Book Review: Purity and Prayer

Title: Purity and Prayer

Author: Ameena bint Abdir Rahman

Illustrator: Reyhana Ismail

Publisher: Prolance

Recommended for: 5-7 year old

This collection of poems for children outlines essential knowledge of the ritual ablution and prayer according to the Hanafi school, the largest school of Islamic Law. Along with poems, it provides an appendix for clarification. It's purpose is to give children and parents access to knowledge that makes one's worship valid, sound and proper in a fun way.

Purity and Prayer is a rhyming book that teaches children about the rulings of wudu and salat. The purity section includes how to do wudu, keeping it, the water that is used and the impurities that must not be there. The prayer section includes the prayer positions, what and how to recite, prostration of forgetfulness and acts that nullify the prayer. There's also an appendix that explains these rulings.

This is a good book to introduced children to the Islamic rulings of wudu and praying. It is a fun way to do so. You read the page on an aspect of wudu or prayer while the children look at the wonderful pictures. After which you have a discussion about it. Children can then put it into practice like making wudu or go into the prayer positions or learn the duas to say. 

It's a better way for young children to learn then to open a text book with lots of writing on wudu and prayers. It will capture their attention and hopefully sustain it throughout your lesson.

I recommend this book for children mainly from 6 to 7 years of age because at around 7 years that's when they are encouraged to start praying so that's when formal lessons on the rulings of wudu and prayer should start. I've included 5 years of age because at this stage you can just read the book to them to get them used to the idea behind it but not necessarily have a discussion and lesson on it, unless of course if they ask.

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