Imagine Me in Jannah

Imagine Me in Jannah is an Islamic picture book for children aged 7 to 9: a short rhyming book in which boys and girls imagine what they would ask for in Jannah, and then invite the reader to imagine it too.

It opens with its refrain: imagine me in Jannah, how amazing would that be? Allah will give us whatever we want, even things we have never seen. Then the children take turns. One would ask Allah for talking pets, because she is crazy about animals. Another would swing from tree to tree like a jungle girl, or drive a humongous monster truck. In Jannah we can eat whatever we want, so there is the biggest smoothie ever, a mountain of blueberries to climb and gobble up, and an underwater tea party with yummy cakes for friends. There is no night time and no bedtime, so everyone can stay up with their friends and family.

At the end, the book turns to the reader: now imagine you are in Jannah. How super-duper would that be?

The book carries an important note: its pictures are imaginary and for learning only, because what Allah has prepared for us is beyond anything a mind can grasp. It gives children a happy longing for Jannah and plenty to talk about. It is written by Rabia Bashir and illustrated by Upit Dyoni, and it is music-free.

The book opened with its refrain: imagine me in Jannah, how amazing would that be? Allah will give us whatever we want, even things we have never seen. Imagine me in Jannah, how extraordinary would that be?

Then the children took turns to imagine. One child could ask Allah for talking pets, because she was crazy about animals. Another could live the life of a jungle girl, swinging from tree to tree. Another could drive a humongous monster truck, shouting "You can't catch me!"

In Jannah, the children said, we can eat whatever we want. How delicious would that be? We just have to make a simple wish, and there that wish will be. So one child could slurp the biggest smoothie ever and slide back down it with a "wee". Another could climb a mountain of blueberries and gobble them up in threes.

Imagine me in Jannah: one child could live in the sea, serving her friends yummy cakes at her underwater tea party. And there would be no night time and no bedtime, so everyone could stay up happily, eating and drinking and eating some more with their friends and family.

Their visions of Jannah were pretty awesome, the children said, and they were sure the reader would agree. Then the book turned to the reader: now imagine you are in Jannah. How super-duper would that be?

• Sahih al-Bukhari 3244: Allah has prepared for His righteous servants what no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no heart has imagined.
• Surah Fussilat 41:31: In Paradise you will have whatever your souls desire and whatever you ask for.