AMAR AND THE TORTOISE

One day, Amar was reading one of his favorite stories, "The Hare and the Tortoise." He laughed at what happened to the hare and learned from the tortoise how important it is to use one's head and that cleverness is more than a match for physical superiority. While he was thinking about these things, he suddenly realized that the tortoise in the book had come alive on the page and had started talking to him:

The tortoise began by saying: "Hi Amar! It's great that you are so young and clever enough to learn a lesson from the story about the hare and me."

Amar asked "How old are you?"

The tortoise replied: "I'm not as young as I look; I am actually 45 years old. Tortoises live for about 60 years; and there's even one kind of tortoise called the 'Testudo' that can live as long as 189 years."

Everything in the heavens and everything in the Earth belongs to Him. Allah is the Rich Beyond Need, the Praiseworthy. (Surat al-Hajj: 64)

What's your favorite season?" asked Amar.

The tortoise replied: "Warm weather is very important for our survival. Our body temperature changes with the temperature of the air around us and is usually between 32.2 and 32.4 Fahrenheit (0.1 and 0.2 degrees Celcius) lower than that of the air. Our digestive system speeds up as the temperature becomes hotter. When Allah created us, He gave us this characteristic to make it easier for us to survive when it is very hot. We need all the gifts that Allah gives us, but He is Rich Beyond Need."

Amar then wondered: "What's your favorite food?"

"We love yellow squash. Our eyes are very sharp, and they see yellows best. That means we can easily find our favorite food," responded the tortoise.

Amar had another question for the tortoise: "Do you hibernate in winter?"

The tortoise explained: "Yes. When the weather gets colder, from October on, and food becomes harder to find, our bodies slow down and we protect ourselves by going to sleep for several months. Our heartbeat and our breathing slow down. We hibernate between October and March. Because Allah created us in this way, we don't have to stay awake in winter with nothing to eat, which would be fatal to us. Allah has protected us for generations by sending us to sleep at just the right time."

Amar had more to ask: "I know you live on dry land, but I also think some of you live in the water. Can you tell me about them?"

The tortoise smiled: "You're right, Amar. There are tortoises, fresh water turtles and sea turtles among us. I live on dry land, for example. I prefer fields, soft soil and grapevines. Fresh water turtles, the kind you keep in aquariums, like lakes and river banks. Sea turtles live in the warm seas and come onto land to lay their eggs. Let me tell you something interesting about the Caretta sea turtle:

Caretta carettas go to warm beaches to lay their eggs. Allah inspires the young turtles that hatch from the eggs to head toward the light reflected off the sea, in other words, to go straight toward where they will live. How do these baby turtles know that the sea is the best place for them to live in? It must be because our Lord inspires that knowledge in them."

Amar said:"You're right. Everyone with a mind to think with must know that the world is full of Allah's wonders. We must always remember that you and I, all animals and trees and everything else are a sign of Him. It was nice to talk to you. Thanks for telling me so much. Bye-bye."

"Good-bye, you clever boy," said the tortoise.

Long-Legged Storks

Storks are large migratory birds between 3-5 feet (1-1.5 meters) tall with big, white wings. Their red beaks and legs make them look cute. Every year, storks migrate in large numbers because they can't live in cold regions. Storks thus tell us that the hot days of summer are coming, and it is a miracle they know when the weather is about to warm up. The following year, when spring has come round again, storks return on their miles-long journey and find their old nests. Of course it is Allah Who inspires such a good memory and sense of direction in them.

HUSSEIN AND THE ELEPHANT

Hussein's mother took him to the zoo one week-end. It was the first time he had seen so many different animals in one place. They went to the elephant house. A young elephant was tripping over his trunk and falling down, and the baby's mother came to his help every time he did so.

The mother elephant saw Hussein looking at them and explained: "You see, my baby is so young, he doesn't know how to use his trunk yet. He will not leave my side for 12 full years, and for the first six months I will teach him to use his trunk properly."

Hussein answered: "I have always wondered what do elephants use their trunks for? Do you breathe through them?"

The mother elephant told him: "It is our trunks that make us different from all other animals. Our nostrils are at the end of our trunks, and we use them to carry food and water to our mouths, pick things up and to smell things with; we can hold up to 1 gallon (four liters) of water in them. And did you know, we can pick even up a tiny pea with them? We didn't acquire our trunks by chance. They are a gift from the mercy of Almighty Allah, Who created everything."

Hussein then enquired, "How do you manage to find enough to eat?"

The mother elephant explained: "We are the biggest animals on Earth. An elephant eats about 730 pounds (330 kilos) of plants every day. We have to spend 16 hours a day eating."

Hussein thought of another question, "What about your teeth?"

The mother elephant answered: "As you can see, on either side of my mouth I have two long, sharp teeth. We defend ourselves with these teeth and also use them to dig holes to find water. Of course, our teeth wear down a lot doing all this work, and for that reason, Almighty Allah has given us a special ability. A new tooth grows from behind to replace the old, worn out one. Because Allah created us in this way, we are able to grow a new tooth and use it properly."

Hussein thought for a moment, "You must be hungry, your stomach is rumbling."

The mother elephant smiled: "We make these sounds to communicate with one another. We can talk to one another from as far away as 2.5 miles (4 km)."

Hussein was puzzled, "So, how do you talk to one another?"

The mother elephant said: "Allah created a special organ in our foreheads that makes sounds that human beings can't hear. So we speak in a code that other animals can't understand and we can hear one another across very long distances. As you can see, Allah's magnificent creation can be seen very well in us elephants. Don't forget that we have to think about these things and thank Allah all the time!"

Hussein nodded: "Thanks for telling me all those things. Now I have to go back to my mother."

"Good-bye Hussein," said the mother elephant.

On his way back to his mother, Hussein wondered, "Who knows how great Allah's miracles are in other animals?"

WHAT RASHEED'S BROTHER TOUGHT HIM

Rasheed was walking to the bus stop one day to go home after school. While he was waiting at there, he began listening to a conversation a group of other children were having. One of them was speaking with a loud voice, pointing to his shirt and an electric car he was holding in his hand. Rasheed began to pay more attention, and was able to make out what they were saying.

The name of the boy speaking so loudly was Asim. He was telling his friends about his expensive clothes and latest toys. When he arrived home, Rasheed could not get what the boy said out of his mind. When his brother, Zubair, saw that Rasheed was deep in thought, he sat down beside him.

"What's going on, Rasheed? What are you thinking about?" he asked.

Rasheed answered: "I saw a boy on my way home. He was talking to his friends about his fine clothes and nice toys. He was being really thoughtless; he didn't care that some of his friends could not afford to buy such things. I thought his behavior was very wrong." Zubair agreed: "You're right, Rasheed, what he did was not right at all. Allah has given us all different blessings. The fact that a person has more fine things, is more good-looking or successful, is not due to his own ability at all. Allah has given us these things to test us and to see how we will act if He gives us such blessings.

The behavior most pleasing to Allah is when a person doesn't forget that Allah has given him everything he has. We must not boast about or be spoiled by the blessings Allah has given us; we must always behave modestly. Anyway, it's Satan who gets puffed up with pride. If you remember, the verse we read yesterday was about this matter. Allah tells us that: 'That is so that you will not be grieved about the things that pass you by or exult about the things that come to you. Allah does not love any vain or boastful man.' (Surat al-Hadid: 23)"

Rasheed nodded: "So, we shouldn't become spoiled by what Allah has given us, and we shouldn't get sad or frustrated when we lose something. Is that right, Zubair?"

Zubair smiled: "Right! Allah owns everything. He gives us as many blessings as He wills to give us. Be they many or few, they are all part of the trials of this world."

Rasheed had a question for his brother: "In one verse, Allah says: 'Do not direct your eyes longingly to what We have given certain of them to enjoy, the flower of the life of this world, so that We can test them by it. Your Lord's provision is better and longer lasting.' (Surah Ta Ha: 131) What Asim did was wrong, but wasn't it also wrong for his friends to be impressed and act in a way that wouldn't be pleasing to Allah? Although it is Allah Who has given us our clothes, food, home and car, being spoiled really humiliates us, doesn't it?"

Zubair thought for a moment: "Sure. That's a good way to explain it. Let me tell you a story from the Qur'an as an example. In the Qur'an, Allah gives an example of two men. One of them had two gardens. Allah filled each garden with dates and various crops. When the time came, both gardens yielded their crops. There was a river between the two gardens and so the man had fruit in abundance. When the owner of the garden spoke to his friend, he would humiliate him by saying: 'I have more wealth than you and more people under me.' (Surat al-Kahf: 34) Flaunting all the property he owned, he would go to his garden, and showing it to his friend he would say:

… I do not think that this will ever end. I do not think the Hour will ever come. But if I should be sent back to my Lord, I will definitely get something better in return. (Surat al-Kahf: 35-36)

His friend warned him:

Why, when you entered your garden, did you not say, 'It is as Allah wills, there is no strength but in Allah?' Though you see me with less wealth and children than you possess, it may well be that my Lord will give me something better than your garden... (Surat al-Kahf: 39-40)

The owner of the garden did not take these warnings seriously, and finally Allah punished him. One night He sent a storm to destroy all his crops.

When the owner of the garden got up in the morning and saw that he had lost his prized crops, he understood that Allah has infinite power and that everything is under His control. We must never forget this story, Rasheed, and must always behave in the way it tells us to."

OMAR AND THE PENGUIN

Before he went to bed one night, Omar watched a documentary film with his father. It was all about animals, and he was surprised to see how some animals survived under the most difficult conditions. As he got into bed, he thought about what he had seen. He imagined that he lived where those animals did, and suddenly he found himself in a place all covered with snow. He began to wander around.

All of a sudden, he heard a voice say, "Welcome, Omar!"

"Who are you?" Omar asked.

"I am a penguin," came the answer.

The creature that was speaking looked just like it was wearing a tuxedo. Omar remembered what it was right away. There had been a segment about penguins in the documentary he had watched with his father that evening.

"Oh yes," said Omar: "I just saw something about your life on television. It's really freezing here. Don't you ever get cold?"

The penguin answered: "This is the South Pole, and the temperatures here can go as low as a freezing -130 degrees Fahrenheit (-88 degrees Celsius). This environment would kill many animals, but we have no difficulty living here, although this is only because of some special qualities that Allah has given us.

Because of a thick layer of fat under our skin, we are not affected by the cold as much as other animals. And when winter comes, we go farther south along the coast."

Omar remembered: "That means you migrate! What other qualities do you have that I don't know about? For example, the documentary said that you take great care of your eggs until the babies hatch from them. Can you tell me about that, please?"

The penguin smiled: "Of course. Unlike many animals, it is the male penguins who incubate the eggs rather than the females. And they do this in -22 degree temperatures Fahrenheit (-30 degrees Celcius) for 65 days without ever moving. Meanwhile, the mother penguin goes away to look for food for the babies that will be born. After they are born, the chicks spend their first month on the feet of their mother and father. If they leave there for even two minutes they will freeze to death."

Omar nodded: "That means you really have to be careful, then?"

The penguin replied: "Allah has taught every animal how to act. We just do what Allah has inspired in us."

Omar agreed: "Our Lord has taught every creature where and when it should settle and how to find food. The life of you penguins is a good example of this."

The penguin turned around: "You can find lots of different examples in other creatures. My family is waiting for me, so I must go now, I'm afraid."

Suddenly Omar heard the sound of a bell ringing. It was morning and his alarm clock had gone off. He then realized that his little journey had just been a pleasant dream.

JAMAL AND THE PARROT

Jamal had always wanted to keep a pet bird at home. He couldn't believe his eyes that day when his father came home carrying a large cage. He took off the cover and saw a bright yellow and purple parrot inside. Jamal was so happy. That first evening, Jamal and the parrot had a deep conversation.

Jamal said: "Hi pretty parrot. I want to feed you really well, so I need to learn everything about you. First of all, can you tell me what your favorite food is?"

"My favorite food is seeds," said the parrot.

"How do you eat them?" Jamal asked.

The parrot explained: "I can hold my food with my two feet and eat it just like a sandwich. I am an expert at opening the two halves of the seed shell with my tongue. The fact that I can satisfy my hunger in this way is a grace and blessing from Allah."

Jamal then asked: "I'm very curious. How did you get those incredibly beautiful colors in your feathers?"

"Like all birds," said the parrot, "my rich colors come from a substance stored inside my feathers when they first begin to form, and is related to the way light bounces off them. Did you know that when my feathers fall out they are replaced with new ones? And every time they grow back they have the same color. This is another proof of the perfection of Allah's creation."

Jamal nodded: "That's really wonderful. Can you also imitate the sounds you hear? How do you do that?"

"I can imitate the sounds I hear, but I can't understand them. This also happens by Allah's will. Otherwise, how could a creature like me without any intelligence or will develop the ability to imitate sounds? Only our Almighty Lord has the power to design such a colorful talking bird as me. It is He Who makes things so perfectly," explained the parrot.

Jamal smiled: "My admiration for the Almighty Allah is growing more and more as I look at you. I also will do everything I can to make sure you are comfortable here. Once again, then, 'welcome home,' pretty parrot."

"Remember," said the parrot: "The best thing we can do when we see all the perfection of our Almighty Lord's creation of the universe is to remember His greatness, thank Him and always keep Him in our minds."

THERE'S GOOD IN EVERYTHING

Ali is a good student in primary school. His teacher and his friends like him very much. He's always organized, and He respects his mother, father and those older than himself. But Ali over-reacts to things that happen to him and worries about things that have not happened. For example, when there are going to be exams at school, he's always afraid of getting a bad mark, and even though he studies hard for them, he worries himself sick. This often makes it hard for him to concentrate, and sometimes he has even given wrong answers to the questions he actually knows perfectly well.

When there is something that Ali cannot do, or when things don't turn out the way he wants, he quickly becomes filled with a sense of hopeless sadness. He gets angry with himself when he wonders why he couldn't do something, or why something did not turn out right.

One day, while returning home from school, Ali was very happy and, as always, excited. When he reached his home, his mother was preparing dinner in the kitchen. He immediately started to tell his mother what had happened at school.

"Mom," he said excitedly: "We're going on a school picnic at the week-end. We're going to have good food, play ball, go hiking, sing songs and play games. Isn't that great?"

"Yes, Ali, that's very good news," smiled his mother. "Come now, wash your hands and start your homework."

Ali did what his mother told him. He washed his hands and face, and started his homework. But he was still excited. He was thinking about how much fun they were going to have on the picnic. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. He thought: "What if I'm sick at the week-end? Then I won't be able go on the picnic. I will have to stay home in bed while my friends are all playing ball." All at once he became depressed. All his joy vanished. While he was doing his homework he began to think.

Towards dinner time, Ali's father came home. Ali's mother called them to dinner. They all sat down at the table together. Ali was silent and gloomy because of the bad thoughts in his mind. His mother was very surprised at this change in him. Ali's father also noticed how gloomy he was. As always, they began to have a conversation.

"What you did in school today?" asked his father.

"We learned some new things, Dad," answered Ali: "In math class I went up to the blackboard and solved the problems the teacher gave us."

"Aren't you going to tell your father the good news you got today, Ali?" his mother asked.

"We're going on a picnic on the week-end, Dad."

"That's good news, Ali," his father smiled, "But you don't seem too happy about it."

His mother added: "You were really happy when you came from school, but now you look sad."

Ali answered, "Yes, I was happy, but then I had a thought that depressed me."

"Why are you depressed, Ali?" asked his father.

Ali told him, "If I get sick at the week-end, and can't go to the picnic, I'll be so unhappy."

His mother tried to reassure him: "Ali, you are not sick right now, and we can't know what's going to happen later. Is it right for you to be sad about something that may or may not happen?"

His father added: "Look Ali, it's because Satan has put these bad thoughts into you head that you're upset about things that haven't happened yet. This is called being apprehensive. All bad thoughts that come into our mind, or all the anxieties we sense in our hearts, are worries sent by Satan. Allah tells us in the Qur'an what we should do when this happens: 'If an evil impulse from Satan provokes you, seek refuge in Allah. He is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.' (Surat al-A'raf: 200)"

"Ali," said his mother, "When these bad thoughts come into your mind, turn to Allah right away and pray."

His father went on: "Allah has determined beforehand everything that happens to us in our lives. And He wills the best for us at all times. If you can't go to the picnic, be sure that this is the best thing for you. Some people forget that there is good in everything, and get depressed because of some events that happen to them. But it may be that Allah has actually protected them from something worse. But they don't think this way, so they are always anxious and depressed."

Ali nodded: "Yes, I understand very well, now. From now on, when bad thoughts come to my mind, I will turn to Allah right away and thank Him for giving me the best of everything."

AHMAD AND THE DUCK

Ahmad had gone with his family to visit his grandfather at the week-end. Before dinner, as usual, Ahmad's grandfather took him to the park. When they arrived at the park, Ahmad was very happy to see the ducks swimming in the pond. His grandfather knew that Ahmad really liked ducks, so he had brought something along to feed them with. He gave it to Ahmad, and they sat there together on a bench. Ahmad ran toward the ducks.

"Hi," he said: "My name is Ahmad. I brought you some food."

One of the ducks there said, "Hi, Ahmad, thank you very much."

"I was thinking," said Ahmad: "If they didn't feed you here, or if you lived somewhere where there were no human beings, how would you find food?"

The duck answered: "We ducks don't often leave the water when we live in the wild. We get our food from the water."

"But I don't see any food in the water where you are swimming," said Ahmad, puzzled.

The duck explained: "We get our food from the water in several ways. Some ducks stay on the surface of the water and eat plants and insects. Others dip their heads and the front part of their bodies under the water and look for food with their tails in the air. And still others dive right under the water and search for all their food in that way."

Ahmad had another question: "Why do you stay in the water all the time? Why don't you walk around on the land?"

"Our webbed feet let us swim around in the water, and we can swim very quickly, but it is hard for us to walk on land," the duck told him.

Ahmad then asked the duck: "When I go into the water, I always have to keep moving to stay afloat. So, I have to use water wings to stop myself from sinking. How do you manage to stay afloat for so long?"

"Just as you don't have to move to stay afloat when you use your water wings, so the air in our bodies lets us stay on top of the water," the duck answered.

Ahmad was still puzzled: "But when I wear water wings, I can't dive under the water. How do you manage to do it?"

"We have air sacs in our bodies that look like little balloons," said the duck. "When these sacs are filled with air, we stay afloat; and when we want to dive under the water, we pump the air out of those air sacs. So we can dive easily because there is less air left in our bodies."

"So, you can stay on top of the water, and you can dive under it, and you can swim beautifully," said Ahmad.

The duck went on: "It is because of our webbed feet that we can swim so easily. When we move our feet forward or backward in the water, these webs spread out and allow us to push ourselves against the water with more force."

"Just like the flippers that grown-ups put on their feet when they go swimming in the summer so they can swim faster and easier!" exclaimed Ahmad.

"That's it, Ahmad," the duck agreed. "If your human feet were like that you would not be able to walk comfortably. Because we are water birds, however, the shape of our feet lets us swim and feed ourselves very easily."

"All ducks look alike, so what kind of differences are there between them?" wondered Ahmad.

"We do all look alike," agreed the duck: "But there certainly are a number of differences between the various kinds of ducks. Male ducks have shinier feathers than females. This is an important protection for the female as she sits on her nest to hatch her young. Because of her dull colors, her enemies can't see her, and she is much safer as she sits there. The female duck's dull colors that blend in with the background make her difficult to spot even from a close distance."

"So, what happens when an enemy comes near the nest?" asked Ahmad.

The duck explained: "The male ducks draw attention to themselves by using their colorful shiny feathers in order to draw the enemy's attention away from the female in her nest. When an enemy approaches the nest, the male immediately flies into the air, making a lot of noise and doing everything he can to drive the intruder away."

At that moment Ahmad saw some baby ducks swimming in the water. He was amazed that they were so small and could swim so well. He asked: "How do these baby ducks learn to swim so quickly?"

"Baby ducks manage to make their way to the water to swim and feed themselves just a few hours after they hatch," the duck informed him.

Ahmad wondered what would happen to him if they left him in the water a few hours after he was born. He would certainly not be able to swim; he would swallow a lot of water and die. He considered how perfectly Allah had created ducks so that they can live, swim and feed themselves in the water. Then Ahmad's grandfather got up from the bench and came up beside him.

"Grandpa," said Ahmad: "Ducks can swim really well, can't they? And they're so cute!"

His grandfather agreed: "Yes, Ahmad. Just one of their special qualities shows us how perfectly Allah has created every living thing. Did you know that ducks can also fly? When they fly, they keep changing direction so that they will not fall prey to wild birds."

"How do the ducks know that they have to change direction all the time to escape predators, Grandpa?" he asked.

His grandfather told him: "Just as Allah has given special qualities to other animals, he gave this one to cute ducks so that they can protect themselves. Allah creates what He wills. There is a verse about this in the Qur'an: 'Allah created every animal from water. Some of them go on their bellies, some of them on two legs, and some on four. Allah creates whatever He wills. Allah has power over all things.' (Surat an-Nur: 45)"

"Come on Ahmad," he said: "Dinner is almost ready. We'd better make our way back home."

"OK Grandpa. I'll tell you what I learned about ducks on the way!"

"Really?" asked his grandfather. "Now where did you learn all this from?" Ahmad winked at the ducks in the water and said good-bye.

Ahmad took his grandfather's hand and left the ducks behind. They walked home together talking about Allah's perfect creation and giving thanks for it.

DUCKS

When they fly, ducks, like cheetahs, can go as fast as a car. And when they fly, they continually change direction so as not to become prey for predators. When they have to dive under the water, they do it so quickly that hunters have difficulty shooting them.

CUTE LONG- TAILED SQUIRRELS

Bilal and Dawud were two friends who got along very well together. They had just read a book about the lives of animals and had enjoyed it very much. How exciting it would be to get to know these animals better! That evening they talked to their families and persuaded them to take a trip to the country at the week-end. On the way, they asked each other questions about the animals they were going to see there. As soon as they got out of the car, they started to run around among the trees. Their families sat on benches and started talking. Bilal and Dawud asked for permission to wander around as they were anxious to see some animals.

After walking a little distance they sensed a movement in the leaves.

"Dawud, look there!" said Bilal. "I think it's a squirrel!"

"Come on!" said Dawud, "Let's have a closer look."

It was indeed a squirrel, who said: "You seem like two very curious boys. I can tell you what you want to know."

"Yes, please. Tell us," said Dawud.

"Iwas wondering why you have such a long tail," said Bilal.

"First of all," the squirrel began: "I can go in many directions up in the trees. For example, with my sharp claws I can climb trees very easily. I can run along branches, swing upside-down and even walk that way. My relatives and I are called 'grey squirrels' and we can easily jump from the top of one tree to another 15 feet (4 meters) away. We jump into the air as if we were flying; we then open our arms and legs and glide in the air. We flatten our tails for balance and use them as a rudder for direction."

Dawud said: "I read in a book that some squirrels can fly. Do flying squirrels only need long tails to fly?"

"Yes," answered the squirrel. "In Australia there are some kinds of squirrels that can fly. They are between 20 and 35 inches (45 and 90 cm) long. They move from one tree to another with long jumps. Instead of wings, they have a gliding membrane and they move among the trees like gliders. For example, the flying membrane of sugar gliders stretches from their front legs right up to their back legs. A flying squirrel can jump from the trunk of one tree and, with his skin tightened and looking like a glider, he can travel about 100 feet (30 meters) in a single leap. At times, they have even been observed traveling a distance of 1740 feet (530 meters) in six glides, one after another."

"How do they figure out the distances when they jump between trees so far apart?" Bilal wondered. "In order to land on the right spot they must have to make calculations. Just a little mistake and they would fall to the ground."

The squirrel agreed: "Very true. When we jump, we aim for thin branches and we have to jump carefully in order to land in just the right place. To do this we use our back legs, our sharp eyes, which are very good at guessing distances, our strong claws and our tails, which help us keep our balance. And the One Who has given us these abilities and taught us how to use them is our Almighty Lord. Otherwise, it would certainly not be possible for us to get hold of a ruler and measure the height of the trees and the distances between the branches."

Dawud asked, "Do you have other uses for your tails?"

Bilal added: "I saw a documentary once. Small animals lose heat from their bodies when they don't move. In cold weather they are in danger of freezing, especially when they are asleep. But, as with all kinds of animals, Allah has created a way for squirrels to protect themselves in difficult outside conditions. Squirrels have thick fur tails which they wrap around themselves, and they sleep curled up like a ball. This thick tail is like a winter coat which protects them from freezing when they sleep in cold weather."

"Yes, it's true," agreed the squirrel. "In cold weather our tails keep us warm. But there is also another use for our tails. As with other animals, we squirrels also have various ways of communicating among ourselves. Take red squirrels for example. When they see an enemy, they shake their tails and make excited sounds."

Dawud pointed: "Look at how many nuts you have gathered. You must be very hungry."

The squirrel went on: "It's difficult for us to find food in winter, so, we prepare for winter by collecting food in the summer. We have to be very careful when we store our food. We can't store fruit because it soon goes bad. In order not to go hungry in winter, we must only collect nuts, pine cones and other such foods that will last. See? I will store these nuts away to eat in the winter."

Dawud added: "It is Allah Who teaches all creatures how to find and store their food; it is He Who gives its daily food to every creature He has created. One of the attributes of Allah is 'the Provider' because He gives food to every living thing He has created. The Qur'an tells us how merciful and compassionate Allah is: 'How many creatures do not carry their provision with them! Allah provides for them and He will for you. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.' (Surat al-'Ankabut: 60)"

The squirrel then said: "Allah has given every creature He has created qualities to help it adapt to the environment it lives in. It is not enough for us to find food and store it; when winter comes, we also have to find the place where we have stored it. We can do this because of the wonderful sense of smell our Lord has given us. We can even smell nuts covered with 12 inches (30 cm) of snow.

We store the food we collect in more than one place. But later we forget where we have put it. Yet Allah makes us forget for a definite purpose. In time, the food we have stored under the ground in the forest will sprout and new trees will grow."

Bilal had been thinking: "Nuts and chestnuts have very hard shells. We use nutcrackers to open them. How can you squirrels break them open without a nutcracker?"

"We have teeth that are sharper and stronger than the teeth of any human being," explained the squirrel. "Our front teeth, called incisors, allow us to break hard materials; in the space behind these are our molar teeth. Thanks to these sharp teeth of ours, we can break the shell of any nut, no matter how hard it is."

"Does that damage your teeth?" wondered Dawud.

The squirrel explained: "Here, too, you can see the perfect harmony that exists between everything in the supreme creative artistry of our Lord. If our teeth break off or wear out, new ones grow back. Allah has given this ability to all creatures like us that have to gnaw their food."

Bilal added: "The Qur'an tells us about the beauty and perfection of the living things Allah has created: 'And in your creation and all the creatures He has spread about there are Signs for people with certainty.' (Surat al-Jathiyya: 4)"

Dawud agreed: "We must remember that Allah is in control of everything at every moment. We should thank Him for every blessing He has given us, pray that we may be His beloved servants and ask for His forgiveness."

"Yes, you're right," said Bilal. "It's getting late, Dawud. Let's go back now. Thanks for what you told us, little squirrel."

"Bye, bye, my little friends," said the squirrel.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW THE GOOD WORD

Anas was a nice, well-behaved and hard-working boy. For some reason, his father had to move to another city, and Anas had to leave all his friends behind.

Shortly after Anas and his parents moved to their new apartment, the neighbors in the building came to visit. Anas was very happy because there were several children of his age. Anas liked his new friends a lot, and in time they became very close. But there was a younger boy in the group named Irfan who would always interrupt the games they were playing because he always wanted them to play what he wanted; and if he didn't get his own way, he would be cross with them.

One day, when all the boys were playing in the garden, Irfan joined them. They were playing with a new toy of Anas's. Irfan's arrival made everyone uneasy because they knew that whenever he joined in a game there would always be an argument. So, this time, the boys didn't let him play with them. Irfan became very angry; he took Anas's new toy, threw it on the ground and broke it. Anas was very upset, and he and his friends started to argue with Irfan. Uncle Afsar heard the noise of the boys' voices and looked out the window. Grandpa Afsar loved the boys very much, always took an interest in them and often talked to them about the existence of Allah, the blessings He gives and the acts of worship that He commands. When he saw the boys arguing, he immediately came down to join them. Irfan was crying. The boys told Uncle Afsar what was going on and then they all sat down in the garden to talk.

Anas explained what had happened: "Uncle Afsar, my friends and I always get along well together and play without fighting. But Irfan always ruins our fun, and we don't want to be friends with him anymore."

"But they don't do what I want," Irfan complained.

Uncle Hanif then said: "Come on boys! We all want to feel good and lead a secure life and to find friendship and happiness where we can. But it's not enough to desire these things. And we can't wait for someone else to give them to us. Feeling good in a safe environment and making good friendships require special effort and self-sacrifice. If everyone insisted on having only what they wanted and thought of themselves rather than giving in to others, there would only be unhappiness and arguments among us. But believers who fear Allah behave differently; they are patient, forgiving and don't insist on having their own way. Even when someone wrongs them, they don't take offense; they put the well-being of others before their own wishes and do the best they can not to upset those around them. This is a characteristic of the superior moral behavior that Allah has commanded His servants to practice."

Anas asked: "OK, Uncle Hanif. If a bully comes up to us and uses bad words, what should we do then?"

Uncle Hanif answered: "Of course, we must act as Allah has commanded. Allah tells us how in the Qur'an:

A good action and a bad action are not the same. Repel the bad with something better and, if there is enmity between you and someone else, he will be like a bosom friend. (Surah Fussilat: 34)

Our Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, also advises Muslims to treat good to others in a hadith as follows: '… Whoever wishes to be delivered from the fire and enter the garden should die with faith in Allah and the Last Day and should treat the people as he wishes to be treated by them…' (Muslim)"

The boys then said thank you to Uncle Hanif and promised to do their best to get along with one another in the future.

WHERE DOES THE HUMILITY OF BELIEVERS COME FROM?

In the Qur'an, Allah commands believers to be humble. Our Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, also states in one of his hadiths as follows:

"Allah has revealed to me that you should humble yourselves to one another. One should neither hold himself above another nor transgress against another.'' (Muslim)

Believers are those who know that Allah created everything, that all things belong to Him and that it is He Who gives to human beings their every blessing. For this reason, no matter how good-looking, rich, intelligent or respected they may be, they never become arrogant. The Qur'an tells us that believers are humble:

The servants of the All-Merciful are those who walk on the earth in humility and, who, when the ignorant speak to them, say, "Peace." (Surat al-Furqan: 63)

Allah announces the good news to the believers of the reward for this good morality:

… Your God is One God so submit to Him. Give good news to the humble-hearted. (Surat al-Hajj: 34)

HOW CAN WE REMEMBER ALLAH?

Believers know that Allah sees and hears them at every moment and that He creates everything that happens to them. Every moment of their lives they remember to think about Him. They do this by trying their best to keep Allah in their minds, to know that He has created everything and every event that comes their way, to consider what meaning He intends for them in these events, to try to understand the hidden meaning of creation, and they tell other people about all these things. Allah tells us in the Qur'an that believers remember Him at all times:

[People with intelligence are] those who remember Allah, standing, sitting and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the Earth [saying]: "Our Lord, You have not created this for nothing. Glory be to You! So safeguard us from the punishment of the Fire." (Surah Al 'Imran: 191)

In a hadith, the Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, describes the remembrance of Allah as below:

Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, stated: "As my servant thinks about Me so will I be for him. I am with him if he will remember Me. If he calls on Me in himself I will call him in Myself, and if he calls on Me in a group of people, I mention him in a better group in My presence. If he approaches Me one handspan, I will approach him one arm's length; if he approaches Me one arm's length, I will approach him by a cubit; if he comes to Me walking, I will come to him running." (Bukhari and Muslim)