I Could Be Anything
A child imagines being a teacher, a firefighter, a pilot or an astronaut, and learns about Qadr, Allah's plan, in an Islamic picture book for ages 4 to 9.
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What is I Could Be Anything about?
I Could Be Anything is an Islamic picture book for children aged 4 to 9 in which a child dreams about what they might be when they grow up, and learns that Allah has a special plan for each of us.
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" The child's answer is always the same: I could be anything, because Allah has a special plan for me. One by one, they try on different jobs, each with its own sounds. A parent, reading stories every night and having pillow fights. A madrasa teacher, helping students learn the Qur'an letter by letter. A mechanic, a firefighter with sirens wailing, a dentist, a tailor, a farmer sharing Allah's blessings, a chef, a pilot, an architect and, last of all, an astronaut heading for the moon, insha'Allah.
After each dream comes the same gentle question: I wonder what Allah wants me to be? In this way the book introduces Qadr, belief in Allah's decree, one of the six articles of faith. It encourages children to dream big and to know that their possibilities are wide, while reminding them that what they become is what Allah has willed for them. It ends with Alhamdulillah, and a child who cannot wait to see what Allah has planned.
It is written by Eman Mouneimne El Ayoubi and illustrated by Victoria Romanenkova. It takes about four minutes to read and is music-free.
What your child will learn
- Allah has a plan for each of us.
- We can dream big and work hard, and what we become is what Allah has willed.
- Many kinds of work can be a way to help people.
- Belief in Qadr, Allah's decree, is part of our faith.
The story of I Could Be Anything
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" Hmm, good question. The child in this book had one answer: they could be anything, because Allah had a special plan for them. They wondered what it could be.
They could be a parent, reading stories every night and having pillow fights. They could have their own family, just like Mummy and Daddy. They wondered what Allah wanted them to be.
They could be a madrasa teacher, helping students learn the beautiful language of the Qur'an. Alif, Ba, Ta, letter by letter, and the students would be reading Arabic in no time at all. They wondered what Allah had decreed for them.
They could be a mechanic, repairing broken cars. Vroom, vroom, vroom! Masha'Allah, back up and running as good as new.
They could be a firefighter, putting out angry flames and keeping people safe. Whee-wah, whee-wah! The sirens let everyone know that help was on the way. They wondered what Allah had in store for them.
They could be a dentist, caring for their patients' teeth with a little probe here and a little probe there. Masha'Allah, what a strong set of teeth!
They could be a tailor, making beautiful clothes. Snip, snip, snip: cut the pattern, sew the pieces, and voilà. They wondered what Allah had planned for them.
They could be a farmer, growing fruit and vegetables and sharing Allah's blessing with everyone. Those juicy strawberries!
They could be a top chef, cooking delicious food for everyone with a pinch of this and a pinch of that. Sizzle, sizzle. Their taste buds would dance with delight.
They could be a pilot, flying people all over the world in a big aeroplane. Zoom, zoom, zoom, gliding through the clouds, soaring way up high. They wondered where Allah's plan would take them.
They could be an architect, drafting plans for an amazing new building. Scribble, scribble, scribble, leading the pencil to create the most unique design.
And they could be an astronaut, travelling into outer space. Three, two, one, blast off! Floating through the Milky Way, with the final stop the moon, insha'Allah. They wondered what Allah had in store for them.
They could be anything, Alhamdulillah. And they could not wait to see what Allah had planned for them.
Find more stories about trust in Allah.
Where this story comes from
- Sahih Muslim 8: In the hadith of Jibril, the Prophet ﷺ names belief in the divine decree, its good and its bad, as part of faith.
Talk about it afterwards
- Which job in the book would you most like to do?
- How does each job help other people?
- What does it mean that Allah has a plan for you?
- What would you like to be when you grow up, and why?
Words to know
- Qadr
- Allah's decree; the belief that everything happens by His knowledge and will.
- Madrasa
- A school where children learn about Islam and to read the Qur'an.
- Masha'Allah
- What Allah has willed; said when admiring something.
- Insha'Allah
- If Allah wills.
- Alhamdulillah
- All praise is for Allah.
Frequently asked questions
What age is I Could Be Anything suitable for?
Children aged 4 to 9. The repeated line and the sounds of each job make it easy for young children to join in.
What does I Could Be Anything teach children?
That they can dream of many jobs, and that Allah has a plan for each of them. It is a first introduction to Qadr, belief in Allah's decree.
How long is I Could Be Anything?
About 4 minutes to read aloud.
Does I Could Be Anything have music?
No. It is music-free.
