Making Art Out of Pain

by Idayu Mumtaz Iskandar

‘Is it possible for beautiful things to come from a place of hurt and disappointment?’

A beautiful life is not always one that goes on smoothly. A beautiful life is when the soul finds a way to make peace with the rough edges of existence. A beautiful life is interpreting the whole spectrum of human experiences, through the lens of faith.

Fuelled by revealed divine verses and pressing personal reminiscences, this book coupled with vivid metaphorical watercolour artworks offers ten crafts to carry on when in the throes; to challenge what we perceive events in life to represent, how we respond to the unexpected, unfamiliar, and unpleasant, and what we choose to become in the face of everything.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction

192 pages, Paperback

Published February 21, 2022

About the author

Idayu Mumtaz Iskandar ialah seorang anak jati Sabah yang merupakan sebahagian daripada Majlis Perwakilan Pelajar UIAM 2018/2019 dan Exco Pendidikan Kesatuan Pelajar UIAM 2019/2020. Terlibat aktif sebagai panelis dalam beberapa forum membicarakan hal ehwal mahasiswa, isu-isu nasional dan antarabangsa. Beliau juga tampil dalam rancangan TV mewakili suara mahasiswa membicarakan topik terkini dan isu semasa. Sebagai aktivis mahasiswa yang sentiasa mengutamakan aspek pendidikan, beliau percaya bahawa dunia yang lebih baik dan adil adalah apabila tiada kanak-kanak yang tertinggal dalam mendapat akses pendidikan yang berkualiti.

Reviews

[Nas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second time reread and definitely, I found something new that I overlooked when I first read it. But here’s my review for the 1st time experience reading this book:

Making Art Out of Pain is a nonfiction book that focuses on healing, growth and moving forward from life’s circumstances that comprises of 10 chapters.

This book is great especially for Muslim to boost life’s motivation and enhance readers to connect with the pain and embrace it as part and parcel of life. It serves as a perfect reminder to ground ourselves no matter what life throws us.

With less than 200 pages and beautiful illustrations, my reading experience is easy and interesting. The sentences used are metaphorical; while it adds to the beauty, i find it quite difficult to interpret and digest it at times.

Of all the 10 chapters, I like chapter 10 the most as it provides a number of beneficial prompts for readers to reflect on in the journal.

[Najwa in her debut era · Rating 4 out of 5]

Making Art Out Of Pain

The title itself is captivating for me so I decided to bought this book during KLAB22.

I honestly not a fan of self help books, maybe it is due to too many writers that promote toxic positivity or I myself do not find that self help books could help me to heal.

I discovered this book when I joined a space from Twitter, that gather all writers that published they books and promote it due too KLAB22 event. I instantly fell in love with the writer's voice, I rasa macam "baiknya the way she talk! I need to buy her book."

And I do not have regret on buying this book. It does help me in many things, embracing the pain, defined it, trusting Allah's plan and many more. It taught me so many things and yes the bonus of this book is the writer's way of writing, I've mentioned it before the way she talk is nice kan? And the writing also, it fells like someone tengah pujuk you.

Rasa macam ada orang tengah hantar surat cinta.

There's one chapter that hit me so hard, painting gratitude. I cried, it described myself a lot.

This book is a good read for those who want to heal from they pain.

After all, it is yourself who want to heal, your choice to move on, your choice to help yourself, your choice to embrace the pain and make it into an art in your own museum.

[Hyeyeongie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Puteh Press in exchange for an honest review for Making Art Out of Pain Book Tour organised by Untitled Bookclub in collaboration with Puteh Press

One sentence, this is a book I’d gladly read again when in need

It is a short book, with 10 chapters curated to help us in recognising pain, embracing it, redesigning it alongside with trust and faith - basically turning pain into arts

I feel like reading love letters sent in the mailbox! The writing is truly captivating, beautifully written especially when author is able to put into writing the exact words one couldn’t utter in loud 🥲

And this book strikes me as a good one when the first page of preface says, “No two museums contain the exact same arts but they all share some things in common. They document the past..”, really she’s good with words

One thing I felt short is when author use more analogy-like example “imagine if this person..” to elaborate the situations. I rather have real-life examples to get the points more sentimental and direct to heart

Anyhow, seeing that the author is an Usul Al-Din major, I see that she managed to integrate Quran & Hadith into the key points. Integration, Islamisation, now, a Comprehensive Excellence 🙌🏻

Other plus points in the book are:

1. beautiful artworks
2. infographic for points summary at the end of chapter
3. questions for carpentry which I think could be an extensive work - probably a reading journal book? 😉

This author has a knack in writing and I’m looking forward to read more from her!

[Nisaa Aiman · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first, friends suggest this book to me. I never thought that this book would be among the best self-help book I ever read. The way the author wrote this book like she is there beside me trying to sooth me. Most of the chapter in this book are relatable to my life until I can’t hold my tears every time i read it.

“Struggle in life are inevitable but we can choose to struggle with Allah, that is to make the struggles be the means which bring us close to him, within which lies solace for the soul.” — Making Art Out of Pain

[Amelia Zulkifli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cried few times reading this book. That's how good it was. This book deserve the full 5 stars as it not as typical 'healing' book.I've read few of them but this one is different. I don't know how to say it but..the author words.. masyaAllah soothe the heart, may Allah bless her with His gifts of capable of writing truly from her heart to help other people with pains to heal.

We may have the pain from the past, our childhood or current pain that we ignores until we didnt realize it consume us too much. This book just touch the accurate issues and problems we often have and how to tackle it. The steps are all completely do-able without overwhelming us the reader.

I absolutely love it.. as I just lost a child in my womb.. that's certainly a pain that no one would wish to go through and this book really came at the perfect time.

[insaneAlice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Self help books are really not for me, thus this book is not my favourite but, but- the preface got me hooked up!

as an inf(introvert-intuitive-feeling) this books hit some spots deeply, it feels like reading a confession, a soothing consult.

My favourite chapter would be Chapter 5, Capturing Trust & Chapter 6, Painting Gratitude. Love how at the end, all chapter titles are indeed the 'art' of pain & how the author generalise the pain as 'pain' because other people experience different pains.

again, thank you to Mr Hisham Salmin for all the beautiful arts, its really soothing having such nice watercolor arts in between pages

recommended for someone who need a gentle, soothing encouragement in life.

[Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a chicken soup for the soul. Honestly, I not a big fan of self-help book. But this consider as the best book I’ve ever read. There’s a lot of great tips and some morals that penetrate to your heart. I can feel the warmness of the messages. It helps to get your soul & yourself close to your Creator. However, sometimes it’s a bit confusing, I’m still figuring out the type of pain that the author mentioned either pain in a relationship or pain due illness or lost. But I’ll conclude it is a general pain that you experienced either in relationship, broken etc.. I think this will be a good therapy for someone in recovery state.

Credit to all the beautiful illustrations.

[TheBliss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across this book when I went to MPH. The moment I take a peek on the contents, instantly I love what I read here. The comforting words are like someone said to me the words that I needed the most when I’m in the verge of breaking down. I love , love how the author’s word feels like hugging me from the back and supporting me. I even write it down few sentences and paragraphs from this book in my diary to be read again and again whenever I need it. If you are exhausted soul which feels so done with this world, please read this book. Thank you author ❤️

[Khairunnadia Abdul Suhaimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yang tulis ni pemimpin di kampus. Saya tidak mengenalinya secara in person tapi melalui buku yang ditulis saya dapat memahami pemikirannya dan refleksi yang dibuat dalam bahasa yang mudah. Saya syorkan pelajar yang mahu membaca dalam Bahasa Inggeris yang kandungannya dakwah, untuk memilih buku ini. Dakwah yang dimaksudkan ialah dakwah pada diri sebelum dakwah kepada orang lain.

اصلح نفسه و ادعو غيرك

[Pluviophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book helps me the moment I need it the most. I had these worries regarding my future previously. The book definitely guides me in the sense that we should appreciate what we have today, so that we can live better for tomorrow. A good catch for everyone who seeks comfort through words I must say.

[Ummu Sakeenah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buku paling best saya pernah baca, Subhanallah🥺 bahasa pon tak terlalu tinggi, mudah faham. Setiap page ada ayat2 healing utk kita fikir n hadam. Bukan tipikal buku healing. kena sgt ayat cover page buku ni, “we knew nothing, Allah knows everything” ❤️❤️

[Nanadhoi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating sebenar : 4.4/5.0 ⭐️

Suka gaya penyampaian penulis, ada beberapa isi yang saya boleh relate and ada some part yang made me reflect on things. Its okay to be sad, but whats more important kita kena find ways on how to use the pain untuk kita dapat bangkit semula dengan kekuatan yang baru.

[kaddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring in a gentle way.

The author was my senior in highschool and is someone who my classmates and I have always look up to, she is the benchmark for us to success back then. It is refreshing to learn about her thoughts, how she think, how she accept the pain, how she stay true to herself.

[Dina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories are relatable, heart wrenching at the same time it gives us hope, a realistic hope.

[Amal Jamal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dini gifted me this book. What I like about it is the author embellished the pages with her paintings — such beautiful ones — correlating with the the topics being discussed. I love the way she used her flair for words.

[pikavocado · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the first 4 chapters, i cried bcs it is literally the same as my circumstances.

[Fara'Ain · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75/5 ⭐

I like the key takeaways at the end of every chapter and in the last chapter it provides a number of beneficial prompts for readers to reflect on in the journal.

[Lily Nadia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great book and great reminder.. love her style of writing.. would recommend many to read

[z ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great. Like amazing opulent fantastic terrific breathtaking tear-jerking jaw-dropping great. The author accurately describes our deep feelings that are hard to verbalize into much lovely sentences. I wanted to quote certain parts of the book but everything is just so good might as well quote the whole thing. Lovely work.

This book is one of the few books that actually helped me with acceptance. To accept things as is, to not let myself burdened by things I can’t control. Some chapters help me grow, some help me forgive myself and others. But most certainly all of them make me closer to the Creator of All. So many Quran verses shared that makes me more excited to read the Quran. Subhanallah may Allah bless the author. ❤️