Description
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him said: "When you smile at your brother it is charity." This hadith from the Prophet tells us something important about Islam: being happy and welcoming is not just something some people are born with it is something we can choose to do. A true Muslim is someone who's kind to everyone they meet.
There is a story about a man called "The Cheerful Grandfather" from the "Manarah Akhlaq. Arabic Stories" series. He is a grandfather who always smiles and is very kind. Children love him from the moment they meet him. When he walks into a room his smile lights up the place. His grandchildren run to say hello his neighbors smile when they see him and even people he does not know feel welcome around him.
As children read this story they start to understand why the grandfather is so happy. It is not because he is lucky it is because he is thankful to God. He has faith in God. This makes him feel peaceful and happy inside. The story teaches us things:
* Smiling is a good thing that Muslims do and it is like giving charity
* Being thankful to God is the key to being truly happy
* When we are happy and kind it makes our family and friends happy too
* Believing in God and thinking things about Him makes us optimistic
* Grandparents can teach their grandchildren important values
The story of "The Cheerful Grandfather" is written in a nice way that children can understand. The pictures are warm and happy. This book is good for children who're four to eight years old. It is a choice for families to read together or for Islamic schools to teach children about being happy and kind. "The Cheerful Grandfather" is part of the Manarah Akhlaq series, which is used in Islamic schools, around the world.
