Stories : Bullock Cart and Mangoes

Rashida stays in a little village in India with her family. India is a country in Asia. It is the hot season and there are a lot of delicious mangoes to eat. Rashida goes to madrassah in a bullock cart with her little brother, Lukman.

On her way back she sees the vendors shouting, "Delicious mangoes for sale, come and buy them."

There are many types of mangoes; Rashida loves to eat mangoes.

Today, Rashida is very excited. She has learnt something new in class and wants to teach her mum.

Her mum has told her, " Rashida you must teach me all that you learn in the madrasah. Sometimes I can forget to practice what I have learnt. If you remind me I will earn Allah s.w.t. pleasure and you will earn a reward for teaching me. Remember Rashida, we must learn our deen, practice it and teach it to others."

Rashida loves to teach her mum. They have a lot of fun learning and helping each other to practice what they have learnt.

Rashida runs into the house and can smell the 'ras' (mango pulp) that her mum has made for lunch. She will eat it with 'chapati' (flat whole meal bread) .

"Ammi, Ammi, I am home. Assalamulaikum ," says Rashida as she salaams her mum and gets a big hug and a kiss."

Her mum says,"Wa alaikumus Salam."

"Ammi, I have something new to teach you today," says Rashida excitedly.

"Calm down," mum says. ' Wash your hands and eat your 'ras', then we can talk.'

Rashida is very hungry and quickly washes her hands and sits down. Her little brother starts eating and Rashida says, "What do we say before we eat?"

Her little brother, Lukman, quickly stops eating and replies, 'Bismillah.'

Soon Rashida And Lukman are relishing the delicious 'ras' and slurping it down with 'chapati' and 'dhal' curry [lentil curry].

Soon lunch is over and Rahida says her doa and starts helping her mum clear the table and wash the dishes. Rashida always likes to help her mum. Mum is always very busy with cooking, cleaning, washing clothes and looking after Lukman and the baby. Mum looks very tired and Rashida likes to help her mum so that her mum does not have to do so much work and can take a short rest.

As she is washing the dishes very carefully, she tells her mum about her school day, "Today we learnt two names of Allah SWT."

" Alhamdulillah," says her mum. "Will you teach them to me.'

"Yes! yes!" replies Rashida excitedly. She loves to share with her mum. "Al Baseer and Al Waduud'' 'These are the two names I have learnt."

Her mum repeats, "Al Baseer, Al Waduud; Al Baseer, Al Waduud," "Rashida what does Al Baseer mean."

"Al Baseer means, The All Seeing and Al Waduud, means The Loving."

"Oh! That is beautiful." Mum repeats again, " Al Baseer, The All Seeing; Al Waduud The Loving; Al Baseer, The All Seeing; Al Waduud The Loving."

Soon even Lukman is saying," Al Baseer, The All Seeing; Al Waduud, The Loving; Al Baseer, The All Seeing; Al Waduud The Loving ."

Mum looks at Rashida and winks at her and whispers, " See how teaching me also teaches your brother the names of Allah s.w.t.. Isn't that great, Alhamdulillah. You will get a reward from Allah s.w.t. for teaching me as well as Lukman." Mum gives Rashida a big hug and a kiss.

Mum said, "Today you were a tilmeezah [a student] and an ustazah [a teacher], alhamdulillah. Allah will be pleased with you."

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