On Friday, August 16, 2013, twenty-six-year-old Amr Kassem attended a peaceful protest in Alexandria, Egypt along with thousands of others, rallying against the mass injustices taking place in the aftermath of the coup d’etat by the Egyptian military under the command of Abdel Fattah al_sis. As Kassem returned home to his family, an Egyptian army sniper shot and killed him, leaving a woman widowed and a child fatherless.
A Temporary Gift is a record of journal entries written by Kassem’s widow, Asmaa Hussein, during the two years following his departure from this world.
This book is about re-learning how to live in the face of immense trauma. It is a reminder that beyond the pain and darkness of loss there is still the potential of light in patience and constancy.
300 Pages, 5×8″ paperback.
“Asmaa’s heartfelt prose skillfully takes us on a journey of wisdom and insight that could only be forged by experiencing great pain with courage. Her words remind us of just how fragile and short-lived the realities we cling to are, while calling us to look through them to the only permanent truth as our true sanctuary.”
-Dalia Mogahed, Director of Research at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding
“Asmaa Hussein’s testimony is deeply moving, and eye-opening. This book is the journey of a courageous woman, a committed wife and a sincere and principled believer. She makes sense of a dramatic experience while remaining faithful to both her values and hopes. Having lost her beloved husband and as she continues to strive for justice and dignity, she is so right in recalling this fundamental truth: ‘Nothing is permanent. Not even pain.’”
–Dr. Tariq Ramadan, professor at the University of Oxford
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