Alia's Garden of Kindness

📖 Parental Guide: "Alia's Garden of Kindness" is designed to illustrate the principle of empathy and the Islamic teaching that one should desire for others what one desires for oneself. It's a great tool to help children understand the importance of empathy and mutual respect.

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In a cozy town, nestled between rolling hills and whispering winds, lived a young girl named Alia. Alia was known for her bright smile and her garden, which was a rainbow of flowers and fruits. She loved her garden, not just for its beauty, but for the joy it brought to others.

One day, while tending to her roses and other plants in the garden, Alia heard her mother reading a story about Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). The story shared a powerful message: "None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself." This message really made Alia think deeply.

While thinking about these words, Alia looked around her beloved garden. She realized how happy her garden made her and wondered if she could share this happiness with others. With a determined smile, Alia decided to put the Prophet's teaching into action.

The next morning, Alia filled her basket with a variety of flowers and fruits from her garden. She walked through her neighborhood, giving them to her neighbors. At each house, she saw faces light up with joy and surprise. To the elderly Mr. Hassan, who loved gardening but could no longer tend to one, she gave the sweetest oranges. To Mrs. Fatima, who loved colors, she gave a bouquet of vibrant flowers.

As she shared the fruits and flowers of her garden, Alia felt a warmth in her heart. She realized that by giving, she was not only making others happy but was also feeling an indescribable joy herself.

One day, Alia fell ill and couldn't tend to her garden. She was worried, but to her surprise, the next morning, she found her garden had been taken care of. Her neighbors, remembering her kindness, had come together to water and tend to her garden.

Alia learned an invaluable lesson: kindness and empathy, like seeds in a garden, grow and come back to you in beautiful ways. From that day on, Alia continued to live by the golden rule she learned from the Prophet's teaching, knowing that every act of kindness echoes and returns in unexpected ways.

📗 Discussion Points

• Empathy in Action: Ask children how they would feel in Alieh's place and what they can do to practice empathy in their daily lives.

• Sharing is Caring: Discuss the importance of sharing and how small acts of kindness can make a big difference in someone's life.

🌱 Activities for Growth

• Plant a Seed of Kindness: Encourage children to plant a seed or flower, care for it, and then gift it to someone as an act of kindness.

• Kindness Diary: Create a diary where children can write or draw acts of kindness they perform or witness each day.