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Hearts Turn: Sinners, Seekers, Saints and the Road to Redemption
‘Hearts Turn’ is a singular and gripping exploration of the act of 'tawba', a Qur’anic term commonly translated as repentance. In English, repentance is a forbidding word that suggests a puritanical finality. But in Arabic the term 'tawba' is dynamic, meaning to ‘turn’ or ‘return’. 'At-Tawwab' is one of the Names of God, the Oft-Returning or Ever-Relenting. It is an active constant, an ongoing, compassionate reality that renews every moment we are alive. The process of purification is a process of continuous turning. In ‘Hearts Turn’ Michael Sugich, author of ‘Signs on the Horizons’, tells stories that are harrowing and hilarious, heartrending and bizarre, profane and transcendent, and altogether full of hope, showing how men and women from many parts of the world and many walks of life have turned themselves around and taken a fork in the road toward a higher reality. “This book is a declaration of mercy and certainty. Formed of a collection of stories I’ve experienced, read or heard, about how malleable the human heart can be and how wrongdoing, remorse, need, and yearning intersect with Divine Compassion, Forgiveness and Guidance. It is also about the sudden transitions from confusion to clarity, from sin to virtue, from sleep to wakefulness, from ignorance to knowledge, from foolishness to wisdom. And finally it is about the path of our lives, which leads us gradually, and for those who God favors, inexorably to salvation.”
372 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 6, 2019
172 people are currently reading
765 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
December 15, 2021
“𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗮𝘄𝗯𝗮 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝘀.” 📿
Forgiveness, redemption and restoration of hope are central to each of the unique stories in Michael Sugich’s extraordinary work. Hearts Turn effortlessly captures the immense diversity within the deen by presenting the fascinating stories of Muslims from all walks of life who have made Islam their own.
The path of righteousness is illuminated for those who seek it, whether that seeking be active or passive. The latter is the case for many storytellers in this work, the majority of whom had the fortune of being guided when they least expected it. Whether one is born Muslim or becomes Muslim, Hearts Turn demonstrates how turbulent the path of redemption can be, though it is this very turbulence that begets redemption.
“𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁. 𝗜𝗳 𝗻𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.”
The (mostly) uplifting, impactful stories encourage the reader to reflect on his or her own spiritual path, or lack thereof. As humans, we are destined for a life of hardship, but returning to Him is the essence of our short-lived existence.
Note: The chapter titled ‘Recognition’ makes references to a Moroccan “sufi” shaykh that later got accused of being a fraud, so read at your own discretion.
Forgiveness, redemption and restoration of hope are central to each of the unique stories in Michael Sugich’s extraordinary work. Hearts Turn effortlessly captures the immense diversity within the deen by presenting the fascinating stories of Muslims from all walks of life who have made Islam their own.
The path of righteousness is illuminated for those who seek it, whether that seeking be active or passive. The latter is the case for many storytellers in this work, the majority of whom had the fortune of being guided when they least expected it. Whether one is born Muslim or becomes Muslim, Hearts Turn demonstrates how turbulent the path of redemption can be, though it is this very turbulence that begets redemption.
“𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁. 𝗜𝗳 𝗻𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.”
The (mostly) uplifting, impactful stories encourage the reader to reflect on his or her own spiritual path, or lack thereof. As humans, we are destined for a life of hardship, but returning to Him is the essence of our short-lived existence.
Note: The chapter titled ‘Recognition’ makes references to a Moroccan “sufi” shaykh that later got accused of being a fraud, so read at your own discretion.
July 11, 2021
Writing this review is difficult because I don’t want to paint the entire contents of this book with one brush. On the one hand the author includes stories of actual righteous people of the past. These stories were lovely to read, even though I was already familiar with many of them. The author also includes stories of modern day Muslims, a few of which I found their stories inspiring and uplifting. However, much of what was included was very strange - and questionable to say the least. I think anyone with a basic understanding of Islamic principles will agree with me.
If you’re looking for a light read with the occasional lesson sprinkled here and there then I would say give this a shot. However if you are expecting some life changing lessons presented through stories of Awliyaa then think again.
If you’re looking for a light read with the occasional lesson sprinkled here and there then I would say give this a shot. However if you are expecting some life changing lessons presented through stories of Awliyaa then think again.
April 2, 2019
Beautiful book in every sense
No one is beyond redemption. This book makes tawba the central aspect of Islam. Beautiful book, with heart rendering accounts of salvation and redemption.
No one is beyond redemption. This book makes tawba the central aspect of Islam. Beautiful book, with heart rendering accounts of salvation and redemption.
May 31, 2019
These stories are inspiring and uplifting. It was a blessing having the people profiled in these pages be my companions throughout this Ramadan. I highly recommend this book, as I also do his previous work, Signs on the Horizon.
August 23, 2024
I read this during my stay in Makkah and Madinah for this year's Ramadhan. It was very timely— reading people's stories from different parts of the world and walks of life while being surround with such. It reminds me of what Rumi, the Muslim poet, wrote... "There are as many paths to God as there are souls on Earth." The stories from this book brought sparks of inspiration and entertainment during my past time in Ramadan so that was really nice. The last quarter of this book kind of bored me though.
These are some of my highlighted lines from this book:
• "This was another kind of hell, not the hell of my destiny, but the hell of life. It was grim, lonely and miserable. There was no beauty in the way people were living."
• "I can believe in a God Who tells me that He is beyond my comprehension."
• "I was terrified that one-second you’re here and the next second you’re not, and it brought it home to me. I started contemplating my own mortality at an early age."
• "I realize that I don’t know who is truly pious and who is not. I can only know myself really."
• "I was insulted but I was making dhikr and I let it go and walked away through an understanding from the hadith that if you don’t react the Angels defend you."
• "The only way I knew to repent was to change."
• "I feel that everything is not a matter of seeing; everything is a matter of understanding. There are many people who see things but they don’t understand what they see."
• "We hide death in the Western world. Confronting death is a kind of growing up. To know that it is a certainty and that it is close."
• “This path is all about Tawba. The deeper Tawba is discovering who you really are and who Allah really is.”
• "Know that suffering is a precious prize and see that all affairs are from God."
• "The aspiration of the people of the Path is to become slaves of the moment (abeed al-waqt)."
• "One moment of contemplation is better than seventy years of worship."
• "Sit with the masters, drink in their baraka, for their mere presence radiates such light that whoever is with them is penetrated by it through and through."
• "Just because someone’s illiterate doesn’t mean they’re not intelligent."
• "The best thing I could do for others would be to sanctify my soul, to let my state of being become radiant."
• “I didn’t get it. There is a point at which you can’t get it.”
• “He determines and He implements. Our job is to be sincere.
• “He who knows his self knows his Lord.”
These are some of my highlighted lines from this book:
• "This was another kind of hell, not the hell of my destiny, but the hell of life. It was grim, lonely and miserable. There was no beauty in the way people were living."
• "I can believe in a God Who tells me that He is beyond my comprehension."
• "I was terrified that one-second you’re here and the next second you’re not, and it brought it home to me. I started contemplating my own mortality at an early age."
• "I realize that I don’t know who is truly pious and who is not. I can only know myself really."
• "I was insulted but I was making dhikr and I let it go and walked away through an understanding from the hadith that if you don’t react the Angels defend you."
• "The only way I knew to repent was to change."
• "I feel that everything is not a matter of seeing; everything is a matter of understanding. There are many people who see things but they don’t understand what they see."
• "We hide death in the Western world. Confronting death is a kind of growing up. To know that it is a certainty and that it is close."
• “This path is all about Tawba. The deeper Tawba is discovering who you really are and who Allah really is.”
• "Know that suffering is a precious prize and see that all affairs are from God."
• "The aspiration of the people of the Path is to become slaves of the moment (abeed al-waqt)."
• "One moment of contemplation is better than seventy years of worship."
• "Sit with the masters, drink in their baraka, for their mere presence radiates such light that whoever is with them is penetrated by it through and through."
• "Just because someone’s illiterate doesn’t mean they’re not intelligent."
• "The best thing I could do for others would be to sanctify my soul, to let my state of being become radiant."
• “I didn’t get it. There is a point at which you can’t get it.”
• “He determines and He implements. Our job is to be sincere.
• “He who knows his self knows his Lord.”
October 8, 2019
This book is an example of " Dont believe everything you read"
The writer is explaining his meeting with saints, while some of the early ones are true saints, the latest ones he mentioned may not be so, one of them isnt a saint but a man who abuses women using the cloak of Tasawuuf and is financially taking lots of money from his murids under the name of "serving the shaykh" in conclusion he is a fake shaykh. The writer didnt know that at the time when he met with him that he was a fake, but he knew the reality about this man afterwards, and he was supposed to take out that chapter from the book after he knew he wasnt a saint, but he didnt. He goes on touring the world with his book while not warning people that the chapter inside there of the shaykh from Morocco is none but a fraud.
Its a shame that someone who is a fraud is included between the pages of this book that has authentic saints of Islam from the earliest centuries, and its even a bigger shame that the writer didnt do anything about it when he knew the truth.
Tasawuff is standing up for the truth, and demolishing falsehood.
( It wont matter which fake shaykh I am talking about here, the message here to take is to not believe everything you read especially when it comes to someone spoon-feeding you something about how a saint should be like without never meeting them )
If you want to read about the REAL awliyaa, read the biographies of the generations that come after the prophet may Allah bless him and give him peace.
The writer is explaining his meeting with saints, while some of the early ones are true saints, the latest ones he mentioned may not be so, one of them isnt a saint but a man who abuses women using the cloak of Tasawuuf and is financially taking lots of money from his murids under the name of "serving the shaykh" in conclusion he is a fake shaykh. The writer didnt know that at the time when he met with him that he was a fake, but he knew the reality about this man afterwards, and he was supposed to take out that chapter from the book after he knew he wasnt a saint, but he didnt. He goes on touring the world with his book while not warning people that the chapter inside there of the shaykh from Morocco is none but a fraud.
Its a shame that someone who is a fraud is included between the pages of this book that has authentic saints of Islam from the earliest centuries, and its even a bigger shame that the writer didnt do anything about it when he knew the truth.
Tasawuff is standing up for the truth, and demolishing falsehood.
( It wont matter which fake shaykh I am talking about here, the message here to take is to not believe everything you read especially when it comes to someone spoon-feeding you something about how a saint should be like without never meeting them )
If you want to read about the REAL awliyaa, read the biographies of the generations that come after the prophet may Allah bless him and give him peace.
August 20, 2019
An absolute gem! Heartwarming stories written wonderfully. A great service to humanity.
"Somehow I thought that I was going to turn myself into a better version of me..." Typical western mindset, where the 'self' isn't even defined. "...What I didn't realize at first was that me, my 'self', was the thing that had to go. It dawned on me gradually and when it did, it scared the daylights out of me. I had spent my whole life up to that time building up my ego, doing everything in my power to be great, to be amazing, to stand in the limelight, because I had been raised to think that you had to go out and make your mark in the world. I had seen enough of the world, though, to realize that making a mark in the world was a mixed blessing at best. The mark one makes could easily end up turning into a pretty ugly stain."
"Somehow I thought that I was going to turn myself into a better version of me..." Typical western mindset, where the 'self' isn't even defined. "...What I didn't realize at first was that me, my 'self', was the thing that had to go. It dawned on me gradually and when it did, it scared the daylights out of me. I had spent my whole life up to that time building up my ego, doing everything in my power to be great, to be amazing, to stand in the limelight, because I had been raised to think that you had to go out and make your mark in the world. I had seen enough of the world, though, to realize that making a mark in the world was a mixed blessing at best. The mark one makes could easily end up turning into a pretty ugly stain."
October 20, 2019
This is the kind of book we have to keep reading throughout our lifetime. We might find that a particular story resonates with ours and so we may have the pleasure of gaining an enlightened perspective on our lives.
The book is written beautifully which makes the stories all the more powerful and inspiring. By getting intimate with the turning point in the lives of various people, we get a glimpse of the Truth and Reality that they came across. This indeed enhances our own faith, in other words, resurrects the dimmed light of our spirit.
Sometimes, when we lose ourselves in the world, it becomes necessary to have a reminder of the true purpose of existence and a reminder of the peace found in worshiping Allah. This books offers many opportunities of reflection and reconstruction.
The book is written beautifully which makes the stories all the more powerful and inspiring. By getting intimate with the turning point in the lives of various people, we get a glimpse of the Truth and Reality that they came across. This indeed enhances our own faith, in other words, resurrects the dimmed light of our spirit.
Sometimes, when we lose ourselves in the world, it becomes necessary to have a reminder of the true purpose of existence and a reminder of the peace found in worshiping Allah. This books offers many opportunities of reflection and reconstruction.
March 17, 2022
I read this with a book club. This book is beautiful. Amazing. It will in sha Allah benefit your spiritual connection with Islam and Allah.
Unfortunately I had to take one star off because the book went downhill in the fourth part. The stories started to seem almost random and the framing of women, although well intentioned, weren’t received well by female readers. If you read this I would suggest stopping reading after Logorrhea, the first chapter in part four, as the later chapter become more lighthearted and talk about women more in stories that are not appealing to all.
I highly encourage people to read this book. It’s very very good. It tells some fascinating stories and they are well written. The formatting is well done.
Unfortunately I had to take one star off because the book went downhill in the fourth part. The stories started to seem almost random and the framing of women, although well intentioned, weren’t received well by female readers. If you read this I would suggest stopping reading after Logorrhea, the first chapter in part four, as the later chapter become more lighthearted and talk about women more in stories that are not appealing to all.
I highly encourage people to read this book. It’s very very good. It tells some fascinating stories and they are well written. The formatting is well done.
May 11, 2019
The stories of people who find God truly renews your own faith in God and hope of redemption. This book is amazing book to delve into stories of different people and their experiences to finding God and Repentance.
I really have enjoyed this book!
May God bless the author Michael Sugich.
Amīn
I really have enjoyed this book!
May God bless the author Michael Sugich.
Amīn
September 2, 2019
A heartwarming book of stories on the beauty of turning back to Allah, no matter who you are, what you've done, over and over again.
"May Allah give us the opening, union and the salvation we seek before we die."
"May Allah give us the opening, union and the salvation we seek before we die."
July 27, 2021
A transformative book that singles out perhaps the most powerful concept of Islam so often not understood in the West: Mercy and forgiveness. Real transformative mercy that dares to be more mysterious and perplexing than other faith traditions that require sacrifice or the death of a figure to obtain mercy, as Sugich quotes one of his friends in Islam “God finds you where you are”. These stories truly are examples of that very concept from former hippies to a secular calligraphy expert all coming to experience the power and perplexing nature of God’s mercy and guidance that is also emphasized in the Sufi teaching of what it means to really “submit” to Him. The emotion from these stories is expertly conveyed by Sugich, perhaps it may be a different experience for a non-Muslim reader but for myself it was a rare and true gem of a book that caused this reviewer to weep from the sheer beauty at times.
These stories cover a spectrum of emotions and are all extremely well written and gripping. I particularly enjoyed the way Sugich also compiled these stories with contemporary ones with ones found within Muslim and Sufi history. One feels when reading also the impact that Sugich’s encounter with the awilya and his shaykhs have left on him, there is also a theme and reminder of Sufism connection to orthodox Islamic practice and belief. And while the Sufi component is central to this book it reminds that this is the message of Islam through and through. What makes this book stand apart is that it’s message is important for all who come to it, both non-Muslims and Muslims have a lot to gain from this book. Highly recommended.
These stories cover a spectrum of emotions and are all extremely well written and gripping. I particularly enjoyed the way Sugich also compiled these stories with contemporary ones with ones found within Muslim and Sufi history. One feels when reading also the impact that Sugich’s encounter with the awilya and his shaykhs have left on him, there is also a theme and reminder of Sufism connection to orthodox Islamic practice and belief. And while the Sufi component is central to this book it reminds that this is the message of Islam through and through. What makes this book stand apart is that it’s message is important for all who come to it, both non-Muslims and Muslims have a lot to gain from this book. Highly recommended.
January 5, 2021
This book is a collection of short stories/profiles on various different individuals and their journey with spirituality and Islam. I enjoyed the profiles, reminded me of the "Chicken soup for the teenage soul" series.
It is interesting seeing how dynamic each life is and how much change one can go through. It also showed me how people deal with tragic events within their lives and how spirituality and religion can help deal with these events.
The stories are very well written and I felt like I lived through several different lives while reading the different profiles. The author does an amazing job of painting a picture and clearly knows the purpose of his prose and how to relate it to the central theme.
It is interesting seeing how dynamic each life is and how much change one can go through. It also showed me how people deal with tragic events within their lives and how spirituality and religion can help deal with these events.
The stories are very well written and I felt like I lived through several different lives while reading the different profiles. The author does an amazing job of painting a picture and clearly knows the purpose of his prose and how to relate it to the central theme.
September 4, 2021
A unique collection of diverse story telling perspectives on people finding Islam
This book is a wonderful work of love, sharing a different type of narrative: on how people, from diverse backgrounds, found truth in Islam.
As a person born into the religion myself, I am fascinated and humbled by people's conversions (or reverts) to Islam. The stories shared in this book left me with a sense of awe and bolstered my own faith and determination to improve spiritually.
Recommended to everyone curious about the essence. Find out what attracted (and continues to attract thousands).
Ignore the media rhetoric and anti-Islam hype. These stories are personal, who knows, you might just connect with one of them and find the answers you're looking for...
This book is a wonderful work of love, sharing a different type of narrative: on how people, from diverse backgrounds, found truth in Islam.
As a person born into the religion myself, I am fascinated and humbled by people's conversions (or reverts) to Islam. The stories shared in this book left me with a sense of awe and bolstered my own faith and determination to improve spiritually.
Recommended to everyone curious about the essence. Find out what attracted (and continues to attract thousands).
Ignore the media rhetoric and anti-Islam hype. These stories are personal, who knows, you might just connect with one of them and find the answers you're looking for...
December 21, 2021
Thoroughly enjoyed this pageturner of a book about people who have embraced Islam.
The theme of the book seems to be this kind of subtle, or serendipitous type of change of heart. Spoiler alert: It's not a dialectical debate.
It really touched my heart because even in this book are some people who I have taken knowledge from their media or somehow they have influenced me too, and reading about their story and suddenly recognizing that, oh it's so and so!! Really brings a smile to my face when I read these stories.
I really recommend anyone on the "dawah scene" to read this book and contemplate.
The theme of the book seems to be this kind of subtle, or serendipitous type of change of heart. Spoiler alert: It's not a dialectical debate.
It really touched my heart because even in this book are some people who I have taken knowledge from their media or somehow they have influenced me too, and reading about their story and suddenly recognizing that, oh it's so and so!! Really brings a smile to my face when I read these stories.
I really recommend anyone on the "dawah scene" to read this book and contemplate.
January 4, 2020
This Book was my favorite book of 2019. Through this Book, I have learned, that no matter who you are and in what state you are currently, Allah swt can always forgive you, we just have to ask for His forgiveness. And He swt is the only one, who can get you out of any Problem in your Life. Have Hope and expectations only on Him and you never be hurt.
October 28, 2020
Absolutely beautiful!
Absolutely beautiful and eye-watering ❤️ This book has touched me deeply in many ways and inspired me to continue with improving myself and seeking the higher Path regardless of the difficulties. I highly recommend this to anyone who's interested in Islamic spirituality.
Absolutely beautiful and eye-watering ❤️ This book has touched me deeply in many ways and inspired me to continue with improving myself and seeking the higher Path regardless of the difficulties. I highly recommend this to anyone who's interested in Islamic spirituality.
July 13, 2020
For those who feel some grief or guilt in you from doing sins. Or maybe feeling a bit lost in your religion. Or might be feeling that you may be too far downhill to be saved.
Read this. You will be motivated to inch back to the straight path by the various stories inside the book.
Read this. You will be motivated to inch back to the straight path by the various stories inside the book.
August 29, 2021
Incredibly beautiful and touching stories. I really recommend Muslim parents to offer this book to their young adults who are sometimes caught up in « don’ts », not knowing about the beauty of Tawba and shy away from the religion.
January 8, 2022
An absolutely beautiful read!
The stories and experiences written of in this book were absolutely beautiful and inspirational. I was moved to tears, deep reflection and on occasion laughter. I sincerely recommend!
The stories and experiences written of in this book were absolutely beautiful and inspirational. I was moved to tears, deep reflection and on occasion laughter. I sincerely recommend!
August 27, 2024
A collection of some of the most beautiful stories of people entering Islam or rediscovering it. Absolutely miraculous to say the least. This book will move you and shock you and leave you with a much stronger and grounded faith/imaan. Highly recommend!
May 22, 2025
It’s nice to read about how some people God wants them to find him and be on the right path and become Muslims, but sadly they end up being Sufis not Sunni. May Allah guide them to the right path. Some of the Hadiths are doubtful and unreliable.
November 10, 2019
Alhamdulillah. A beautiful gift from my brother. So much to learn from this book.
November 20, 2019
10 stars actually. Love this book so much!!
January 13, 2020
Spiritually enlightening. A must-read.
January 23, 2020
Totally spirituality of this book so beautiful
March 12, 2020
This book was really great at showcasing various stories surrounding tawba. The mercy of the Divine is clear in so many people's lives in this book. It was heartwarming honestly.
May 10, 2020
A beautiful book of hope and spiritual illumination.
July 4, 2020
One of the most motivational book out there.
August 27, 2020
A beautiful book with heartfelt stories, a must read!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews