The Wondrous Web

The Wondrous Web is an Islamic picture book for children aged 4 to 6 that tells the story of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ sheltering in a cave on the Hijrah, from the point of view of a little spider.

The spider lives in a rocky den with his huge family of a hundred and ten. He is the smallest, often trampled on and ignored, but he has the biggest heart of all. He dreams of travelling to help people in need and of pleasing Allah with his good deeds. When his family floats away across the Arabian sky, he is too small to follow. So he stays behind and trusts Allah, and every day he prays: "O Allah, let me be of help someday."

Then two men rush into his cave, fleeing a great danger: the Prophet ﷺ and his friend Abu Bakr. The little spider spins his very best web, as fast as he can, across the mouth of the den. When the men hunting the Prophet ﷺ reach the cave, they see the glistening, unbroken web and decide that no one can be inside. They turn away, and the little spider's dream comes true.

Told in simple, rhythmic rhyme, the story shows children that no one is too small to do something great for Allah, and that Allah answers the dua of those who are patient and sincere. It is a gentle first introduction to the Hijrah, the Prophet's ﷺ journey from Makkah to Madinah.

It is written by Razana Noor and illustrated by Rahima Begum.

There was once a little spider who lived in a rocky den with his huge family of a hundred and ten. He was the smallest in the nest, so he was often trampled on and ignored by the rest. But even though he was extremely small, he had the biggest heart of them all.

He longed to travel to different lands and give the needy a helping hand. He wanted to do something important, and to please Allah with his good deeds.

Then a day came when his family waved goodbye and floated away into the Arabian sky, off to exciting new lands. The little spider was too small to follow. He waved farewell, shedding a tear or two, and wondered whether his dreams would ever come true. But he trusted Allah, and every day he prayed: "O Allah, let me be of help to You someday."

Then suddenly, one day, two men rushed into his cave, fleeing from a most serious and grave danger. "Subhan'Allah!" cried the spider. "I must be blessed." The great Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his friend were his guests.

Before he could wonder why they were there, Allah called out and answered his prayer. He ordered the little spider to do a big deed: to spin his best web at super jet speed. So the little spider spun a web as fast as he could, and when it was done, it stood majestic. It draped across the mouth of the den, making it look as though no one had gone in.

Just then he heard loud footsteps and the cries of evil men with dark hearts and eyes. They wanted to hurt the Prophet ﷺ for believing in Allah and spreading the Qur'an. At the mouth of the cave the men stood still, searching for the Prophet ﷺ and ready to kill.

Suddenly they saw the web, glistening in the light, draped across the doorway without a tear in sight. One man clenched his fist. "There's no way the Prophet ﷺ is hiding in this cave," he said. The little spider cheered and jumped up with glee as he watched the bad men turn around and flee.

So the little spider's big dream finally came true: he had helped to save the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his friend Abu Bakr. And for all his patience, hard work and prayer, his story is remembered by Muslims everywhere.

• Surah At-Tawbah 9:40: When the two were in the cave, the Prophet ﷺ told his companion not to grieve, for Allah was with them, and Allah sent down His calm upon him.