Whether you want to feed your spirit or your belly, Diwan has some excellent recommendation this month for anyone in need of nourishment for the soul. Dip into any of these titles while you while away the hours till iftar time!

Conversations with God

An Uncommon Dialogue: Embracing the Love of the Universe

By Neale Donald Walsch

Conversations with God Book 1 began a series that has been changing millions of lives for more than ten years. Written as dialogues in which the author asks questions and God answers, Walsch issues you a formal invitation to bring into existence a world in which more and more people have the opportunity to experience God’s presence and to understand the virtually unlimited opportunities of life on this planet.

Essential Sufism

By Robert Frager, James Fadiman

Essential Sufism draws together more than 300 stories, fables, aphorisms, short writings, and poems that reveal the heart of Islamic spirituality. Each selection has been chosen for the beauty and emotional impact that have made the work of Sufi writers. The poets and writers chosen here will fascinate newcomers to Sufism and provide a matchless overview of a spiritual tradition that has touched a dozen cultures and endured for more than 1,500 years.

No God but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam 

By Reza Aslan

Internationally acclaimed scholar Reza Aslan explains the origins and evolution of Islam all its beauty and complexity, addressing the events of the past decade and analyzing how they have influenced Islam’s position in modern culture. This elegantly written account explains the magnificent yet misrepresented faith in an engaging, accessible, and thought-provoking book sure to stimulate discussion and encourage understanding of the Islamic faith and the people who follow it.

Levant: New Middle Eastern Flavours

By Rawia Bishara, Jumana Bishara

Rawia Bishara believes one of the greatest assets of Middle Eastern cuisine is its inherent fluidity, its remarkable capacity to adapt and transform over time. In Levant, she offers more than 100 recipes that represent a new modern style. These are the very best of the dishes she has developed over the last twenty years in her New York City restaurant for the contemporary palate. Relying on a traditional pantry (including olive oil, tahini, za’atar, sumac), she updates classic flavor profiles to dazzling effect.

Rawia takes the Mediterranean diet a step further by focusing on dishes that are naturally vegetarian or vegan and gluten-free, as well as meat dishes where vegetables take the leading role. These recipes represent the way more and more people eat and cook today.

Levant explores the sensational cross-cultural possibilities of culinary exchange; it sets the path for the future of Middle Eastern cooking.

From a Persian Kitchen: Authentic Recipes and Fabulous Flavours from Iran

By Atoosa Sepehr

Author and photographer Atoosa Sepehr offers not just mouthwatering traditional Iranian recipes, but also her own sumptuous photographs of both her food and the people and landscapes of Iran.