Zak and His Good Intentions
Zak tries all day to do good deeds, but every one goes wrong, until his mother tells him what a good intention is worth, in an Islamic audiobook.
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What is Zak and His Good Intentions about?
Zak and His Good Intentions is an Islamic audiobook for children about a boy whose good deeds all go wrong in one day, and who learns that Allah rewards a good intention even when the deed does not happen.
Zak's sister Hana has decided to see how many good deeds she can do in a day, and Zak wants to do the same. He sets off to take cookies to his friend Ahmed's family, but he runs too fast, trips and lands in a pile of dirt. When the family cat, Miss Ginger, goes missing, he climbs a tree to rescue her, sticks his hand in sap and frightens her down, and Hana brings her home. He turns on the sprinkler to water the lawn, but soaks his father, who is reading on the patio. Every time, Hana seems to get the good deed, and every time, Zak says, "There goes that good deed."
Sitting in the garden, cross and upset, Zak decides to give his last gummy bear to Hana. But a worm lands on his head, and the sweet falls in the dirt. When he says he cannot get a single good deed, his mother tells him that he did: the Prophet ﷺ said that whoever intends a good deed but does not do it still gets a good deed. Zak counts four good deeds, and the day ends with his father chasing everyone with the sprinkler.
The story teaches children that Allah sees what is in our hearts, and that a sincere intention counts. It is written by J. Samia Mair, illustrated by Omar Burgess and read by Rania Kurdi. It is about 8 minutes long and music-free.
What your child will learn
- Allah rewards a good intention, even when the good deed does not happen.
- Allah sees what is in our hearts.
- We should keep trying to do good, even when things go wrong.
- Good deeds are not a race against our brothers and sisters.
Where this audiobook comes from
- Sahih al-Bukhari 6491: Whoever intends a good deed but does not do it, Allah writes it down as a full good deed.
- Sahih Muslim 131: The same hadith qudsi, reported by Ibn Abbas.
Talk about it afterwards
- What good deeds did Zak try to do, and what went wrong each time?
- Why was Zak cross with his sister Hana?
- What did Zak's mother tell him about his intentions?
- What good deed could you intend to do tomorrow?
Frequently asked questions
What does Zak and His Good Intentions teach children?
That Allah rewards a good intention even when the deed does not happen, as the Prophet ﷺ taught, and that we should keep trying to do good.
Is Zak and His Good Intentions based on a hadith?
Yes. It is built around the hadith that whoever intends a good deed but does not do it still has a good deed written for them, reported in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
How long is Zak and His Good Intentions?
About 8 minutes.
Does Zak and His Good Intentions have music?
No. It is music-free.
