Nasruddin & the Donkey
Nasruddin, his son Ali and Wonky the donkey try to please everyone they meet on the road to market, in an animated video for children aged 7 to 9.
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What is Nasruddin & the Donkey about?
Nasruddin & the Donkey is an Islamic animated video for children aged 7 to 9 that tells a traditional teaching story about the wise "fool" Nasruddin, who learns on the way to market that nobody can please everyone.
Saturday is market day, and it means an ice cream. Nasruddin wakes his son Ali, who loves a lie-in, and then his donkey, Wonky, and both are up in no time at the word "ice cream". The three set off along a hot, hard road.
Everyone they meet has an opinion. Old men at a tea stall say a good Muslim would not make his child walk, so Ali rides. Women on the road say the boy has no respect for his father, so Nasruddin rides instead. A man on a bicycle says there is room for two, so both climb on, and poor Wonky can hardly walk. Then people waiting for a bus call them cruel to the animal. Nasruddin has a clever idea and carries Wonky on his own back, and the bus passengers laugh at the man carrying his donkey.
In the end the three go on exactly as they started. Nasruddin tells Ali that you cannot please everyone all the time, so it matters far more to do what is right in your heart and please Allah alone. Ali understands, and even Wonky nods.
The story is read by Edmund Dane. It is a Miraj original, and the same story is in the library as an audiobook.
What your child will learn
- We cannot please everyone all the time.
- Pleasing Allah matters more than worrying about what people think.
- We should do what is right in Allah's eyes, not what will please the people watching.
- We can listen to advice, but we still need to think for ourselves.
Talk about it afterwards
- Why did Nasruddin keep changing who rode on Wonky?
- Was anyone right about how they should travel? Why?
- Why did the people on the bus laugh at Nasruddin?
- Have you ever changed what you were doing because of what someone said?
Frequently asked questions
What age is Nasruddin & the Donkey suitable for?
Children aged 7 to 9. It is a short, funny story with a clear lesson at the end.
How long is Nasruddin & the Donkey?
About 8 minutes.
What does Nasruddin & the Donkey teach children?
That we can never please everyone, so it is better to do what is right and please Allah alone.
