My Dad is Always Working
Abdullah thinks his dad is always working, until he learns what his dad quietly does for him every day, in a Jazakallahu khair story for young children.
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What is My Dad is Always Working about?
My Dad is Always Working is an Islamic audiobook for young children about Abdullah, who feels that his busy dad never has time for him, and who learns to see, and to thank him for, all the things he does.
On a Sunday morning Abdullah's dad rushes out of the house, late for work, with black smudges on his shirt. Abdullah sighs: Dad is always working. At his Arabic class the teacher explains that Muslims thank each other by saying Jazakallahu khair, may Allah reward you with goodness, and asks each child to make a Jazakallahu khair card for the person who deserves their thanks. When his mum, not his dad, picks him up from class, Abdullah decides the card should be for her.
Then his mum asks him to think again. Who laid out his clothes, fixed his bike and cleaned his football boots? Abdullah realises that his dad was late because he spent the morning ironing, fixing and cleaning for him. He makes his dad a card with a bike, a pair of football boots and the biggest stack of pancakes ever, thanking him for the things he sees and the things he does not see, and slips it into his dad's jacket pocket.
The next evening they come home to find Dad covered in flour, holding a stack of very burnt pancakes, and Abdullah knows that his dad is always working for him. Written by Hafsah Dabiri and illustrated by Arwa Salameh, the story takes about seven minutes and is music-free.
What your child will learn
- Saying Jazakallahu khair is a way to thank people and ask Allah to reward them.
- Our parents do many things for us that we do not always see.
- Being grateful means noticing the good that others do for us.
- A parent's hard work is one of the ways they show their love.
Talk about it afterwards
- Why did Abdullah think his dad did not have time for him?
- What had his dad done for him that morning?
- What did Abdullah put on his card?
- What does your mum or dad do for you that you might not always see?
- Who would you make a Jazakallahu khair card for?
Words to know
- Jazakallahu khair
- May Allah reward you with goodness; a way of saying thank you.
- As-salamu alaykum
- Peace be upon you, the greeting Muslims give each other.
- Wa alaykum as-salam
- And upon you be peace, the reply to the greeting.
- Insha'Allah
- If Allah wills.
Frequently asked questions
What does My Dad is Always Working teach children?
To notice the quiet ways their parents care for them, and to thank them, and others, by saying Jazakallahu khair.
How long is My Dad is Always Working?
About 7 minutes.
Does My Dad is Always Working have music?
No. It is music-free.
