Ask your children:
1. What should we do when we are in difficulty?
2. Who should we turn to for help?
3. How should we treat the poor?
Now tell them the story:
Ismaa‘eel was a little boy who always had a smile on his face. He was very hardworking and Allah Ta‘ala had made him intelligent. He always came out first in madrasah and it was his dream to become a pious Moulana one day.
Once, Ismaa‘eel’s father suddenly fell very ill! His sickness became worse and worse, until three days later, he passed away. Because his mother was alone, Ismaa‘eel had to leave madrasah and help her at home. They had very little money, and sometimes there was no food in the home for days. Ismaa‘eel and his mother would be starving, but they never ever complained or begged. They remained patient and happy with whatever Allah Ta‘ala had decided for them.
One night, Ismaa‘eel and his mother sat together, staring out of the window. They were looking at the full moon shining in the sky and were admiring how beautiful it was. Ismaa‘eel was very hungry and all he could think about was food! He told his mother, “Mummy! The full moon looks like a big round roti! I make du‘aa that Allah Ta‘ala give us one small roti to eat.”
His mother was sad and began to cry, tears running down her cheeks. It made her sad to see her little Ismaa‘eel so hungry. She hugged him and held him tight, and told him, “Our Allah, who created the moon, has definitely heard you, my son.” That night when Ismaa‘eel slept, he was so hungry that he was even dreaming about roti, but his small little heart was full of hope that Allah Ta‘ala, who heard his du‘aa, would certainly give him one small roti.
Allah Ta‘ala made it such that a pious man was walking past and he heard Ismaa‘eel’s du‘aa for roti. The pious man realized that Ismaa‘eel and his mummy had no money and no food. He felt sorry for them and decided that he was going to try his best to help them.
The next morning, when Ismaa‘eel and his mother woke up, they found a big round roti delivered at their door. It had a note which read, “Allah Ta‘ala alone, who created the moon, fulfills all our needs. Ismaa‘eel, it is time for you to go back to madrasah and become a shining star.” Ismaa‘eel returned to madrasah the same day with a smile on his face and roti in his belly, and in no time, he caught up with all his missed lessons.
From that day, the pious man fulfilled the needs of Ismaa‘eel and his mother, without even telling them who he was. As the years passed, Ismaa‘eel progressed from class to class, until he finally became a Moulana. Allah Ta‘ala had made his dream come true.
After he became a Moulana, he found a letter at his door. It read, “Moulana Ismaa‘eel! This is my last letter to you. You are now a shining star, and it is your turn to help other people to become shining stars.”
Lessons:
1. Always meet people with a smile.
2. Allah Ta‘ala is definitely with those who are patient.
3. Don’t beg from people. Only ask your needs from Allah Ta‘ala.
4. Help people who are in difficulty.
5. Don’t tell people about the good deeds that you do.
6. Always be happy with Allah Ta‘ala.