Allah Gave Me a Nose to Smell

Allah Gave Me a Nose to Smell is an Islamic picture book for children aged 4 to 9 about the sense of smell, and why it is a gift from Allah to be thankful for.

In funny, rhyming verses, a child goes through the smells of their day. There is a fruity, foamy bubble bath, minty toothpaste and far too much talcum powder. There is the smell of iftar cooking in the kitchen, and of their favourite fish and chips, so they know what is for dinner before they see it. At Eid, the barbecue fills the air with burgers, kebabs and corn on the cob. Not every smell is nice: a baby's dirty nappy makes them wish Mummy would hurry up.

The book also shows that our nose keeps us safe. It warns us of a burning pan or the start of a fire, and it tells us to keep away from a dirty bin. And when we have a bad cold and cannot smell anything, we notice how much we miss it.

Written by Rizwana Qamaruddin and published by The Islamic Foundation, the book ends with a thank-you to Allah for our noses and for our mouth, eyes, ears, fingers and toes. It helps children see that even an ordinary thing like smelling is a blessing.

Allah gave the child in the book a nose to smell so many things: a fruity, foamy, bubbly bath that smelled like flowers along a garden path; squidgy, squelchy mint toothpaste, which the tongue could taste as well; and talcum powder, so chalky and white, that they had put far too much of on. Oh, what a sight!

There was the fragrance of iftar in the air while Daddy went to the Jumu'ah prayer. And Allah gave them a nose to wiggle when they saw a baby wriggle: a dirty nappy, what a pong! They hoped Mummy would not be long.

With a nose to smell, they could tell what was for dinner: their favourite, fish and chips, and it was time to lick their lips. When iftar came, everyone took their seat, and they smelled the foods they loved to eat. Before they started, they said Bismillah, and then they made dua.

There was the sweet scent of a bright red rose, and the freshness of newly washed clothes. At Eid, the barbecue brought the smells of many delicious things, burgers, kebabs and corn on the cob, and cooking it all was Daddy's job. And which milkshake would it be: banana, vanilla or strawberry?

Allah also gave them a nose to warn them of dangers that might harm them, like a smoking, burning pan, or a fire as it began. Pepper always made them sneeze, and smoke made them cough and wheeze. When they opened a dirty bin that their teddy had fallen into, Mummy told them to keep away, and they could smell that it was really dirty. But when they had a bad cold, nothing smelled good, and that made them very sad.

Allah gave a nose to smell to the child, and to other creatures as well. So they thanked Allah for their nose, and for their mouth, eyes, ears, fingers and toes.