THE FRAGRANCE OF FAITH: The Enlightened Heart of Islam

Rahman, a writer of Bangladeshi descent, expresses deep spiritual themes in this primer, the first book to be published by the Book Foundation of California. Most of Rahman's insight comes from the teachings of his paternal grandfather, Maulana Hedayatullah, who was a spiritual teacher and healer in Northern Bengal. These teachings were passed down to Rahman by his late parents, who added lessons of their own. The real core of the book is Rahman's persistent enthusiasm for developing individual spirituality within the context of Islam. Although some of his spiritual guidance is too abstract to be meaningful to most, he helpfully ends most chapters with a list of "practices" for the reader. Some contain constructive suggestions, such as examining one's actions at the end of each day, making a list of those people one has lied to and allowing oneself to experience new feelings. The two sections of the book—the first describing "Three Principles of Islam" and the second on the Five Pillars of Islam—contain short chapters, making for an easy read. Rahman cites Islamic fables (which many Muslim readers will pleasantly recall) to express a point or Islamic value, including the delightful misdeeds of the fictional Mullah Nasruddin, Islam's great comic foil. Numerous inspirational quotations from the Qur'an, the Prophet Muhammad and Sufi poets, particularly Rumi, provide foundation for the spiritual striving Rahman espouses. He succeeds in sharing "something of the fragrance of Islam," affectionately introducing a religion based on a vigorous inner journey. (May)