Did you know that Hajj is based on the life of Ibrahim (AS) and his sacrifices? Read the story below to learn some of the history of Hajj.

Safa and Marwa

When Ibrahim (AS) was 86 years old, Allah instructed him to take his wife Hajar and their baby Ismail (AS) to the Arabian desert. There was nothing there, except for miles and miles of sand dunes. There was no fruit or water, and no people to be seen anywhere.  

Allah told Ibrahim (AS) to leave Hajar and Ismail (AS) there alone, so he took them to the top of a mountain called Marwa, and left them under the shade of a tree with some dates and water.

After a while, the dates and water ran out and both Hajar and Ismail (AS) were very hungry and thirsty. Hajar began looking for help and ran to top of the next mountain, which was called Safa. She looked across the valley, hoping to see someone who could help her, but there was nobody in sight. Then she ran back up to the top of Marwa, looking for help from there, but again, there was nobody there.

Hajar ran seven times, up and down between Safa and Marwa. When she reached Marwa for the last time, she saw an Angel come down from Heaven, and make a hole in the Earth, until water flowed from that place! This became the spring of ZamZam. 

She drank the water and fed Ismail (AS), and the Angel told her not to worry about being left alone as this was the place of the House of Allah.

Because of the water, lots of travellers passed by and people started to live there. This place became known as Makkah.

The Qurbani

Years later, Ibrahim (AS) returned to Makkah and found Ismail (AS) as a healthy and thoughtful young man. One night Ibrahim (AS) had a dream. In his dream, Allah told him that he must sacrifice Ismail (AS). He told Ismail (AS) about his dream, and Ismail (AS) agreed that it should be done because Allah had asked him to.

Ismail (AS) went into Sujood, ready to be sacrificed for the sake of Allah. At that moment Allah sent down a ram and told Ibrahim (AS) that he will be rewarded for obeying His command and that he can sacrifice the ram instead of Ismail.

Building the Ka’bah

After that, Ibrahim (AS) and Ismail (AS) taught people about Allah and how to worship Him, but they needed a special place where they could worship Allah in peace. One day, Allah told Ibrahim (AS) to build the Ka’bah. Ismail (AS) collected the stones and his father built the walls. When they had finished, Angel Jibreel came down from Heaven and taught Ibrahim (AS) the rituals of Hajj.

Can you make a sacrifice of your own?

Choose your favourite toy and let your brother or sister play with it for one day.

One night, Anisah had a lovely dream.

She dreamt that she travelled all the way back in time on her flying carpet with Adam through the hot glittery deserts, until they reached the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah!

Peeking through the door made of straw, they saw Abu Bakr (RA) crying as he read the Qur’an, and Suhaib (RA) from Rome, with his blonde hair, playing catch with Abu Hurairah’s (RA) little kitten.

Next to him, was Salman the Persian, talking to Khalid (RA) about digging trenches! They looked like they were having fun!

Little Anas (RA) ran past them rushing to send a message to Fatima, whilst his younger brother Umayr, jumped around trying to catch his pet bird Nughair.

Just outside the Mosque was Rufaidha Al Aslamiyya, the surgeon. She was talking to the Companions about different medicines, whilst Aisha listened carefully from behind her curtain.

There was lots of excitement when Bilal (RA) walked through the Mosque, smiling as he climbed up to give the call to prayer.

Adam and Anisah sat quietly and listened to his voice echoing through the skies of Madinah.

Suddenly, the flying carpet began to move and jump, as the Prophet (SAW) stepped out of his room and smiled at all his wonderful friends from all over the world.

With one last look at the Prophet’s Mosque, Adam and Anisah jumped back on the flying carpet just in time as it soared into the sky and zoomed away to return back home…

“Buzzzzzz'' went the alarm in Anisah’s bedroom, as she jumped up and ran straight into Adam’s room to tell him all about their night time adventure on the flying carpet!

Community:

A group of people who live in the same place or who have things in common.

Have a Chat

• What was special about the Prophet’s (SAW) Mosque?

• Are you part of a community?

• What makes your community special?

• If you went back in time and visited the Prophet’s Mosque, who would you want to talk to?

Hello friends! It's me Anisah.

Let me tell you about my day so far…

I woke up reaalllyy early. The sky outside was a little bit dark and the big hand on the clock was only pointing at 6. I tried going back to sleep...I scrunched up my eyes like little raisins and tried to count sheep and rabbits and horses and grumpy frogs, but nothing was working! I was too excited about wearing my World Book Day costume!

Adam had helped me make it at home. It was a superhero costume with a glittery gold cape and a wooden shield that I painted in lots of different colours and decorated with shiny gems.

I haven't decided on a superhero name yet so maybe you can help me out. 

I played with my toys in my room for a little while until Adam woke up. Then we went downstairs to have breakfast - cocopops with marshmallows and a strawberry yoghurt smoothie! My favourites!

Because it was World Book Day, my teacher planned lots of fun activities for us to do at home. I decorated my own bookmark and drew a picture of my costume and shared it with everyone in my class to see on the laptop!

After lunch, we had a story writing competition! Miss said that we could ask our brothers and sisters to help us write... so I asked Adam because he had finished all of his school work! He's very clever!

Our story is sooooo funny!! Adam says it's a bit silly and a bit stinky but it has a very, very important lesson.

Miss is going to announce the winner of the competition tomorrow, but I wanted to share my story with you. Let me know what you think of it!!

I hope you enjoy it :D

Lots of love,

Anisah (and Adam)

P.S I have a joke for you. Why did the M&M go to school? Because it wanted to be a smartie!

P.P.S Please send me your favourite jokes!

Imaad’s Lethal Farts

Imaad loved farting.

Most people like to do quiet, secret, piffly farts, but Imaad loved his loud, smelly and trumpety!

He farted first thing in the morning.

He farted when he ate his school dinners in the canteen.

He farted in his sister Salma’s face when she was exercising.

He even farted when he met the Queen on her birthday!

Wherever he went, a smelly smell lingered like boiled eggs and cabbage.

“Imaad must have just walked past” Postman Adam would say in the morning as he dropped off letters in the neighbourhood.

“Imaad have you been sitting in my seat?!” Miss Hope would yell after wet play time.

The school even had to give all the children a special gas mask to wear and an alarm would go off whenever there had been a particularly bad fart!

“Why has nobody told Imaad to stop farting?” you might be wondering. And rightly so.  

You see, everyone had tried.

His mum had tried.

His dad had tried.

His sister had tried.

His brother had tried.

His teacher had tried

The butcher, the baker and candlestick maker had tried.

Even the Queen had tried (but that’s a story for another day)!!

Until they all gave up.

Then something extraordinary happened.

It was the first Friday of Ramadhan and Imaad’s first ever visit to the Mosque with his family.

The Ali family all piled into the car like sardines and drove until they reached the Mosque... one street away.

The Mosque was beautiful! With glittery lights, fluffy carpets and a huge box full of money for charity.

Imaad stood in the row with his dad on one side and an old uncle on the other side and tried his best to concentrate.

When the Imam started praying, the sound of the prayer was so peaceful that Imaad forgot where he was.

And that’s where the trouble started...

Because suddenly, out of nowhere and into the silence came a BIG...

FARRRRRRTTTTT

A fart so loud that the glittery lights began to shake, the windows rattled, the floor quaked and the smoke alarm started beeping.

And everyone stopped their prayer

And turned their heads

And pointed their fingers

And looked right at...

Imaad.

*gulp*

Then came the grumbles, the groans the angry whispers and the sounds of ladies puking into their bags.

For the first time in his life, Imaad just wanted that fart smell to disappear!

And just as it looked like Imaad was in danger of being led out of the Mosque, a loud ssssssshhhhhh quietened the noise.

The Imam. In his clean white robes and neatly tied turban. Standing in front of Imaad with his hand stretched out.

*Gulp*

Imaad prepared himself for a telling off. “I probably deserve it”, he thought.

Instead...

The Imam let out a loud Takbeer!

“Allahu Akbar!”

Everyone in the Mosque looked at each other confused. Was the Imam ok?

But the Imam pointed to a pair of black boots behind the box of money for charity. Black boots that belonged to a pair of skinny legs. Skinny legs that belonged to a robber dressed in black and white. A robber who had been knocked out by Imaad’s lethal fart just as he was about to steal the Mosque’s charity box!

“Allahu Akbar!” the men all yelled.

“Imaad’s fart knocked out the robber” the children cheered!

“Hooray for Imaad” the ladies whooped.

“That’s my brother!” Salma shouted.

In the excitement as the robber was taken away by the policemen, nobody heard the kind gentle words between the Imam and Imaad.

But from that day onwards. There was a big change.

Now, Imaad only farts when he absolutely needs to.

And his farts are so quiet and secret and piffly, that no one can hear them! Not even a mouse!!

Of course, the story of Imaad’s robber-stopping fart became legendary and Imaad now has a spot reserved for him behind the Imam whenever he visits the Mosque.

And every year on the first Friday of Ramadhan, the people in the town come together to celebrate the day of Imaad’s lethal fart!

The End