Customer Reviews

Ayat Jamilah: Beautiful Signs: A Treasury of Islamic Wisdom for Children and Parents (Aesop Prize (Awards))

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

All I can say is that "It's about time!" We have been taking a nice, slow pace with this book (my husband, me, and our 3 young sons) and I have come to look forward to bedtime in a way that I never have before. It's wonderful to finally come across a book about Islam that isn't political, isn't out to preach and convert, isn't about gender issues. All faiths have wisdom and gentleness within its teachings and it's a relief to be exposed to lessons we can all identify with in a book about Islam. A must for all children in this age of misinformation! (Side note: I've given this book as a gift to many kids and they --- and their parents --- all thank me for it...)

In the name of God the Merciful and the Benevolent... Thus opens every story in this book, a collection of Islamic stories for families and children. Drawn from across the Muslim world, this book collects together countless folk stories, sayings and proverbs. Excerpts from the Holy Qur'an, the Hadith and the life of Muhammad appear beside traditional Arab, Persian, Turkish, Mande, Swahili, Hausa, Pakistani and Asian fairy tales and proverbs. Historic accounts of great Muslims like Ali ibn Abu Talib, Uthman ibn Affan, Rabiah of Basra and al-Hakim stand next to the wit of Mullah Nasruddin Hodja and the poems of Sufi mystics like Saadi and Idries Shah. A huge range of cultures, countries and time periods are represented, from China and Indonesia to Al-Andalus and Nigeria, from the early days of Islam in the 7th century to the Swahili city-states of the 16th century, but all are united by the common faith of Islam.

This book is an invaluable resource for Muslim families wishing to pass on their culture and heritage to their children, but the morals and lessons contained within these stories carry a timeless wisdom that all peoples can benefit from regardless of faith. Non-Muslim families who want to teach about other cultures, or who want to show that Islam is not some evil monolithic force the media tries to portray it as, will also benefit from reading this. Stories of faith, honesty, kindness, charity, mercy and love are balaneced out with humor. The beautiful artwork and Arabic calligraphy add to this books appeal. Appearently, this book is part of a series detailing folk tales and proverbs from all of the world's great religions and there is at least one other book in the series published (this time focusing on Buddhism). I have yet to read it, but considering the outstanding quality of this book, I should like to get around to it eventually.

All in all, this is a book well worth getting. Even adults will appreciate reading some of the stories in here. I certainly did, and if you approach this book with an open mind I honestly believe you and your children will appreciate this book as well regardless of your religious or cultural beliefs.

Every family will want Ayat Jamilah: Beautiful Signs on its bookshelf. Rarely does one book address the interests of so many readers, but Ayat Jamilah has something for every family member. For children, the often humorous and always delightful stories will entertain and instruct for hours. Parents will appreciate the various lengths of each story, as they can choose a short bedtime story or a long one. Even teenagers will enjoy these tales of people struggling to find their way in confusing and sometimes dangerous situations. Young adults, often frustrated by trying unsuccessfully to please peers, will find comfort and wisdom in "The Honorable Joha, Mulla Nasruddin Hodja and the Famous Donkey Story." And the lively, colorful illustrations by Valerie Wahl add a visual "reading" to the overall experience. You won't find this book at a yard sale because it's a keeper.

If the value of this book were judged only on its ability to engage, entertain, teach, and delight, Ayat Jamilah would be a winner. However, there is an entirely additional level and depth to this book. Beautiful Signs brings to our society an opportunity to learn about a religion through the eyes of one who believes in it. Freda Crane, co-author and educator, is a Muslim who has traveled/lived in many parts of the world and been collecting these stories over the years. Her unique perspective as an American Muslim allows readers - young and old - to experience both the folktales and re-tellings of stories from the Qur'an with a cozy sense of familiarity and joy. The book is a wealth of information about Islam yet never stoops to proselytizing. Sarah Conover's previous work, Kindness (2001), brought Buddhism to us in much the same manner, and both authors deliver brilliantly in Beautiful Signs.

This book is remarkable in several ways. Probably the best is that it takes an informative look at Islam without being political, no easy task at this time. The authors tease out the wisdom of the religion in a provocative way that all can relate to. It is an important book.

I came across this wonderful book of Islamic folk tales somewhat by accident. To tell you the truth, I had never read any Islamic folk tales before, although our family loves folk tales! The authors, Sarah Conover and Freda Crane, put together this collection because "there was, and is still, a lack of compelling material introducing Islam to children and young adults."

The 39 stories in this book are retellings of tales collected from all over the world: from China to Africa to Indonesia -- anywhere Muslims live. Many stories feature the folk character Joha (also known as Mulla Nasruddin Hodja, and Affanti), whose predicaments and funny responses teach the reader through humor.

Several stories feature important women in the Islamic tradition. Rabia Al Adawiya of Basra was a famous Sufi saint. In one story, Rabia stresses the importance of gratitude, and in another, she reforms a thief by teaching him how to pray. Khadija, Muhammed's first wife, was a wealthy businesswoman and the first follower of Islam.

Women and girl characters are featured in other stories too. A clever girl in China named Sailimai outsmarted the emperor and saved her father-in-law. Fatimah, a clever, hard-working Turkish girl, found herself in China after many misadventures, and was able to fulfill a legend by building a magnificent tent for the emperor.

Because Islam is closely related to Judaism and Christianity, the three religions share some stories. Included in this collection is a story about Abraham; a story about Hagar (Abraham's second wife, and the mother of the Arab people); and a story about the birth of Jesus.

The stories stress generosity, honesty, cooperation, simplicity, fairness, hard work, equanimity, humility, and the importance of education. Each story is introduced by a quote from Islamic literature. Twelve full-color illustrations by Valerie Wahl add to the beauty and charm of this book.

Background information on Islam is included in the introductory material. Source notes for each story and quote are included at the back of the book.

This is truly a valuable collection, and highly recommended. I have included this in my online Gender Equality Bookstore.

I have been reading this book to my kids and they absolutely love it. There is a paucity of books of this type in the marketplace, and Ayat Jamilah definitely does its part to fill the gap.

I think this book is great for several reasons: 1) The illustrations with each story are tastefully done and draw kids into the story as you read (or they read!) 2) The shorter stories and large print are perfect for bedtime or before a nap 3) the one-page proverbs and words of wisdom between stories are great previews to the stories 4) the stories themselves are well told, diverse in themes, and appropriate for kids of any religious background (themes transcend cultural/religious boundaries). Needless to say, I LOVE this book and have found nothing like it, yet!

Though I bought this book for my young children, I am the one that is constantly pausing in the middle of my busy day to sit, read and absorb the wisdom in this book. I love it! It's so deep, so multi-faceted and spiritual. Many of my treasured memories of my grandmother's tales are in this book.

Update more than 2 yrs after first buying this book:
I still LOVE this book! (I will take it tomorrow and read a couple of stories to my kids' class, to commemorate Eid, in addition to reading Hena Khan's 'night of the moon'). A great gift book to cherish for years to come!

I purchased this book for my 5 year old niece. While the language is too advanced for her to read on her own, she loves having this book read to her. As she has grown familiar with the stories over the last year, she has also gotten better at trying to read them on her own. One of the nice things about this book is it includes stories and sayings from across many different countries and cultures, reflecting the diversity of people following the Islamic faith, which is also reflected in the artwork. It also provides a human face for Muslims around the world, given the stereotypes and prejudice abounding in the media. A great book for the children in your life.

Another lovely book to share with kids in the series Sarah Conover is assembeling. If we want to create an awareness of diversity and spirituality in our children that they can carry forward, having stories which are grounded in a variety of cultures is a wonderful way to make it happen. These stories taken from Islamic origin teach with a light touch, humor and insight accompanied by nicely detailed illustrations. It is nice to find chidrens books that reach beyond western themes but are none the less familiar in their universal message.