar in Malaysia and went back to United Kingdom to work for a year. She then came back to Malaysia to commence her practice as an Advocate and Solicitor, specializing in civil litigation matters. She completed her Diploma in Syariah & Legal Practise and has been handling various Syariah matters.

Currently she has taken a break from civil practise and co-founded an NGO called 'Nadi Anissa Muslim Women Organisation. she now dedicates her time to her family and Islam.

Reviews

[Qayiem Razali · Rating 5 out of 5]

26-2023

Letters for the Fragile Heart - Norhafsah Hamid

Bermula dengan membaca naskhah Will You Stay?, saya terus tidak sabar menanti karya terbaharu daripada penulis. Dan, selepas Will You Love Me?, penulis kembali dengan koleksi mutiara kata yang membangun jiwa.

Bermula dengan warna dan muka hadapannya yang redup dan sedap mata memandang, menjadikan saya tidak berfikir lama untuk membeli naskhah ini. Kita terus beli yang hardcover ye! Bukan sahaja muka hadapannya yang cantik, dalamannya juga direka dengan sangat baik dan tersusun menjadikan karya ini betul betul sedap mata memandang.

Berbalik kepada konten, saya kira setiap apa yang ditulis penulis memang sangat terkesan. Dengan menggunakan bahasa Inggeris yang mudah dihadam, menjadikan kita yang membaca benar benar terkesan. Penulis tidak hanya berfokus kepada cinta, namun juga berfokus kepada seluruh isi hidup kita sebagai manusia. Cinta, keluarga, persahabatan, ketabahan. Cakap saja. Semuanya ada.

Untuk penulis, tahniah kerana melahirkan karya penuh jiwa ini. Buat pembaca, yang hatinya sedang dibalut kesedihan, buku setebal 200+ halaman ini sememangnya untuk anda. Berhenti sebentar, dan hadamlah naskhah ini sebaiknya.

Sentiasa ingat, Tuhan melihat dan mendengar.

[Irni Farid · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Some battles are not for us to fight in but to learn from. Some battles are not for us to win but to manage."

#Letters for the Fragile Heart

This is one of the books that come into my reading life at the right time. Like a good friend giving soothing and understanding words. A gem to read. I wish to read multiple times.

[Faye · Rating 5 out of 5]

“When someone criticises or disagrees with you, a small ant of hatred and antagonism is born in your heart. If you do not squash that ant at once, it might grow into a snake, or even a dragon.” — Rumi.

I have been through a turbulent couple of months with the immense trials and tribulations pertaining the relationships and friendships I have once had with people. At that one moment in time, perhaps when this book just came out, reviews with such highly praises for the author and this book flooded my timeline. The snippets that was shared almost everywhere during the time captivated me and I have been meaning to pick up Norhafsah Hamid's writing for a while before (and now still). I was already in a bookstore then with a group of people, readers just as I was, some of whom upon knowing of my intentions to get this very work told me that I should not waste my money because they thought I would not enjoy it. A few months later have now passed and I am no longer in the space of biased opinions or paid thoughts, so I made it my mission to finally get my hands on this book. There it was on a Buku Fixi store's shelf in all of its glory that one fateful evening. Of course, I wasted no time in devouring it in the same night.

I flew through the book swiftly I supposed as the letters come in the form of short and easy to read poetry and prose. However, despite its simplicity, the message behind each of the letters were deeply personal and yet encouraging they were to perhaps both the author and readers alike. Honing the bond between the servant and God. I have never been a truly religious person, I do the basics that was needed of me as a humble servant and imperfect I will always be. But as of late, I find myself gravitating towards such works that refined my faith and this have become one of my favourites by far.

The author was right when she elucidated that this work was meant to be somewhat a simple pick-me-up for the day. I can definitely see myself coming back to certain letters in the book, sit down with it and have a moment of in-depth rumination of everything that has happened in my lifetime.

Definitely a must-read for everyone! 5 stars.

[Erin95 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stay on our path and do not peek into other people's path. Never think that other people's path is much better and rosier than ours. Behind the beauty of a rose, there is always a thorn that can prick and draw blood.

I want to sing like the birds sing, not worrying about who hears or what they think.
- Rumi

The rose does best as a rose. Lilies make the best lilies. And look! You - the best you around
- Rumi

Be motivated like the falcon, hunt gloriously. Be magnificent as the leopard, fight to win. Spend less time with nightingales and peacocks. One is all talk, the other only colour."
- Rumi

Aku lebih suka buku Norhafsah Hamid yang bercerita macam buku Will You Stay, Letters To God, sebab she's good at it. Gaya penyampaian yang bersahaja dalam karya-karya yang format "story telling" lebih dekat di hati aku.

Cover buku ni memang cantik, tengok cover buku pun dah rasa terawat dah. Banyak quotes² dari Rumi yang di kongsikan dalam buku ni.

Just satu je aku kurang gemar, kenapa buku ni tak ada muka surat? 😅 ,susah nak rekod pembacaan, sebab diri ini sejenis baca, bila nak stop sekejap, rekod muka surat berhenti kat dalam app goodreads & bookmory.

[Izyan Kamilah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only bought this book for the polaroid pictures, but the book itself is not bad.

Being true to its name, this book contains a collection of love letters from the author to the readers. The intent of the love letters is meant to console the readers no matter what situation they're going through at the moment. It may not provide you the solutions you need, but it does help to provide the strength to keep going. Think of it as a faraway friend who may not know what you're going through, but is there for you regardless. Its aesthetic content is pleasing and I particularly love the quotes scattered throughout the book.

If you're going through something and need some encouragement, then this book is for you. If you love poems or excerpts, then there's no harm in giving this book a try.

[Akram Muhammad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just finished reading this thoughtful book, gifted to me by my sister Pipah for my birthday. This is the third quotes-based book I’ve read. Although I’m not usually a fan of this genre, it took me about two weeks to finish, and it left a meaningful impression.

One of my favorite quotes is:

"Dear heart, our journey is not ours to chart. We can plan, but ultimately, God decides the routes, the obstacles, and the light at the end of it. He decides the outcome. In every journey, we are bound to fall a couple of times; experience failures once, twice, or even countless times. Most importantly, we must put our trust and faith in Him."

There may have been more quotes I loved while reading, but this one stood out the most as I wrote this review!

[Nur Alyaa Atikah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how the flower at the cover of the book gives the sense of relief to the readers, indicating that "It's okay not to be okay. There's nothing wrong in having flaws and to take some time to get yourself back on track. After all, we're humans". The blue colour and title also added up as symbols of calmness to the readers.

However, there's one thing that makes me a bit bumped with the book - grammatical errors along the way, inconsistency in putting the full stop, especially at the author of the quote.

Overall, I enjoyed reading the book. For those who are seeking comfort, solace and are trying their best to get themselves back on track, I highly recommend you reading this book :)

[amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear heart,

When the spirit is broken, we will ferl extreme exhaustion like we have never felt before, both mentally and physically.

When that happens, take a step back.

Close your eyes and take a deep breath.

Then, turn to the Ultimate Healer, God Almighty.

Without a doubt, only He can mend the broken soul, heal the aching heart, repair the damaged spirit, put us back together again and blow new strength into our spirits.

"And when I am ill, it is he who cures me." - Quran 26:80


this book helped me alot get me back on deen, I read this book everytime I feel like my imaan is getting low ❤❤

[Maryam Jamsheer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book thinking it’s for the “fragile” heart- for someone who’s emotional and fragile not broken.
I would say that this is a book for broken hearts, not for someone who’s healed.
Most advice in this book to me I felt like I did not need because it was either common sense or it was something my old, unhealed, broken, and in-pain self needed to hear.
I felt like there was a lot of repetition, it took me an hour to read the book, I was looking for something that could make me sit and reflect but I don’t feel like I got that.
Although I do feel like if I read this a year ago or two years ago I would actually really enjoy this book

[siso.sofy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"God turns you from one feeling to another and teaches by means of opposites so that you will have two wings to fly, not one." -Rumi.

To be able to feel is indeed a blessing.
This book is very comforting.
When you're sad,
when you're tired,
when you're lost,
you will find a suitable letter to comfort you.
InsyaAllah.

p/s: the endnotes are very helpful.

[Nurul Saadah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t understand what’s so “best selling novelist” about this author. Her fiction and non-fiction books are so bad. This book i am reviewing is so so mediocre and way too lame. I read up until Letter 21 and i can’t take it anymore. Lang Leav’s poetry books are way better than this. It’s repetitive on EVERY SINGLE PAGE and so boring. It’s far from spiritually fulfilling.

[tashi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written.

[Pluviophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

You may read the book in a day. The author’s first non-fiction book (spritual/ self help).

[Arin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

Lots of great quotes but I think it would be better if you read this when you really need it ☺️💖

[Nanadhoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating sebenar: 4.7/5.0

[Khairunnadia Abdul Suhaimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Habis baca je, lega rasa. Isinya ringkas saja, berunsurkan kata-kata hikmah tetapi disertai ulasan.

[sooha · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.8/5🌟✨️🥺

I lurve this book so much that I'm willing to give a friend my own book for him to read

🥺🫶🏻

[Meor Azfar · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5⭐️