Review of AYAT JAMILAH: BEAUTIFUL SIGNS: A TREASURY OF ISLAMIC WISDOM FOR CHILDREN AND PARENTS

Bibliography:

Conover, Sarah and Freda Crane. 2004. Ayat Jamilah: Beautiful signs: A treasury of Islamic wisdom for children and parents. Illustrated by Valerie Wahl. Spokane, WA: Eastern Washington University Press. ISBN 0910055947

Review:

Ayat Jamilah: Beautiful Signs: A Treasury of Islamic Wisdom for Children and Parents is an anthology of stories from the Qur’an and from hadiths (oral stories of the life and sayings of the prophet Muhammad), as well as folk stories and sayings from various Islamic culture including China, Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey, West Africa, and Indonesia. The authors, Sarah Conover and Freda Crane, collected these stories so adults and children would have the opportunity to read and learn about the traditional literature that is part of the “diverse reaches of Islamic culture”. A preface, a section titled “To the Reader”, and several pages of notes and source information provide readers with basic background knowledge of the Islamic culture. Readers learn that each story in Ayat Jamilah begins with the Arabic calligraphy representing the phrase, “In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, and Most Merciful”, because it is customary for Muslims to “begin any good action” with these words. While these sections are interesting, it is the stories themselves that entertain and educate.

A number of the tales included in this collection center around the “funny but wise Joha and his donkey”. This folk character, with a slightly modified name – Nasreddin Hodja or the Honarable Affanti, appears in tales from various areas of the world. One story that is sure to cause readers to laugh out loud is “The Honorable Joha, Mulla Nasruddin Hodja and the Tricky Case,” in which Mulla Nasruddin takes four weeks to determine the steps to take to cure a young boy of his addiction to sugar. When he finally announces his verdict, the frustrated mother asks why it took so long, and Mulla Nasruddin responds, “I had to cure myself of the same habit, didn’t I? How could I have known it would take so long?” This subtle humor is a bit mature for young children, but young adults (12 and up) will appreciate it. In addition to these tales, other stories reveal a message about life. For instance, in “It Is So: A Tale from Malia”, a man “took credit for everyone’s success”. One day his true nature is revealed, and he learns to be humble. Although set in the “long, long ago” past, this tale reminds readers of the downfalls of boasting that can still occur today. “It Is So” is one of the few illustrated stories. While the illustrations scattered throughout the work reflect the various cultures represented, the colors used are muted and do not draw attention to the artwork. Instead, the focus of Ayat Jamilah: Beautiful Signs is on the traditional stories which introduce readers to a unique culture by sharing a part of its oral tradition and history. And, in today’s world in which the Islamic culture seems so different from other religious cultures, the stories presented in Ayat Jamilah reveal that people around the world hold the same fundamental belief of treating others as they themselves would like to be treated. This is in itself a very important lesson to learn.