A to Z of Mini Muslims

A to Z of Mini Muslims is an Islamic picture book for children aged 4 to 9 that goes through the alphabet with one word of Islam for each letter, from A for Allah to Z for zakah.

Each letter comes with a short, simple explanation. B is for Bismillah, which we say before we begin anything. C is for the crescent moon that begins each month, and the book names all twelve Islamic months. F is for fasting in Ramadan, H for Hajj, K for the Kaaba and L for Laylat al-Qadr, the Night of Power. S is for salah, with the names of the five daily prayers, and W is for wudu.

Many of the letters are about how Muslims treat other people: G for good manners, N for neighbours, P for parents, V for visiting the sick and U for the Ummah, one Muslim community made of many people. Y is for yarhamukallah, what we say when someone sneezes and says Alhamdulillah.

Written by Mariam Latifi and illustrated by Saba Yasmeen, the book is a first introduction to the words and ideas of Islam, and it builds early reading and vocabulary at the same time. Children can come back to it again and again, a few letters at a time.

A to Z of Mini Muslims took children through the alphabet, with one Islamic word for each letter.

From A to G

A was for Allah, the Almighty, the All-Wise, the one and only true God, who created everything. B was for Bismillah, "in the name of Allah", which Muslims say before they begin anything. C was for the crescent moon, which marks the start of each new month in the Islamic calendar, and the book named all twelve months in Arabic, from Muharram to Dhul Hijjah.

D was for dua, asking Allah for whatever our hearts wish for. E was for Eid, when everyone comes together to celebrate. Muslims have two Eids each year: Eid al-Fitr, the festival of breaking the fast, and Eid al-Adha, the festival of sacrifice. F was for fasting in the month of Ramadan, with no food or drink from dawn to sunset. G was for good manners, as the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught through his Sunnah.

From H to N

H was for Hajj, the journey to Makkah and the fifth pillar of Islam. I was for Islam, which means submission to the will of Allah: a religion of peace that teaches us to be kind to everyone. J was for Jannah, Paradise, the beautiful place we hope to enter by working hard and doing lots of good deeds. K was for the Kaaba, the holy place that Muslims from all over the world travel to for Hajj and Umrah.

L was for Laylat al-Qadr, the Night of Power, better than a thousand months. It falls on one of the odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadan, and it was the night the Qur'an was revealed. M was for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the final prophet, who was sent with the Qur'an. N was for neighbours, whose needs matter, so we must be kind to them and look after them.

From O to U

O was for obey: following Allah's commands, doing what is halal and keeping away from what is haram. P was for parents, whom we should love and respect at all times, and Allah will reward us greatly for being good to them. Q was for the Qur'an, the words of Allah sent to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to teach all people. R was for Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and the month of fasting for Muslims all around the world.

S was for salah, the prayer Muslims pray five times a day: Fajr at dawn, Dhuhr at midday, Asr in the afternoon, Maghrib at sunset and Isha at night. T was for taharah, purity and cleanliness, which is half of our faith. U was for the Ummah: Muslims are one community, many people from many places, but one.

From V to Z

V was for visiting the sick, to make them happy and to earn good rewards. W was for wudu, the washing Muslims do before salah and before reading the Qur'an. X was for the excitement of saying Alhamdulillah, being thankful for everything that happens to us, and loving for others what we love for ourselves.

Y was for yarhamukallah, "may Allah have mercy on you", which we say to someone who sneezes and says Alhamdulillah. And Z was for zakah, giving charity to the poor and needy, one of the five pillars of Islam. The book ended by reminding children that helping anyone in need, including widows and orphans, is our duty.

• Surah Al-Qadr 97:1-3: The Qur'an was sent down on the Night of Power, and the Night of Power is better than a thousand months.
• Sahih Muslim 223: Purity is half of faith.
• Sahih al-Bukhari 6224: When someone sneezes and says Alhamdulillah, the one who hears him should say, "Yarhamuk Allah."