New children’s book explores cultural differences in an informal setting

Oxon Hill, MD - How will parents face the predicament of making their only son happy and at the same time follow the laws of their faith? See how a Muslim family solves such a conflict in Zakia Iman Shahbaz’ finely crafted tale of love, faith, and acceptance, A Trophy for Bilal.

Bilal, a Muslim boy, badly wants a pet dog. He loves the way dogs bark, wag their tails and follow their master’s orders. Many of his friends and classmates have pet dogs and Bilal loves to spend time playing with them. When he tells his parents he wants a dog, they are torn with making a decision that will render him happy but may not be in accordance with Muslim laws. For Muslims, dogs are not pets; they are only used for working or hunting. To solve the problem, Bilal’s parents get him a beautiful black kitten, that he eventually names One Eye.

 Bilal is not happy at all! His new pet does not return the ball when he throws it, and does not wag its tail like dogs do. All it does is say meow and follow him wherever he goes. Since he dislikes One Eye, Bilal keeps his new pet a secret. He takes care of it, but he doesn’t treat One Eye as his pet. Rather, he considers it as his new responsibility at home. One day, One Eye disappears. Bilal and his parents could not find him anywhere! Will Bilal be happier without One Eye - or will he realize how precious his cat is to him?

A Trophy for Bilal is a youthful and heartwarming story that helps your kids learn about cultural differences and the problems Muslim families face in non-Muslim communities. Help awaken their passion for reading and love for colors with the book’s easy to read text and vivid watercolor illustrations. For more information, contact ummfaiza@yahoo.com

As salaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuhu,

Masha Allah, the website and the blog is up and running. May Allah make it a witness for us and not against us, ameen.

wa alaikum as salaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuhu,

Alhamdulillah! We are finally here. And we welcome you to share your writing dreams and aspirations with us, MWWWI. I am new at all of this; learning how to manage all the ‘tech stuff’ because I have to. If I had my ‘druthers,’ pad and pen would suffice. I will be back when I have more to say. Wading in slowly, not getting too wet or too cold is a good plan for my first visit. See you soon! ASA!

ASA,

Zakia