My Why.

Thanksgiving 2018

When you start working on something new, be it a new business venture or a project of some sort, you are often told to reflect on your why. That purpose, cause or belief that drives you. Why do you want to do it? Why this particular thing? Well this picture helps sum up my why and here’s the story behind it.

Last Thanksgiving, my daughter was a little over three at the time, as is customary in most pre-schools around Thanksgiving, each child colors/paints a picture of a turkey and writes what they are thankful for. Well my little 3 year old told her teacher that ‘I am thankful for Allah’. A 3 year old child was able to make that connection on her own and had the confidence in her beliefs to say it. When I saw this picture in her take home box, I couldn’t help but get teary, even thinking about it now is making me tear up.

As if that wasn’t enough, there was a second picture she had drawn of our family in which she described to her teacher what each person was doing.

It said:

Leila eating an orange

Musa eating a blueberry

Daddy when he was little

Mummy is fasting and not eating food.

I had been fasting a few days in the winter months and much to my surprise, she had picked up on it and internalized it. 

The series of events that followed has reassured me even more that giving our children the tools to feel confident in their faith from early on is important.

We currently live in Seattle and although people are extremely friendly and welcoming, it is not the most diverse place, at least in comparison to other cities I have lived in (San Francisco and London). My daughter was probably among a handful of children from a minority background and definitely the only Muslim in her class. 

Her teacher pulled me aside when I came for pickup that day and was eager to show me what Leila had written on her artwork. She was impressed at how aware Leila was about these issues and wanted to ask me a bit more about our religious customs and how we celebrate the holidays.

Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas were all being talked about at her school at the time and there were books laid out about all of these holidays in the classroom. I proceeded to tell her that we do celebrate Thanksgiving as a family (my husbands family is really big on that) and although we don’t celebrate Christmas in our home, we are happy for her to learn about different religious and cultural practices. We discussed the idea of maybe doing something when Ramadan and Eid come around — about which they knew very little.

The following day when I walked into her classroom at drop-off, among those books about Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas, appeared a book about Islam (Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns by Hena Khan).

That day I was filled with pride and a new perspective. My 3 year old daughter had single handedly done Da’wah to a whole group of teachers and that would eventually extend to the whole school.

At the time, I had already been working on The Prophet Series for a while, but of course self doubt was lingering at the back of my mind. I was afraid to take that plunge and put myself and my idea out into the world. Is this really something people would want? Is the need to introduce Islam to our youngest children something others share with me?

Witnessing this moment was the tipping point for me. It reminded me why I started working on The Prophet Series in the first place. I wanted to provide high quality, unique content that would allow young Muslims to start developing a love and connection to their faith. 

I had seen first hand that it mattered. Even at the tender age of 3, what our children are exposed to, makes a difference and we never know the impact it can have on others too. 

From that point I erased any doubts and committed to making my vision a reality. The following January, I registered my business, Lunar Learners, and the last year has been the beginning of my journey to sharing The Prophet Series with the world and helping introduce young children to concrete Islamic values through these books.  

As is customary during this time of year, I want to take the opportunity to say that I am so thankful to all those who have helped and supported me and Lunar Learners on this journey so far. I pray that many of you share my vision and sincere intention to make positive impact through the work I am doing and InshAllah I hope I can continue to do so and seek nearness to Allah through this.