Ask our children:

1. Have we seen people in wheelchairs, who cannot walk, or people who are sick, and cannot look after themselves?

2. How should we treat these people? Should we laugh at them, or should we be kind to them and help them?

Now tell them the story:

Once, there was a young boy named Safwaan. Safwaan had a mummy and daddy, and also had a brother and sister who were both smaller than him. However, Safwaan was not like other children. When Safwaan was born, the doctors told his parents that he was a special child.

Safwaan could not walk, and he could not look after himself. He could not brush his teeth on his own or wear his clothes himself. Safwaan’s body was different, so it was difficult for him to use his arms and his legs. That is why Safwaan was always in a wheelchair.

Safwaan could not go to madrasah like other children, or play on the jungle gym like other children. Safwaan could not run and jump with the other children when they would play. However, Safwaan knew that Allah Ta‘ala loves him, and his mummy, daddy and all his family love him, so he was never unhappy. He was happy with Allah Ta‘ala, and always thanked Allah Ta‘ala for giving him a loving family that took good care of him and helped him all the time.

One day, Safwaan’s little sister asked her mother, “Mummy! Tell me – why can Safwaan not walk and look after himself?” Her mother explained, “The reason is that Allah Ta‘ala has made Safwaan a special child. Allah Ta‘ala gave him to us as a special present so that we can take good care of him, make him happy and keep him comfortable. From all the people in the world, Allah Ta‘ala trusted us to look after this special child. If we look after him nicely, then Allah Ta‘ala will be happy with us and will take care of us also.”

Safwaan’s little sister understood that Allah Ta‘ala wanted her to always be kind to her special brother and help her parents to look after him. So she was always helpful, fetching toys for him to play with and snacks for him to eat.

Safwaan could not walk and could not look after himself, but Allah Ta‘ala had given him something very special – he had a marvellous memory. When he heard something, he always remembered it and would not forget it. So even though he could not walk or look after himself, he had already memorized more Quraan than other children who were his age. In fact, he knew the Quraan so well that he used to teach his sister and help her to learn her sabaq!

Safwaan had a special love for the Quraan Majeed. He loved to listen to different people reciting – especially taraaweeh time in Ramadhaan! – and he hoped that one day, Allah Ta‘ala would make him become a Qaari who recites the Quraan Majeed in a beautiful manner.

One day, some visitors came to Safwaan’s house for tea. When they arrived, Safwaan was excited because they had children. He was hoping that he could play with them and talk to them. However, the children played with the toys on their own. They did not make salaam to him, talk to him or play with him. When they saw that he was different, they left him alone and they played by themselves. This made Safwaan feel sad.

That night, Safwaan asked his father, “Daddy! Why did the children ignore me today? They didn’t even talk to me or play with me!” Safwaan’s father also felt sad, but he said to Safwaan, “Safwaan! When they saw that you are a little different, then they felt shy and didn’t know how to play with you. If they only knew how special you are, and how much Allah Ta‘ala loves you, then they would only want to play with you!”

Every night, before going to bed, Safwaan’s parents would make ta’leem. His little brother was still a small baby, so he would try to grab the Fazaail-e-Aa’maal kitaab and eat the pages! Sometimes, he would try to make his own ta’leem, in baby language, and he was so loud that nobody could hear mummy reading the kitaab!

One night, in the ta’leem, Safwaan’s father told them the story about a Sahaabi whose name was Sayyiduna ‘Amr bin Jamooh (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). This Sahaabi had a problem with his legs and could not walk properly. But, he was always happy with Allah Ta‘ala and never complained, and he was a good Muslim who made Allah Ta‘ala happy.

After Sayyiduna ‘Amr bin Jamooh (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) passed away, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) told the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) that he was now in Jannah, and his legs were perfect and strong! Now he could run and jump!

When Safwaan heard this, he became very happy. He knew that when he went into Jannah, then he would be able to run, jump and play how much he wanted, because his body would be strong and healthy.

As he would fall off to sleep, Safwaan would have a smile on his face. He would be thinking about the day when he would meet his Allah and run into Jannah, happy and healthy…

Lessons:

1. People who are disabled or handicapped, and who cannot walk or look after themselves, are special people.

2. We must always try to be kind and help these special people. If we help them and are kind to them, then Allah Ta‘ala will be happy with us, will help us and will be kind to us also.

3. If any person is handicapped, he must remember that Allah Ta‘ala loves him. He must try to be a good Muslim and make Allah Ta‘ala happy so that he can go to Jannah. After he passes away and goes to Jannah, he will not be handicapped anymore. He will be able to run, jump and play without any difficulty!

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