Leyla the Sparrow
Leyla the sparrow's chicks are caught by men until the Prophet ﷺ tells them to set them free, in an audiobook inspired by a hadith, for ages 4 to 9.
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What is Leyla the Sparrow about?
Leyla the Sparrow is an Islamic audiobook for children aged 4 to 9, inspired by a hadith, about a mother sparrow in Madinah whose chicks are saved by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Leyla has the sweetest voice of all the sparrows, and she loves to sing in the dawn chorus, the birds' daily song of praise to Allah. When her two chicks, Nadim and Sarah, hatch, she has no time to sing. She is busy finding them sunflower seeds, wriggly worms and the juicy red berries they love. Her friend Sophia tells her about a secret garden with the best berries in Madinah, but a ginger cat lives there, and Leyla only just escapes his claws. So she teaches her chicks about danger and makes sure they learn to fly.
On their first flight into the countryside, they see the Prophet ﷺ and his companions resting on a journey. Leyla explains what a prophet is: a man who brings a special message from Allah. But while the chicks show off their flying, two men catch them in their hands, and Leyla flutters around them in distress. The Prophet ﷺ returns, sees her pain and tells the men to let the chicks go at once, because the mother bird was in distress, and Allah's mercy is for all His creatures. The next morning, Leyla sings in the dawn chorus again.
Told in four chapters and read by Sandy Walsh, the story teaches children to be gentle with animals, and shows that the Prophet ﷺ was a friend to everyone, even tiny birds. It is a Miraj original.
What your child will learn
- The Prophet ﷺ was kind to all of Allah's creatures, even tiny birds.
- We must never upset animals or take their young away from them.
- Allah is merciful to all His creatures, and He loves kindness to them (Sahih Muslim 2593).
- Parents teach their children about danger to keep them safe.
Chapters
- Leyla and her Babies
- Danger in the Garden
- What is a Prophet?
- Allah Loves Us All
Where this audiobook comes from
- Sunan Abi Dawud 2675: On a journey, the companions took the two chicks of a small bird, and the Prophet ﷺ said, "Who has distressed this bird by taking her young? Return her young to her."
- Sahih Muslim 2593: Allah is kind and loves kindness in all things (the hadith of Aisha).
Talk about it afterwards
- Why did Leyla stop singing in the dawn chorus?
- What did Leyla teach Nadim and Sarah about danger?
- What did the Prophet ﷺ tell the men who were holding the chicks?
- How can we be kind to birds and animals?
Words to know
- Hadith
- A saying or action of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, passed down by his companions.
Frequently asked questions
What age is Leyla the Sparrow suitable for?
Children aged 4 to 9. It is told from the sparrows' point of view, with a narrow escape from a cat and a gentle lesson at the end.
Is Leyla the Sparrow based on a hadith?
Yes. It is inspired by the hadith in which the Prophet ﷺ told his companions to give a mother bird back her chicks, because taking them had distressed her, reported in Sunan Abi Dawud.
How long is Leyla the Sparrow?
About 13 minutes, in four chapters.
