Allah Gave Me Two Hands and Feet

Allah Gave Me Two Hands and Feet is an Islamic picture book for children aged 4 to 9 about the sense of touch, and the many things our hands and feet let us do and feel.

In rhyming verses, a little boy goes through what his hands can do. He feels his mummy's soft face and the lace on her dress, plays with toys with his brother until they tickle each other silly, and squeezes soft, furry and prickly leaves. He eats strawberries, apples, pastry and warm falafels. And he raises his hands to pray, as he stands and bows, to thank Allah and to promise always to be kind and fair.

Then come his feet. He walks through soft, warm sand while the sea tickles his toes, runs to the ice cream van in his street, kicks a ball in the fields and scores a goal, and feels the cool grass and bright flowers under him. At the end, his feet carry him to the mosque, where he stands to pray in the cold and the heat and thanks Allah for his life every day.

Written by Raana Bokhari and published by The Islamic Foundation, the book turns everyday play into a reason to thank Allah. It shows children that the same hands and feet they use to run, eat and play are also the ones they use to pray.

Allah gave a little boy two hands to feel so many wonderful things: his mummy's soft face, her dress and its lace, and the joy that cuddling her brought.

Allah gave him two hands to touch with, as he and his brother played with their toys. But his brother tickled his tummy, so he ran to Mummy. Enough of being silly now, boys!

Allah gave him two hands to squeeze soft, furry and prickly leaves, red and green, such a sight to be seen, as he picked them from the tall trees.

Allah gave him two hands to eat with: lovely food, delicious and filling, soft strawberries, hard apples, pastry and warm falafels, and he was only too willing to eat them all.

And Allah gave him two hands to pray with. As he stood and bowed in prayer, he raised them to thank Allah, to praise Him and love Him, and he promised always to be kind and fair.

Then came his feet. Allah gave him two feet to walk with through the soft, warm sand by the sea, where the water tickled his toes and trickled as Mum, Dad and he all splashed about.

Allah gave him two feet to run with, to the ice cream van in his street, where he felt so jolly eating his ice lolly, jumping and skipping on his podgy feet.

Allah gave him two feet to kick with as he played in the fields with his ball. He dribbled and flicked it, tackled and kicked it, and, hey, everyone, it was a goal!

Allah gave him two feet to feel the soft earth and the cool grass, a beautiful sight glowing in the light, with flowers like pretty bright jewels.

And Allah gave him two feet to walk with to the mosque, hurrying to pray. There he stood on his feet, in the cold and the heat, and thanked Allah for his life every day.