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" When we remember who God is, when we praise and magnify Him, when we come needy and desperate for His forgiveness, we actualize who we truly are beneath the weight of our sins. Repentance is letting go of our baggage, because we understand that by Allah’s mercy we are not defined by our past. As the mystics say, “The ocean refuses no river,” so how could an infinitely merciful God refuse any sinner? We are not worthy of God’s forgiveness because of our repentance, but because God’s mercy embraces all things, including our sin. This is why the mystics cleverly repent to Allah by saying: “Oh Allah, plead on my behalf with Yourself, do what is worthy of You, not worthy of me! "
― A. Helwa , Secrets of Divine Love: A Spiritual Journey into the Heart of Islam
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" The Qur’an does not just lead us, it liberates us from the grips of the ego. It does not just guide us; it helps us grow past the shells of our limiting beliefs. It does not just confront us; it consoles us with God’s infinite mercy. It reminds us of our holy purpose, of how incredibly valuable we are in the eyes of God, and inspires us to live a life not simply based on our present limited capacity, but to trust that when we depend on God all things are possible by virtue of His infinite and all-encompassing power. The Qur’an is not meant to only be recited, it is meant to be taken in like the fragrance of a rose, deep within our essence, allowing it to permeate in the deepest recesses of our being. The Qur’an was sent as a pathway of return to God. As the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, “This Qur’an is the rope of Allah, and it is the clear light and healing. It is a protection for the one who clings to it and a rescue for the one who follows it. It is not crooked and so it puts things straight. "
― A. Helwa , Secrets of Divine Love: A Spiritual Journey into the Heart of Islam