Book list

1. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini — Afghanistan and California

Why you should read it: You’ll have a really good cry and also learn about the ethnic and religious conflict in Afghanistan.The Kite Runner’s depiction of Afghanistan and Afghan immigrants was a resounding hit at the time of its release and holds up extraordinarily well to this day.

2. Minaret by Leila Aboulela — Sudan and Britain

What it’s all about: A young, secular Sudanese woman moves from the party life of Khartoum to a quiet life of service in London.

Why you should read it: Minaret is a subtle portrayal of the complex internal world of an orthodox Muslim woman as well as a criticism of classism in Muslim communities at home and abroad.

3.The Good Muslim by Tahmima Anam — Bangladesh

What it’s all about: A doctor comes home to find that the 1971 Bangladeshi war of independence from Pakistan has utterly changed her relationship with her brother, now a local religious leader.

Why you should read it: It will open your eyes to the trauma of independence on Bangladesh and the complicated role of faith in the young nation.

4. No God But God: The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam

Though it is the fastest-growing religion in the world, Islam remains shrouded in ignorance and fear for much of the West. In No god but God, Reza Aslan, an internationally acclaimed scholar of religions, explains this faith in all its beauty and complexity.  

Religion, it must be understood, is not faith. Religion is the story of faith." That is the reader's key to this fascinating account of the origins and development of Islam. Faith is a way of moving and being in the world; religion is a body of traditions and practices and institutions that preserve the story of how to move and be in the world that way. 

5.Enjoy your life 

The aim of the book is to train the reader to enjoy living his life by practicing various self-development and inter-personal skills. What is so compelling and inspiring about this book is that, in order to highlight the benefit of using social skills, the author draws from the lives of the Prophet (S) and his Companions.