Ramadan Tales for French Children

By Hadi Yahmid, IOL Correspondent

PARIS, October 12, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – Ramadanian tales for children from around the world have made the chapters of a book issued in France by Irene Rekard, a French writer, who reverted to Islam.

Rekard said Wednesday, October 12, the book aims at giving answers to questions raised by children on the value and essence of fasting.

“Et si Ramadan m’etait conte…,” [What Ramadan told me…] was published to coincide with the advent of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, which started in France Tuesday, October 4.

The book contains 30 separate stories, one for each day of the holy month.

The 30 featured tales aim at “educating the children about the fasting and basics of this spiritual practice”, said the author, adding “children will discover with every tale some values and explain the humanitarian perspective in Islam.”

“Fasting, my son, highlights the unity of Ummah (Muslim nation),” Rekard put it in the mouth of Om Hassan, one of her characters.

Rekard’s starting point is French Muslims’ life but then she generalizes by quoting stories from places across the globe, from Frankfurt, Germany to Makkah in Saudi Arabia, according to IOL correspondent.

Educational

In the first tale, Hassan, a boy, is told by his mother to turn the TV to Makkah to watch prayer.

Unaware of time differences, the child rushes to his mother telling her to quickly prepare Iftar (breakfast) as he hears Maghreb Azan, according to Makkah local time.

Prayer is continuant round the clock in the four corners of the world, one time in Saudi Arabia, another in Palestine and so on, Hassan learns.

The French writer printed key words in a different color, including the transliteration of some religious terms; including Tawarih, Maghreb and Sahur (late evening meal).

In the second chapter, Yusuf wants to go to the mosque with his father to perform Tarawih prayers as he had two days off from school.

The author links fasting to school and studying by drawing attention to the fact that fasting does not stop children studying, but, on the contrary, they can double efforts during fast hours.

Hafiza, a Muslim girl, is studying more than ever during the fasting month, according to her teacher.