Readers’ Choice 2023 Announced

Dear Reader,
Thank you for submitting your votes for this year’s Readers’ Choice. The results are in.

Your choice is: Sex, Soul and Islam. Written by Osman Sidek and Enon Mansor, and published by Claritas (UK).

Wardah Books is happy that an original work by Singapore authors has won recognition among our readers. Indeed it is a subject that is of immense importance because sex is so pervasive and is so dominant in contemporary culture — even if we don’t want to admit it.

Together with Maktabah Books, we hosted a book club on this title earlier this year and the discussion was lively and candid. With the help of the book and its authors, we came to realise that it is important for Muslims to reclaim the discourse on sexuality and recover its legitimate place in Islamic spirituality. We must move away from the post-modern profanation of sex and its pornographic instrumentation and exploitation.

We reached out to the Singapore-based authors and they had this to say:

“By now, we sense that Sex, Soul and Islam is having a little image problem. Unimpressed friends have written it off as “oh, that sex book”. Unmarried readers told us of raised eyebrows from family members upon seeing the title. And one organiser even suffered verbal abuse and accusations of being “shameless” for organising a talk related to this book. So we are pleasantly surprised that Wardah Books fans see it worthy to be the book of their choice for this year.

Despite the “Sex” in the title, this book is NOT a manual of sexual techniques, positions, and such. We believe those who actually venture into its pages would find the promise of “Soul and Islam” expounded in its chapters as they discover the sex-soul dynamic in a believer’s Earthly pursuit towards Paradise. This vote of confidence encourages us to continue our work to de-taboo talking about sex and to promote respectful sexual education among Muslims.”

Click here to purchase this book as well as their earlier book, Tranquil Hearts: A Guide to Marriage.