My Special Angels: The Two Noble Scribes

My Special Angels: The Two Noble Scribes is an Islamic picture book for children aged 4 to 9 that introduces the Kiraman Katibin, the two noble angels beside every person who write down their deeds from their first day to their last.

A child tells us, in rhyme, about the two angels who follow them wherever they go, one on the left and one on the right. Allah sent them when the child was small, to watch them walk, wriggle and crawl, and they write down every deed, good and bad, so that the child can later see the life they had.

The angel on the right is filled with joy when the child shares a favourite toy or stops before getting angry, and he is pleased with every good deed, big or small, like helping Daddy plant a seed or giving food to people in need. The angel on the left has the job of writing down the wrong things. But the child can still put them right: say sorry, and try their best not to do it again. It is never too late.

So, with people or alone, the child tries to do good, hoping that Allah will reward them with Jannah. Written by Razana Noor and illustrated by Omar Burgess, the book gives young children a gentle first idea of the angels, and of saying sorry. It takes about two minutes to read aloud.

A child told us something they knew: wherever they went, two angels followed them, one on the left and one on the right, and they never let the child out of their sight. Allah had sent the angels when the child was small, and they watched the child walk, wriggle and crawl. They wrote down the child's deeds, good and bad, so that the child could later see the life they had lived.

The angel on the right was filled with joy whenever the child shared a favourite toy. He was so happy, and oh so glad, when the child stopped themselves from getting mad. Whenever the child did a good deed, big or small, he was ever so pleased and proud of them all: helping Daddy plant a seed, or giving food to those in need.

But the child did not forget the other one. The angel on the left had a job that was no fun. He noted down all the times the child was bad, and it made him feel very sad.

There was still something the child could do to stop the angel feeling blue: say sorry, and try their best not to do it again. That was the child's test. When the child was sorry, the angel jumped with glee and rubbed away the naughty deed. So the child knew that it was never too late to right their wrongs and change their fate.

That was why, with people or alone, the child did good deeds without a moan. That way, the child knew, they would be really blessed, and make their angels super impressed. And when their deeds were with Allah, He would reward them with Jannah, Insha'Allah.

• Surah Al-Infitar 82:10-12: Over you are guardians, noble and writing down, who know what you do.
• Surah Qaf 50:17-18: Two receiving angels, one on the right and one on the left, record every word a person says.