My First Book About Salah

by Sara Khan, Ali Lodge (Illustrator)

Overview

The perfect book to introduce children to the Gift of Prayer (Salah).

This simple but beautiful book introduces children to the second pillar of Islam; the five daily prayers. It starts with reference to the Night Journey ‘Isra wal Miraj’ in which Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) first received the Gift of Prayer. It outlines some of the practical aspects of Salah and explains why, when and where Muslims can pray in a way that will provide a positive understanding of the most important act of worship for Muslims. 

It is a book to be treasured by children, with large, colourful illustrations and carefully written text that children will understand and enjoy. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780860378525
Publisher:	Kube Publishing Ltd
Publication date:	01/24/2023
Series:	My First Book About
Pages:	26
Product dimensions:	6.38(w) x 7.63(h) x (d)
Age Range:	3 Months to 5 Years

About the Author

Sara Khan was born in Stuttgart, Germany, before moving to the UK at the age of 12. Fluent in German, Arabic and Urdu, Sara is both a bestselling author and qualified translator. She holds a first-class BA (hons) in Linguistics and Arabic, as well as a MA in Translation and Interpreting Studies both from the University of Manchester. As part of her degree, Sara lived in Amman, Jordan, with her husband Naveed, and studied Arabic at the University of Jordan. Living in Jordan enabled them to travel across the Middle East and experience numerous Muslim cultures, traditions, and historic sites in places such as Cairo, Damascus, Jerusalem, Madinah and Makkah. Her postgraduate research focused on Qur’an translation and adaptation for children. Now the proud mother of a little girl called Raya, Sara aims to build upon her academic background and personal experience to help fill the gap when it comes to presenting Islam to toddlers and young children in an age-appropriate way.

Editorial Reviews

01/27/2023

PreS-Gr 1—This book is a simple introduction to prayer for young Muslim children. The pastel color palette and gentle lines make each page appealing and age appropriate. The book opens with the story of the Prophet Muhammad receiving the Gift of Salah (Prayer) from Allah. The book goes on to explain the five daily prayers and their unique importance. Together they are considered a blessing for the body, mind, and soul of each person. The book explains the call to prayer and the rituals to prepare for prayer. Each part of the prayer is illustrated with a young child and labeled. The Surah al-Fatiha from the Qur'an is shown in Arabic and English. The end of prayer is explained. The importance of prayer as a gift that can occur anywhere is emphasized. In a step-by-step fashion that makes learning the day of prayers accessible, the book concludes with facts and questions about the practice of Salah. VERDICT This gentle introduction to Salah is suitable for any collection that includes the prayer practices of other world religions or in libraries serving a population following or learning about Islam.—Elisabeth LeBris

School Library Journal

2023-01-25
An explanation of the second pillar of Islam.

Starting with the “Night Journey, known as Isra wal Miraj,” Khan describes how Prophet Muhammad reached the Al-Aqsa Mosque and “was raised up to the heavens and invited to meet Allah Who gave him the most precious gift to share with us all…The Gift of Salah.” Simple, descriptive language outlines the importance of Salah, or the five daily prayers, in which Muslims thank, remember, and ask Allah for forgiveness. The prayers—Fajr, Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha—are clearly listed, with illustrations using color to indicate the time of day for each. Khan emphasizes the importance of cleanliness before praying and offers a relevant verse from the Quran. The book also names and depicts the different parts of Salah. Lodge uses the same style as in her and Khan’s My First Book About the Qur’an (2017)—bright illustrations of figures with sweet, rounded faces, often surrounded by stars and butterflies. Her images pair well with Khan’s words, capturing the movement of the prayers. A spread depicting the call to prayer, with text flowing across the page as if from the muezzin’s mouth, is especially effective. Some Arabic words include the English meanings, while others do not and may need to be defined. The people depicted are racially diverse; one spread portrays someone who uses a wheelchair. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A simple, child-friendly introduction to Salah. (facts about Islam, questions about prayer) (Board book. 2-4)

Kirkus Reviews