One Breath at a Time

by Salatu E Sule

Life is not always easy. We face challenges, difficulties and hardship throughout our life journey. These highs and lows are a part of life. Sometimes however, we need that reminder that Allah is always there and these moments of hardship are not punishments but trials from Him to strengthen us, guide us and elevate us....one breath at a time. Faith, and knowing that we are never alone, shines a light in the dark spaces that grief creates within the heart. This book offers faith–inspired insights about grief and how to build resilience, one breath at a time.

148 pages, Paperback

Published September 8, 2021

Reviews

[Samia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit that this book surprised me! I’ve read similar ones before, although self-published, which were just difficult to get through. But why did I doubt Kube Publishing ?!

Salatu E. Sule walks us through her journey of grieving in “One Breath at a Time” in a refreshing way.

What I loved about the book and what surprised me the most was that she did not delve too deep into her own story of losing her child and her husband in a short span of time. Sometimes such stories can feel a little voyeuristic and I appreciated her approach. She instead opted to share just enough for us to feel her pain and for her to gain credibility while she then heavily emphasised *how* she lived and is living through it, her thought processes and most importantly, her changing perspectives of certain ayah of the Quran which walked her through the toughest moments.

I was inspired to read her reflections and her living experience with the ahadith. She did not skip the parts where she struggled and had unwanted thoughts but she did make a point to provide the alternative perspective which brought sakeenah into her life.

Salatu walks us through in short chapters starting from the first few days to the first few months after her loss. My favorite chapters were definitely towards the end when she rounded up her experience and shared her lessons, one of the best ones was “Asking ‘Why’.”

I related a little to the book not due to the loss of a loved one (may Allah preserve them) but due to the loss of my health with the Hashimoto’s diagnosis and a lot of Sister Salatu’s advice became a form of comfort for me too because grieving is grieving after all.

In short, this was a lovely read about grief and how to move on from it. Salatu did a great job at touching at different questions a grieving person might be delving into. It was broken down into very short chapters because sometimes that’s all you need. She was gentle in her lessons and it felt like an older sister was sharing with me her life lessons through the struggle.


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
There is no half a star option, otherwise I would give it 4.5 stars

[Fatima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Changed my perspective on grief immensely, Will definitely revisit from time to time

[Hyeyeongie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t expect this to be this good??!!

It’s
short (77 pages)
simple (easy English)
straightforward (all points are clear)
딱! You got everything you need. No unnecessary cliché explanation-this is the best part!
(Swipe left to see what I meant)

📖 Written from the life of the author herself- lost her son & husband, and how she handled the griefs. I- 🥺 No wonder she mentioned that she kept stalling because it was too hard to go on. Imagine having to tell yours! Though we might pass it, at some points, it is still unbearable

Her second pregnancy is one of her stories that struck me most. I’m not a mother (yet) but I can sympathise women who lost their unborn child but I never thought that men might experience 2 types of fear during childbirth; the loss of his child & his wife if anything happened during the procedure 😣

Each chapter is very brief, it’s like reading one’s diary or a long Facebook status😅, filled with life lessons & ayah/ hadith related

I love that most of the ayahs are very familiar to us as Muslims, we encounter or use it almost everyday. Insaan or human is forgetful (this meaning alone might need an Arabic class to explain haha) so including these ayahs/ hadith is a good way to refresh our knowledge and gain another insight from the author’s hindsight

HIGHLY RECOMMEND EVERYONE TO READ THIS! Also a perfect book as a gift 🎁

Thank you so much @kubepublishing for sending me this book, I love everything I read in here. 신심, honestly 🙌🏻

[Zainab Bint Younus · Rating 3 out of 5]

"One Breath at a Time: Finding Solace in Faith" by Salatu E. Sule (published by @kubepublishing) is a slim volume that provides reflections on grief and faith.

Touching on the author's personal experiences with both miscarriage and the loss of her first husband, One Breath at a Time shows us how it is faith in Allah alone that can truly help a believer work through some of life's most difficult tests. The author's connections to various ayaat, ahadith, and ad'iyah give us new insights into the many ways that these blessed words apply to our lives.

"Fluffy stuff" isn't usually my cup of tea, but I could appreciate what this book has to offer, and I know that many people will certainly benefit from it! For those who have asked me about Islamic books on grief and mourning, I definitely recommend this.

[Saff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a little book of reflections. I didn't know much more about it other than it's about grief, before picking it up. These reflections ring true and the author is really brave to express her grief and the aftermath, which isn't easy to do. I like the religious/spiritual approach to dealing with grief and the Quranic verses that provide her with solace during these times. A useful little guide for navigating grief.

[Bara'ah Iversen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jazakillah khair dear sister for sharing your story. I was inspired by your God consciousness as you journeyed through your trials. May Allah bless you and your family in this life and the next, ya rab ameen 🤲

[siso.sofy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, simple but very inspiring. Sharing a personal story is not easy because you need to share your most vulnerable side. But the lesson you can take away from this book is very beautiful.

[Aisha (thatothernigeriangirl) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short but insightful and truly beautifully written book mashaAllah. Absolutely recommend for any Muslim who is dealing with grief.

[Fareen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Touching story. Really depicts the pain of losing loved ones. Definitely a good one for anyone struggling with grief

[She Reads Sometimes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this. Especially if you've been through a hard time or are experiencing a tough time. Interestingly, I first picked up this book few months before my world changed forever. It was as if I was subconsciously preparing myself for loss I was about to experience. And then I read it a year after as I was still coming to terms with the loss. A short book with weighty content, to be revisited again and again.

[sadyyy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The chellenges of life, the reality, the losses and the way forward! Masha’Allah well written🫶🏽 Simple, short and beneficial