Allah Gave Me Two Ears to Hear

Allah Gave Me Two Ears to Hear is an Islamic picture book for children aged 4 to 9 about the sense of hearing, and the many sounds of an ordinary day that Allah has given us to enjoy.

In rhyming verses, a little girl listens her way from morning to night. An alarm clock wakes her, Daddy recites the Qur'an, birds sing and praise Allah, and autumn leaves rustle in the breeze. At breakfast she hears her hungry tummy, Mummy's rattling pots, her brother's running feet and the whistling kettle. Then come the sounds of the beach, the buzzing bees, the farm animals calling to their young, her friends in the playground and the rain in a storm.

Some sounds are part of her faith: Daddy calling the adhan, which sends her to make wudu and pray. Others are the sounds of love: her purring cat, her giggling brother, Grandma's voice on the telephone, her parents telling her they love her, and Mummy's soothing song at bedtime.

Written by Amrana Arif and published by The Islamic Foundation, the book repeats one line, "Allah gave me two ears to hear", so young children soon join in. It helps them notice the sounds around them and thank Allah for the gift of hearing.

Morning sounds

The little girl in this book began her day by listening. First came the alarm clock, beep, beep, beep, waking her from a deep, deep sleep. Then she heard Daddy reciting the Qur'an in the morning. The Qur'an, he said, is a book that gives good news and a warning. He began, as always, with Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim.

Outside, the pretty birds were chirping, singing their song and praising Allah all day long. The fallen autumn leaves rustled as the cool, fresh breeze blew through them.

Breakfast at home

Soon her tummy was rumbling, which sent her looking for Mummy. The colourful pots rattled as Mummy made breakfast, and the little girl ate a lot. She heard the pitter-patter of her brother's feet as he ran to the table, ready to eat, and the whistle of the kettle when the water was hot, as Daddy made tea in the big teapot.

Summer days

When the days got hotter, she heard the splash of the blue sea water and swam to cool down. There were so many creatures on the beach, and each one praised Allah with its own special sound. In summer she heard the black and yellow bees buzzing as they flew through the flowers, shrubs and trees. The lawnmower rumbled as Daddy mowed the lawn, and when he had finished, she lay down to rest and yawn.

The farm and the playground

On the farm, the animals called to their young. The cow mooed to her calf, who was having such fun. The horse neighed, the chicken clucked, the sheep said baa and the duck said quack. In the playground she heard the merry voices of her friends, and she screamed with joy all the way down the slide. When a storm came and the rain gushed down, she gathered up her toys and ran home.

Sounds of faith and love

She heard the beat of the daf in her nasheeds, about loving Allah and doing good deeds. Sweetest of all was Daddy's voice when he called the adhan, "Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar", and she made wudu and prayed as soon as she could.

At home she heard the deep purr of her striped, furry cat as she stroked him on her prayer mat, and the cheerful giggles of her brother, who squirmed and wriggled when she tickled him. When the telephone rang, she ran to it, singing, "I'll get it!" It was Grandma, and her loving voice made the little girl wish she could stay with them from dusk till dawn.

Best of all, she heard her parents tell her that they loved her, which filled her with joy. And at the end of the day she heard the soothing sound of Mummy's song, as she cuddled her teddy and fell asleep. Allah had given her two ears to hear it all.

• Surah An-Nahl 16:78: Allah brought you out of your mothers' wombs knowing nothing, and gave you hearing, sight and hearts so that you might be grateful.
• Surah An-Nur 24:41: Do you not see that everything in the heavens and the earth glorifies Allah, and the birds with wings outspread? Each knows its prayer and its glorification.