Getting things cosy…
Getting things cosy…
Drip-drop. Drip-drop.
It was a rainy Saturday in Bradford. The rain fell on the roofs. It fell on the road. It fell on Inaya's window.
Inaya pressed her nose to the glass. "No park today," she said. She folded her arms. Grumpy, grumpy Inaya.
Dad knelt beside her. "Shall we go and see what the rain is doing?"
On went the yellow raincoat. On went the spotty wellies. Out went Inaya and Dad, into the little back garden.
Drip-drop! went the rain on Inaya's hood.
SPLOOSH! went Inaya's wellies in a big puddle. Inaya giggled. "No park, but lots of puddles!"
Dad pointed. A pink worm was poking out of the ground. Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle.
"Worms love wet soil," said Dad.
The flowers were shiny with raindrops.
"The flowers are having a drink!" said Inaya. Gulp, gulp, gulp.
By the shed stood the big green rain tub. Trickle, trickle, trickle. It was filling up and up.
"That water is for our tomatoes," said Dad.
Plip! A raindrop landed right on Inaya's cheek.
"Dad, who sends the rain?"
"Allah does," said Dad. "Allah sends the rain down from the sky. In the Quran, Allah calls it blessed rain. That means rain full of goodness. And with it, Allah makes the gardens grow."
Inaya thought about the wiggly worm. The drinking flowers. The tomatoes.
"Alhamdulillah for the rain!" she shouted.
"Alhamdulillah!" laughed Dad.
That night, Inaya lay snug in bed. Drip-drop went the rain on her window. Inaya did not feel grumpy any more. The rain sounded soft and sleepy.
Outside, the flowers were drinking. The worm was wiggling. The rain tub was filling up, trickle, trickle.
Inaya joined in with the rain. "Drip-drop, Alhamdulillah. Drip-drop, Alhamdulillah." Slowly, softly, she fell asleep.
Rain spoiled Inaya's plans, but it was still a gift. In the Quran, Allah calls the rain blessed and tells us He makes gardens grow with it. Helping children notice the good in what Allah sends, even on a grey day, turns a grumpy 'no park' into a heartfelt Alhamdulillah.
Because every little heart deserves a real answer.
Alhamdulillah means 'all praise and thanks belong to Allah'. Allah sends the rain, so when it rains, you can say Alhamdulillah, just like Inaya.
In the Quran, Allah calls the rain blessed, which means full of goodness. With the rain, Allah gives the flowers a drink and makes the gardens and your food grow. Even when it stops you going to the park, rain is a gift from Allah.
Next time it rains, look out of the window, or pop on your wellies with a grown-up, and see how many rain gifts you can find: a shiny flower, a wiggly worm, a splashy puddle. For each one, say 'Alhamdulillah!'
وَنَزَّلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً مُّبَارَكًا فَأَنبَتْنَا بِهِ جَنَّاتٍ وَحَبَّ الْحَصِيدِ
“And We have sent down blessed rain from the sky and made grow thereby gardens and grain from the harvest”
Quran — Surah Qaf 50:9
Translation: Saheeh InternationalRead it on quran.com ↗
Snuggle up and wonder together. There are no wrong answers.