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Light Upon Light: A Collection of Letters on Life, Love and God
Mostly written while she was traveling, living and studying in Malaysia, South Africa and Yemen, Light Upon Light is a heartfelt and sincere conversation, sprinkled with humor and self-doubt, on the challenges of a modern-day Muslimah.
Rest. Read. Reflect. What is He trying to tell you?
160 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2017
69 people are currently reading
708 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
January 7, 2018
What do I say about a book that breaks my heart in all the right ways? I can't put it into words but what I know for sure is, Fadhilah Wahid is indeed a God-sent blessing. Her words resonate with so much love and light, it is able to invite even the most broken soul to come back to the one True Path. It is such an easy and light read but one with heavy messages that would definitely put your heart to ease. This book would definitely help you see things in a new light, if you haven't already. InshaAllah. Give it a try if you haven't!
May 17, 2020
"An intention is a very powerful thing; it is the very foundation of all our actions, and it determines not only the final outcome, but the emotions and thoughts we have when doing the action. "
I LOVED THIS. It was a beautiful book about self-reflections by author, which she wrote as letters to the readers. She shared the events of her life from 2013-2014 on a daily basis, and are filled with lessons we could all learn from. It's a collection of relatable self-reflection short stories which I'll have in my mind for some time and hopefully remind myself of once in a while. I loved the very easy writing, and I also loved that she used different angles, from muslims to non-muslim narratives.
What I also loved about this book is that it's not perfect. Fadhilah Wahid doesn't sugar coat the letters, she doesn't hide her short-comings and mistakes. It's important to remember than none of us are perfect, but that we should intent to do better, small or big.
My heart is filled with content, and I cannot wait to pick it up again from time to time.
I LOVED THIS. It was a beautiful book about self-reflections by author, which she wrote as letters to the readers. She shared the events of her life from 2013-2014 on a daily basis, and are filled with lessons we could all learn from. It's a collection of relatable self-reflection short stories which I'll have in my mind for some time and hopefully remind myself of once in a while. I loved the very easy writing, and I also loved that she used different angles, from muslims to non-muslim narratives.
What I also loved about this book is that it's not perfect. Fadhilah Wahid doesn't sugar coat the letters, she doesn't hide her short-comings and mistakes. It's important to remember than none of us are perfect, but that we should intent to do better, small or big.
My heart is filled with content, and I cannot wait to pick it up again from time to time.
May 12, 2020
Pertama kali aku membaca karya penulis dan aku sangat sukakannya. Seorang penulis yang bakal aku ikuti karya beliau.
Buku ini merupakan kompilasi 40 surat mengenai kehidupan penulis. Self-reflection about what happened in the author’s life on a daily basis and what did she learned in each situation. Banyak perkara yang penulis lalui yang membuatkan penulis bertanya akan kehidupannya sendiri dan akhirnya penulis sedar bahawa everything did happen for a reason.
Most of the reflection in this book is answering my questions too. I can relate to some of them because that’s what I thought back then and now. Aku jumpa jawapan pada apa yang aku persoalkan dalam buku ini. I fell in love with her writing since the first chapter until the end.
Buku ini mengandungi 147 halaman cuma aku mengambil masa selama 3 hari untuk membacanya. Aku baca dengan perlahan untuk hadam semuanya agar masuk dalam hati dan fikiran. Ada juga beberapa ayat yang aku baca berulang kali sebab suka sangat ❤️ Semua bab pendek saja dan pada setiap hujung bab akan ada satu doa penulis untuk semua. Amin.
Antara bab yang menjadi kegemaranku adalah The Best Reminder of Life, How to be Happy with Your Self, Giving Everything Its Due, dan Your Journey Hints at Your End.
A light reading yet meaningful one. I really recommend it to everyone. Rating: 5/5 🌟.
Buku ini merupakan kompilasi 40 surat mengenai kehidupan penulis. Self-reflection about what happened in the author’s life on a daily basis and what did she learned in each situation. Banyak perkara yang penulis lalui yang membuatkan penulis bertanya akan kehidupannya sendiri dan akhirnya penulis sedar bahawa everything did happen for a reason.
Most of the reflection in this book is answering my questions too. I can relate to some of them because that’s what I thought back then and now. Aku jumpa jawapan pada apa yang aku persoalkan dalam buku ini. I fell in love with her writing since the first chapter until the end.
Buku ini mengandungi 147 halaman cuma aku mengambil masa selama 3 hari untuk membacanya. Aku baca dengan perlahan untuk hadam semuanya agar masuk dalam hati dan fikiran. Ada juga beberapa ayat yang aku baca berulang kali sebab suka sangat ❤️ Semua bab pendek saja dan pada setiap hujung bab akan ada satu doa penulis untuk semua. Amin.
Antara bab yang menjadi kegemaranku adalah The Best Reminder of Life, How to be Happy with Your Self, Giving Everything Its Due, dan Your Journey Hints at Your End.
A light reading yet meaningful one. I really recommend it to everyone. Rating: 5/5 🌟.
May 14, 2018
A collection of relatable self-reflection short notes which I may repeat every once in a while for self reminder. Touching the heart with simple yet beautifully written words. Love the way the writer composed her thought into words. Not in a rush to finish it.
May 11, 2021
I really appreciated the duas (supplications) at the end of every chapter😌💛. I appreciated learning more about the author's Islamic beliefs from a Sufi perspective (which I never really studied or knew about before) and at the core of it all, I felt like I truly gained a lot of jewels and valuable lessons from each story shared.
March 21, 2020
moved me to tears. really recommend this to everyone. it is so unlike the reflections I've read before. i detect hints of Sufi in this book. then again, I've read somewhere that Singaporean Malays/Muslims are heavily influenced by Sufism.
January 1, 2020
A beautiful collection of letters from Ms. Wahid. May her work be a testament to her strong belief, insha'Allah.
February 4, 2021
Another excellent read. Alhamdulillah 🥰
May 29, 2019
“Your today must be better than yesterday or else you have deteriorated”- Muhammad, God’s blessings and peace be upon him
I received a review copy of this book from Kube Publishing and once again I’m in awe of this publishing house and how rich the Muslim writers’ voice actually is.
Light Upon Light by Nur Fadhilah Wahid is a collection of 40 letters she wrote to her audience (I’m guessing she had/has a newsletter platform) between 2013 and 2014.
Each letter is essentially an introspective piece that Wahid ties to her spiritual journey and shares with several people around the world.
I like the book. “Like” is an understatement actually; I adore the book!
Although every letter revolves around us bettering ourselves as people and forging better relationships with our Lord, I love that Wahid showed us that she also falls short of these attributes. This nullifies that subconscious notion that only Pious people give out good advice or that you have to be without sin to enjoin good and forbid evil.
Another commendable feature of this book is the fact that Wahid employs lessons from various angles, even non-muslim narratives. She practices what she preaches, throughout the book: that we should take lessons from situations and places we find ourselves in our everyday lives and that that’s inherently Allah SWT wanting us to learn something (or to mould us into better versions of ourselves)
I’m grateful to Allah SWt for putting this book in my path. I pray that I learn internalize and emulate all the lessons that Fadhilah Wahid has tried to pass across to me. I pray that Allah SWt grant Fadhilah Wahid a never-ending reward for sharing these lessons and Kube publishing, for pushing it out to the world.
Get this book.
It’s a beautiful 5-star 🌟 Read
I received a review copy of this book from Kube Publishing and once again I’m in awe of this publishing house and how rich the Muslim writers’ voice actually is.
Light Upon Light by Nur Fadhilah Wahid is a collection of 40 letters she wrote to her audience (I’m guessing she had/has a newsletter platform) between 2013 and 2014.
Each letter is essentially an introspective piece that Wahid ties to her spiritual journey and shares with several people around the world.
I like the book. “Like” is an understatement actually; I adore the book!
Although every letter revolves around us bettering ourselves as people and forging better relationships with our Lord, I love that Wahid showed us that she also falls short of these attributes. This nullifies that subconscious notion that only Pious people give out good advice or that you have to be without sin to enjoin good and forbid evil.
Another commendable feature of this book is the fact that Wahid employs lessons from various angles, even non-muslim narratives. She practices what she preaches, throughout the book: that we should take lessons from situations and places we find ourselves in our everyday lives and that that’s inherently Allah SWT wanting us to learn something (or to mould us into better versions of ourselves)
I’m grateful to Allah SWt for putting this book in my path. I pray that I learn internalize and emulate all the lessons that Fadhilah Wahid has tried to pass across to me. I pray that Allah SWt grant Fadhilah Wahid a never-ending reward for sharing these lessons and Kube publishing, for pushing it out to the world.
Get this book.
It’s a beautiful 5-star 🌟 Read
November 18, 2021
Reading for the soul.
"In our race towards efficiency and productivity, we constantly find ourselves accelerating, running forward, and pushing our boundaries. How can we maximize our time and fill it with activities full of goodness? How do we fulfil a rainbow of responsibilities with only twenty-four hours in a day? As we find ourselves on board the bullet train, we forget to step off at each station to experience the beauty that is life."
Ella Susanna Maria Anderson :Esma
"May we always be open to chance encounters, may we always be full of love and warmth for others, and may we always be able to see beauty in others, amin."
"In our race towards efficiency and productivity, we constantly find ourselves accelerating, running forward, and pushing our boundaries. How can we maximize our time and fill it with activities full of goodness? How do we fulfil a rainbow of responsibilities with only twenty-four hours in a day? As we find ourselves on board the bullet train, we forget to step off at each station to experience the beauty that is life."
Ella Susanna Maria Anderson :Esma
"May we always be open to chance encounters, may we always be full of love and warmth for others, and may we always be able to see beauty in others, amin."
May 5, 2022
Re-read review:
Still one of my favourite reads of all time. If one were to ask me what kind of book I'd like to write for myself it'll be this. Letters full of reminders and full of love. Fadhilah writes succinctly but with deep thoughts and a directness that is raw yet not indecent. It is worth the reread.
-------
Pre-reread:
Reread one or two letters every year since I first read it in 2017/18
But planning to re-read the whole book in 2022 :)
Still one of my favourite reads of all time. If one were to ask me what kind of book I'd like to write for myself it'll be this. Letters full of reminders and full of love. Fadhilah writes succinctly but with deep thoughts and a directness that is raw yet not indecent. It is worth the reread.
-------
Pre-reread:
Reread one or two letters every year since I first read it in 2017/18
But planning to re-read the whole book in 2022 :)
November 5, 2021
The writing in this was incredibly raw that it felt like the author was writing each chapter to her younger self. It felt like I was prying into her diary because of how personal each entry felt. This was one of the books that I needed to read at this point in my life. It's a thin book with only 40 entries, but each one of them had me reflecting on my life that I would often find myself quoting from the book. It was also heart-warming to know that I'm not the only Muslim woman in her 20s struggling to find herself in the world, mentally, physically, and spiritually. Overall, I love her writing and I'm sure many other sisters would feel the same way.
November 11, 2022
"Speak only when needed, but smile to everyone all the time."
October 28, 2020
This was a much needed breath of fresh air, especially doing these turbulent times. "Light Upon Light" by Nur Fadhilah Wahid is not a book to make you feel content momentarily. It is meant to break you open and expose you. Fadhilah is unyielding in her own exposure, using the projections of her own Islamic journey to draw her readers in. Her emotions are my emotions, her worries are my worries, her aspirations are my aspirations. By honing in on her experiences, she gave me the gift of deep self-evaluation from a spiritual angle. From her letters, I realized that I must not allow myself to be drowned by the grief of the past; nor stricken with anxiety for the future. We must endeavor to stay in the present, despite how much we may want to escape. Having intentions of tawakkul (trust in Allah, swt) is one thing, but allowing yourself to go through with it is another. "Light Upon Light" will have you hooked from the moment you turn the first page.
October 17, 2020
This book is a compilation of self-reflection by the author, that she wrote as a letter to her readers.
She shared life event on daily basis, that's full with lessons when one decided to seek wisdom from it. So many things that she had gone through, that had made her started to question her life only then made her realized that everything did happen for a reason.
It's quiet mind blowing for me too, because most of the reflection in this book is kind of answering my loud mind that's been occupied with questions since the MCO.
I feel that it sort of calms my anxiety over the unknown of our future these days.
She shared life event on daily basis, that's full with lessons when one decided to seek wisdom from it. So many things that she had gone through, that had made her started to question her life only then made her realized that everything did happen for a reason.
It's quiet mind blowing for me too, because most of the reflection in this book is kind of answering my loud mind that's been occupied with questions since the MCO.
I feel that it sort of calms my anxiety over the unknown of our future these days.
January 1, 2020
Think journal enteries that are constant reminders of Allah. These anecdotes unpack the complexity of living in he dunya and still being God conscious. This is a great daily motivator and hugely recommended as an iman booster or even a starting point for anyone who wants to learn how to reflect.
April 12, 2018
I love, love all the reminders and reflections in every one of her letters. I think all of them are relatable to my journey towards relearning Islam and discovering my deeper self. This is definitely one of the very rare books that can both make readers think deeply and feel strongly about Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam.
Overall, a light read in quantity but a heavy read in quality- in a good way, of course! :)
Jazakillah khairan kathira for writing this book! I love the simple yet stylish design. A book that I would revisit, reread from time to time, inshaAllah.
Overall, a light read in quantity but a heavy read in quality- in a good way, of course! :)
Jazakillah khairan kathira for writing this book! I love the simple yet stylish design. A book that I would revisit, reread from time to time, inshaAllah.
July 22, 2018
Buku ni ditulis oleh penulis dari Singapura, berbahasa English dan ianya adalah kompilasi 40 surat yang penulis pernah kongsi dengan subscriber dia. Bercirikan self reflection dan sejenis buku keagamaan yang ringan dan menusuk terusss ke dalam hati hahaha..
Buku ni dah jadi my most favourite book sebab isinya sangat dekat dengan diri aku. Setiap persoalan yg sering aku persoalkan dalam hidup, aku jumpa jawapannya dalam buku ni. Setiap masalah yang aku hadapi, aku tak jumpa penyelesaiannya tetapi aku jumpa cara untuk menghadapinya. Alhamdulillah..
Aku sangat recommend buku ni untuk mereka yg nak cuba baca religious book tapi taknak yang mengantuk, boring dan masuk otak kiri keluar otak kanan (sebab aku juga begitu haha) sebab buku ni sangat light, straight forward, not judgemental dan sangat related dengan kehidupan kita sebagai hamba.
“The first step to making da’wah is love, not self-righteousness or the want to ‘save’ others”
Letter no 19 yang paling terkesan di hati aku. Aku belajar, yang kita boleh jadi jahat (riak dan takbur) tanpa sedar bila kita rasa kita lebih baik dr seseorang tu. Nauzubillah..
Terima kasih fadhilah kerana hasilkan buku ini. Tak sabar nak tunggu next book !
Buku ni dah jadi my most favourite book sebab isinya sangat dekat dengan diri aku. Setiap persoalan yg sering aku persoalkan dalam hidup, aku jumpa jawapannya dalam buku ni. Setiap masalah yang aku hadapi, aku tak jumpa penyelesaiannya tetapi aku jumpa cara untuk menghadapinya. Alhamdulillah..
Aku sangat recommend buku ni untuk mereka yg nak cuba baca religious book tapi taknak yang mengantuk, boring dan masuk otak kiri keluar otak kanan (sebab aku juga begitu haha) sebab buku ni sangat light, straight forward, not judgemental dan sangat related dengan kehidupan kita sebagai hamba.
“The first step to making da’wah is love, not self-righteousness or the want to ‘save’ others”
Letter no 19 yang paling terkesan di hati aku. Aku belajar, yang kita boleh jadi jahat (riak dan takbur) tanpa sedar bila kita rasa kita lebih baik dr seseorang tu. Nauzubillah..
Terima kasih fadhilah kerana hasilkan buku ini. Tak sabar nak tunggu next book !
July 18, 2019
Definitely not your average book. Almost feels like reading a diary with the ups and down, the self-doubt, the lack of trust in God, the resentment to God. .
.
The path to do good is not all flowery. The path to be consistent in your faith sometime become a struggle. This book is a book of a reminder. You don't have to rush the chapter or rush to finish it. Read it when you're in dire of lowest because it will remind you that you are never alone facing the trouble & worries of life.
.
.
I have been feeling like I am going through phase in my life that is hard to judge my emotion. I feel so alone in my tangled thoughts till I start reading again the untouched chapters. Although it doesn't 100% makes me feel better but it become a comfort in words that I have failed to express recently.
.
I hope you give this book a try. Perhaps it heals some wound that you've been failing to address.
.
The path to do good is not all flowery. The path to be consistent in your faith sometime become a struggle. This book is a book of a reminder. You don't have to rush the chapter or rush to finish it. Read it when you're in dire of lowest because it will remind you that you are never alone facing the trouble & worries of life.
.
.
I have been feeling like I am going through phase in my life that is hard to judge my emotion. I feel so alone in my tangled thoughts till I start reading again the untouched chapters. Although it doesn't 100% makes me feel better but it become a comfort in words that I have failed to express recently.
.
I hope you give this book a try. Perhaps it heals some wound that you've been failing to address.
November 4, 2021
2.5 Stars
Read this one for a Muslim Book Club. It has many insightful reminders and reflections that I personally benefited from. I have to say though, books that are a by-product of collected essays from blogposts, is not my preferred reading format for a book. However, I did enjoy the purpose of the short essays, they served as timely Allah reminders.
Overall, as someone raised in a completely different culture from the author herself, I had a hard time connecting to the examples shared in here. I'm uncomfortable rating a book that is literally someone else's lived experiences and their vulnerability with sharing their growth, so who am I to have an opinion on that? Therefore, my rating is a result of my unmet expectations and not about the quality of their work; which is clearly well thought-out and well-intended.
Read this one for a Muslim Book Club. It has many insightful reminders and reflections that I personally benefited from. I have to say though, books that are a by-product of collected essays from blogposts, is not my preferred reading format for a book. However, I did enjoy the purpose of the short essays, they served as timely Allah reminders.
Overall, as someone raised in a completely different culture from the author herself, I had a hard time connecting to the examples shared in here. I'm uncomfortable rating a book that is literally someone else's lived experiences and their vulnerability with sharing their growth, so who am I to have an opinion on that? Therefore, my rating is a result of my unmet expectations and not about the quality of their work; which is clearly well thought-out and well-intended.
August 13, 2018
It is raw, full of self-reflections from author that serves as a reminder for readers. You'll get to see the glimpse of how the author matures in her thought process, growing, building her self up. Shaping her, also shaping us.
September 24, 2018
Iium clan here. 🙋🏻♀️😁 A great book Alhamdulillah. I love how the author can relate her daily experiences with Islam & God. A light-reading yet insightful one mashaAllah.
May 31, 2020
A self reflection book.
Full of positive vibes and wisdom.
The whole book make me think Allah is sooo amazing.
And i’m being soo thankful after reading this book. Alhamdulillah
Full of positive vibes and wisdom.
The whole book make me think Allah is sooo amazing.
And i’m being soo thankful after reading this book. Alhamdulillah
May 25, 2020
It's like a 2am chat with a sister talking about life and Allah
May 23, 2020
Just read this yesterday even though this book has been in my TBR for the longest time!
Btw my review may have spoilers so read at your own risk
********************************************
Light Upon Light is a compilation of letters written by Fadhilah - the author - while pursuing her degree in a Malaysian university. The letters recount her personal encounters on love and her journey in returning to God with accompanying inner monologues and introspection.
I love reading books that make me go "Oh" or "Dang, I was like that too!". The righteous B who shoves down all things Islam down family member's throat? Been there, done that. Judgmental? Guilty as charged! Just like what Fadhilah said "when I first returned to Islam, I became almost tyrannical protecting my notion of what Islam is and [....] became extremely judgmental of others". Ding, ding, ding! Her struggles during the re-discovery period gives such a reassuring feeling to me that my struggles to re-learn the deen, to return to God are not exclusive and I am not alone.
Fadhilah succintly describes her encounters and they almost feel fiction - which is good and makes them easily be relatable. Her introspections are thoughtful and analytical. She will constantly connect her instrospections to the deen; emphasizing the importance of setting the right intention and vision, of always being in a state of remembrance of God - which then leads to the state of always being present and have self-awareness -, be wary of the dangers of heedlessness (which is a talk by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf that she also recommends to watch) and reminding to look beyond ourselves i.e. our Muslim identity and to love. In the 16th letter, Fadhilah wrote "Nothing in life happens by chance. Everything that happens to you, every single incident, every single moment, every single word or look someone gives to you, it all happens for one single purpose - to remind you of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala. And in the reminders are lessons that Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala is trying to teach you. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala is teaching you something. Hush. Listen." That people, is some high level self-awareness/be present stuff there, that I have yet to learn. Additionally in my opinion, that is how we are loved by Allah SWT - He gives us signs so we can learn and become a better person everyday.
Letter 34 particularly struck a chord with me. In the letter, she explains the reason Allah SWT seems not answering to some people in times of trials is not because of Allah SWT Himself not answering them, He do but that our veils prevent us from receiving the guidance and light from Him. Fadhilah further wrote, ".. [...].. I often ask myself why some could easily see the wisdom and beauty in a given situation, while others (okay... Me) could only see the wisdom a long... Long... Long... Time after the situation has taken place." When I read this, my eyes were wide open and I mouthed "SIS DAS ME TOOO, I'M SLOWPOKEEE". It is just so relatable! Fadhilah concluded "...[...]... because I was caught up in my own narrative...[...]... That I was veiled from seeing and understanding His narrative. In essence, I realised that I am my own barrier to God. I am the one that chose not to see Him. I am my own veil." Dang. That makes so much sense.
Anyway, if anyone is in the journey of re-learning the deen and returning to Him, I highly recommend reading this book (or if you are not, just pick it up and read!). The flow of each stories is gentle and relaxed. I can feel how observant the author is through her writing style and the way she lays out her musings in her encounters. They are careful and meticulous but easily understandable. Make this book as if it's a friend that will accompany and guide you throughout your journey; a friend that reminds you of Allah SWT when things become tough and it becomes the light in the path when the transformation becomes "heavy". No path is easy; after all, the path of hardship and trials is the path of the Prophets and the saliheen.
4.5/5⭐
P/S: If you read the translation and tafsir of the 35th verse of Surah An-Nur (24th surah) which is where the name of the book comes from, you can get to see the semblance of the tafsir for "light upon light" sentence with the author's encounters in finding God in the book. It feels like the encounters are the "light" and the lessons/signs/guidance that the author received from Allah SWT i.e. "upon light". But yeah, maybe it is just me.
Btw my review may have spoilers so read at your own risk
********************************************
Light Upon Light is a compilation of letters written by Fadhilah - the author - while pursuing her degree in a Malaysian university. The letters recount her personal encounters on love and her journey in returning to God with accompanying inner monologues and introspection.
I love reading books that make me go "Oh" or "Dang, I was like that too!". The righteous B who shoves down all things Islam down family member's throat? Been there, done that. Judgmental? Guilty as charged! Just like what Fadhilah said "when I first returned to Islam, I became almost tyrannical protecting my notion of what Islam is and [....] became extremely judgmental of others". Ding, ding, ding! Her struggles during the re-discovery period gives such a reassuring feeling to me that my struggles to re-learn the deen, to return to God are not exclusive and I am not alone.
Fadhilah succintly describes her encounters and they almost feel fiction - which is good and makes them easily be relatable. Her introspections are thoughtful and analytical. She will constantly connect her instrospections to the deen; emphasizing the importance of setting the right intention and vision, of always being in a state of remembrance of God - which then leads to the state of always being present and have self-awareness -, be wary of the dangers of heedlessness (which is a talk by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf that she also recommends to watch) and reminding to look beyond ourselves i.e. our Muslim identity and to love. In the 16th letter, Fadhilah wrote "Nothing in life happens by chance. Everything that happens to you, every single incident, every single moment, every single word or look someone gives to you, it all happens for one single purpose - to remind you of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala. And in the reminders are lessons that Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala is trying to teach you. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala is teaching you something. Hush. Listen." That people, is some high level self-awareness/be present stuff there, that I have yet to learn. Additionally in my opinion, that is how we are loved by Allah SWT - He gives us signs so we can learn and become a better person everyday.
Letter 34 particularly struck a chord with me. In the letter, she explains the reason Allah SWT seems not answering to some people in times of trials is not because of Allah SWT Himself not answering them, He do but that our veils prevent us from receiving the guidance and light from Him. Fadhilah further wrote, ".. [...].. I often ask myself why some could easily see the wisdom and beauty in a given situation, while others (okay... Me) could only see the wisdom a long... Long... Long... Time after the situation has taken place." When I read this, my eyes were wide open and I mouthed "SIS DAS ME TOOO, I'M SLOWPOKEEE". It is just so relatable! Fadhilah concluded "...[...]... because I was caught up in my own narrative...[...]... That I was veiled from seeing and understanding His narrative. In essence, I realised that I am my own barrier to God. I am the one that chose not to see Him. I am my own veil." Dang. That makes so much sense.
Anyway, if anyone is in the journey of re-learning the deen and returning to Him, I highly recommend reading this book (or if you are not, just pick it up and read!). The flow of each stories is gentle and relaxed. I can feel how observant the author is through her writing style and the way she lays out her musings in her encounters. They are careful and meticulous but easily understandable. Make this book as if it's a friend that will accompany and guide you throughout your journey; a friend that reminds you of Allah SWT when things become tough and it becomes the light in the path when the transformation becomes "heavy". No path is easy; after all, the path of hardship and trials is the path of the Prophets and the saliheen.
4.5/5⭐
P/S: If you read the translation and tafsir of the 35th verse of Surah An-Nur (24th surah) which is where the name of the book comes from, you can get to see the semblance of the tafsir for "light upon light" sentence with the author's encounters in finding God in the book. It feels like the encounters are the "light" and the lessons/signs/guidance that the author received from Allah SWT i.e. "upon light". But yeah, maybe it is just me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2022
Review dalam bahasa Indonesia:
Kusarankan buku ini dibaca pelan-pelan, dihayati, bahkan sehari satu sampai dua bab saja. Sesuai dengan judulnya "Light Upon Light" dimana ada pencerahan kembali setelah kejadian atau perenungan yang mengarah pada kebangkitan spiritual dan pikiran.
Ada sekitar 40 essay yang ditulis berdasarkan pengalaman pribadi penulis. Semua diawali dengan basmallah dan diakhiri dengan doa. Harapannya, dapat menjadi pribadi yang lebih baik, dan mengambil hikmah dari setiap aspek peristiwa.
Tulisan-tulisannya sederhana, mengalir, relate dengan anak muda usia 20an untuk memaknai hidup, agama, dan hubungan dengan Tuhan.
Zaman menuntut mayoritas manusia, terutama pada rentang usia 20an untuk bergerak lebih cepat, kritis, namun tetap dekat dengan keimanan. Tapi, apakah di antara yang serba cepat itu ada celah untuk sekadar "hening"? Atau bahkan jadi merasa paling beriman sehingga perlu mengkritik jalan yang ditempuh orang lain?
"You are still a student. Learn to learn, and learning means to be objective, not to be fanatic." (Hlm. 68)
Kusarankan buku ini dibaca pelan-pelan, dihayati, bahkan sehari satu sampai dua bab saja. Sesuai dengan judulnya "Light Upon Light" dimana ada pencerahan kembali setelah kejadian atau perenungan yang mengarah pada kebangkitan spiritual dan pikiran.
Ada sekitar 40 essay yang ditulis berdasarkan pengalaman pribadi penulis. Semua diawali dengan basmallah dan diakhiri dengan doa. Harapannya, dapat menjadi pribadi yang lebih baik, dan mengambil hikmah dari setiap aspek peristiwa.
Tulisan-tulisannya sederhana, mengalir, relate dengan anak muda usia 20an untuk memaknai hidup, agama, dan hubungan dengan Tuhan.
Zaman menuntut mayoritas manusia, terutama pada rentang usia 20an untuk bergerak lebih cepat, kritis, namun tetap dekat dengan keimanan. Tapi, apakah di antara yang serba cepat itu ada celah untuk sekadar "hening"? Atau bahkan jadi merasa paling beriman sehingga perlu mengkritik jalan yang ditempuh orang lain?
"You are still a student. Learn to learn, and learning means to be objective, not to be fanatic." (Hlm. 68)
August 12, 2019
Very few books have resonated with me like this one. It’s a collection of reflections from a girl on her journey back to her Rabb. I love the fact that she wrote about how her hijra affected the people around her, namely her family and close friends. I think that anyone who wishes to take on the spiritual journey back to Islam will inevitably face such obstacles, but I love how she eloquently explains how she dealt with it. Very few books would give practical advice on these kinds of situations, and instead of smearing her narrative she explains the why’s and how’s of it.
Her overall writing style is beautiful and this book has feels in all the right places. Very touching, I hope to read more work from her soon, InsyaAllah.
Her overall writing style is beautiful and this book has feels in all the right places. Very touching, I hope to read more work from her soon, InsyaAllah.
March 26, 2018
This book caught my attention because of the title. Light upon light which come from one of my favourite verse in the quran from surah An-Nur.
Definitely worth the trip to Singapore to buy this beautiful book. The writer able to touch my heart and teach me how to view the world from a better perspective. Alhamdulillah. I never read her writing before but definitely going to follow her after this.
Definitely worth the trip to Singapore to buy this beautiful book. The writer able to touch my heart and teach me how to view the world from a better perspective. Alhamdulillah. I never read her writing before but definitely going to follow her after this.
September 27, 2021
A beautiful collection of succinct reminders which kindly urge readers to remember Allah, reflect on our own actions and take small steps towards goodness for His sake. 'The Prophet's Touch' is my favourite piece which moved me to tears. Allahumma salli 'alaa sayyidina muhammad! 💕 The humility of the writer is a lesson in itself, it is refreshing and a trait that is easily lost among writers. May Allah reward sister Fadhilah Wahid for her efforts.
November 8, 2018
I loves all her writing in this book. It softly touch my heart. And i believe most of readers will feel that Ms Fadhilah wrote all those letters with her heart. She speaks the reality. She "speaks" what our mind and heart think and feel.
I hope more people will able to read your writings and may Allah bless you Jannah :')
I hope more people will able to read your writings and may Allah bless you Jannah :')
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