Muslim parents have an obligation to teach their children about Islam. There are a wide variety of ways to venture down that road by enrolling in classes, hiring a tutor, watching videos or educational television programming. One additional resource that deserves special mention is the use of stories and books. Alhamdulillah, all praise and thanks is for Allah, today Muslim families have LOTS of good resources to choose from.
While gathering material for an online class, I happened upon a book that does a great job explaining the challenging aspects of Eid-ul-Adha – or more specifically the story of Prophet Ibrahim’s sacrifice – to young children. Hamza Learns About Eid-ul-Adha is part of the Deen Kids series by Asna Chaudhry.
In the whimsical illustrations and simple text, our main character Hamza is helping his sister Aisha decorate for the upcoming Eid holiday. As they put up balloons, Hamza mentions that he “didn’t really understand what Eid-ul-Adha was.” Mama overhears and embarks on an explanation of the commemoration of Prophet Ibrahim’s, peace be upon him, willingness to sacrifice his son but she is interrupted before she can finish the story.
In that short lapse of time, Hamza’s imagination runs wild and then he starts to panic. He runs for shelter and tells his older brother Ali to do the same to protect them from having Papa sacrifice one of them in commemoration on Eid day.
Parents who have their own trepidation about describing the story of the sacrifice, particularly to young children, will find comfort in using this book to open a dialogue. In the book, Ali is able to finish the story and calm Hamza’s fears, explaining that “only animals are sacrificed on Eid-ul-Adha.” He further describes the manner of slaughter and the importance of the distribution of the meat.
The commemoration of the Hajj pilgrimage and Eid-ul-Adha provides a great opportunity each year for us to learn more ourselves and to share these lessons with our children. It is important to use the teachable moments to relay stories of our beloved prophets and also to discuss what obedience to Allah and His guidance look like in everyday life. Adding Hamza Learns About Eid-ul-Adha and other books in the Deen Kids series to your family library can help. For more information, visit Deen Kids online.
Zahirah Lynn Eppard is the managing editor of the Muslim Home parenting newsletter project. As Sound Vision’s Director of Education, she has also spearheaded the production of more than 500 online classes serving children ages 3-12 in the Adam’s World and Colors of Islam Clubs. Eppard has also worked in the field of education as a teacher, homeschooler, and Islamic school principal, as a marriage and crisis intervention counselor, and as a lobbyist and social justice activist. She lives with her husband, children, and grandchildren in Maryland.
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