A Mercy to the Worlds
The birth and childhood of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, from the finding of Zamzam to his first journey to Syria, in an audiobook for children aged 7 to 12.
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What is A Mercy to the Worlds about?
A Mercy to the Worlds is an Islamic audiobook for children aged 7 to 12 about the birth and early childhood of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and the events in his family that came before it.
It begins with his grandfather, Abdul Muttalib, leader of the Quraysh, who is told in a dream to dig for the well of Zamzam, lost for hundreds of years. As he digs beside the Kaaba, the story goes back in time to Hajar, who tells how she and baby Ismail (AS) were left in the desert by the Prophet Ibrahim (AS) at Allah's command, and how the water first sprang up. Then comes Abdul Muttalib's vow to sacrifice one of his sons, and how camels were given in place of Abdullah, the Prophet's ﷺ father.
Abdullah dies before his son is born. The audiobook tells of the birth to Amina, of the years with Halima among the Bani Sa'd in the desert, and of the day angels opened the young Prophet's ﷺ chest and washed his heart. It follows him through the loss of his mother on the way back from Yathrib, the loss of his grandfather, and his new home with his uncle Abu Talib, where he tends sheep and shares his food. It ends with a trading journey to Syria and the monk Bahira, who recognises him as the prophet to come.
Written, researched and narrated by the storyteller Mehded Maryam Sinclair, with Qur'an recitations by Osama Alshurafa, it is told in six chapters. It shows children how Allah cared for the Prophet ﷺ as an orphan and prepared him for what lay ahead.
What your child will learn
- Allah cared for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as an orphan and gave him shelter.
- Hajar trusted that Allah would not leave her, and He answered her with the water of Zamzam.
- The Prophet ﷺ was kind and generous even as a child.
- With every difficulty there is relief.
Chapters
- ZamZam
- A Vow Honoured
- The birth of Muhammad
- A Strange Happening
- Prophecy
- Epilogue
Where this audiobook comes from
- Surah Al-Anbiya 21:107: We have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 3364: Ibrahim (AS) leaves Hajar and baby Ismail (AS) near the Kaaba at Allah's command; she runs between the two hills, and the water of Zamzam springs up.
- Surah Ibrahim 14:37: Ibrahim (AS) prays for his family in a valley without crops, that hearts be drawn to them and they be given fruits so that they may be grateful.
- Surah Al-Baqarah 2:129: Ibrahim (AS) and Ismail (AS) pray for a messenger from among their own descendants.
- Sahih Muslim 162: When the Prophet ﷺ was a boy playing with other children, his chest was opened and his heart was washed.
- Surah Ad-Duha 93:6-8: Did He not find you an orphan and give you shelter?
- Surah Ash-Sharh 94:1-8: Have We not expanded your breast for you? Truly, with every difficulty there is relief.
Talk about it afterwards
- How did Abdul Muttalib know where to dig for Zamzam?
- What did Hajar do when baby Ismail (AS) was thirsty?
- Who looked after the Prophet ﷺ when he was a child?
- How did the Prophet ﷺ share his food with the other children?
- Why do you think Allah let the Prophet ﷺ face so much sadness when he was young?
Words to know
- Zamzam
- The blessed well beside the Kaaba in Makkah, which first sprang up for Hajar and Ismail (AS).
- Kaaba
- The House of Allah in Makkah, built by Ibrahim (AS) and Ismail (AS).
- Tawaf
- Walking around the Kaaba seven times.
- Quraysh
- The tribe of Makkah that the Prophet ﷺ was born into.
- Al-Amin
- The Trustworthy, a name given to the Prophet ﷺ.
Frequently asked questions
What age is A Mercy to the Worlds suitable for?
Children aged 7 to 12. It is long and rich in detail, and it tells of the deaths of the Prophet's ﷺ parents and grandfather, so older children may like to hear it a chapter at a time.
Is A Mercy to the Worlds based on the Qur'an and hadith?
It draws on the Qur'an, the hadith and the traditional accounts of the Prophet's ﷺ life. Hajar's story is reported in Sahih al-Bukhari and the opening of his chest in Sahih Muslim, and Surah Ash-Sharh is recited in Arabic and English.
How long is A Mercy to the Worlds?
About 74 minutes, in six chapters.
