I enjoy poetry, but don't feel qualified to review it.  I saw the first few sample pages of this collection though and felt compelled to give it a read, and while I can't confidently remark on the literary components, intellectual depth, or even symbolic power; I can say that I enjoyed the pieces.  I saw myself in many of the verses, felt a kinship to the author's autobiographical musings, and often paused and reread lines, seeing glimpses of my own reflection staring back at me.  At other places, and on numerous other pages, though I truly had no idea what was being said, what the author was trying to convey, and why the details at hand were being discussed.  The former teacher in me, wanted to break down the poems, find the meaning, and write a thesis statement to organize the individual reflections, and overall story arc being conveyed, but truly, I am not qualified, and at it's core, I do believe poetry should be felt.  I love that Islam is so present, that the symbolic and the real interweave throughout the 112 sparsely filled pages.  The exploration of family, faith, and journey of life feels real and vulnerable.  The book is an adult read, I think older teens though might see glimpses of themselves as well, and find a solace in the poetry on the page that they can so intimately relate to. Aside from enjoying the read, and looking forward to receiving my preorder to thumb through, I don't know that I have much insight to offer, sorry.

The book is divided into 4 sections: Ablution, Iqama, Salaah, and Salaam.  At each division there is a simple sketched drawing and a bit of a grounding paragraph of text.  From there the individual title poems range from a few stanzas to a page or more, standing alone but also connecting the ideas and themes that move the book forward.

Like memoirs, poetry is very personal. I find that I can not give a “negative” review. I can say however that this book of poetry was not for me. However, that does not mean that it it won’t be a great read for someone else.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Prayers of My Youth" by F.S. Yousaf is like a heartfelt hug wrapped in beautiful verses. 💖 This collection feels like a diary of the soul, where Yousaf opens up about his journey of growing up in the Islamic faith with such raw honesty. Each poem mirrors his personal experiences to the wisdom of those who came before him. It's a tender exploration of spirituality and self-discovery that left me reflecting on my own journey and walk of faith.

Thank you to NetGalley, Andrew McMeel Publishing, & the author for my advanced reader copy!

Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McNeel Publishing for the ARC!

F.S. Yousaf’s "Prayers of My Youth" is a lovely, warm, and wide-eyed collection of devotional poems.

Most of these pieces revolve around the speaker’s relationship to the Divine, though a few wade into romantic love. Regardless of the subject matter, every poem feels defined by a courageous and hard-won tenderness.

Instead of the anguish that dictates many spiritual poems, Yousaf shares a faith that allows him to write soft and simple poems. They carry the quietude of someone reading over you as you rub the sleep from your eyes.

That isn’t to say that this is a one-note collection.

There are moments of life’s ugliness that break through, as seen in “Devastation—,“ but they serve to deepen the book’s spirituality. We can feel the speaker making a conscious decision to pursue abstraction when life resists it.

In the end, "Prayers of My Youth" feels like a little book with a muscular humility—the kind that allows for worship.

This was indeed very deep and insightful. A different genre for me. I would recommend this to those whore into non fictional, spiritual reading.

3.25 stars.
This had really emotional writing but in terms of it being labelled as poetry fell flat. The writing wasn't really thought-provoking or had any depth to it. This was purely messy but in a good way because it was able to convey pain in different ways. I think that this was disorganised poetry where it tried to be like other poetry but failed. That doesn't mean I don't like it! I liked some of the symbolism and relation to religion and faith that it showed. Overall I did like this but I think the poetry lacked in depth.