All My Days are Good (1/2)

Once upon a time there was a little boy named Osama who lived with his mom, his dad, and his little sister. Everyday Osama woke up in the morning and went to school. At school, he played with his friends and learned many new things. One day when Osama woke up, he got out of bed and walked over to the curtains. He opened the curtains and looked outside - it was a beautiful sunny day! His mother walked into his room and saw him, awake and out of bed.

 

"Oh, Masha'a Allah," she said. "You're already awake! Well good for you. Have you said your dua?"

 

"Ash-hadu an laa ilaha illa Allah, wa anna Muhamadan rasool Allah."[1] Oh Allah, make my day a good day and protect me from anything harmful throughout my day." Osama was a big boy, and he said the dua all by himself every morning.

 

"Insha'a Allah, you'll have a wonderful day," his mother said, giving him his morning hug and kiss. "Now, go get ready so that you're not late for school."

 

Osama ran to use the bathroom and brush his teeth. When he came out he saw his mother holding up two different outfits for him to choose from.

 

"Oh, definitely that one," he said pointing to the blue shirt and blue jeans. After all, blue was his favourite colour. After Osama dressed, and ate breakfast, he was off to school.

 

At school, Osama did many, many things. In the morning his teacher read a story to the class. The story was all about the different kinds of animals. Osama loved animals.

 

"Okay, now three lucky people are going to be painting pictures of the animals that we read about. Now, let's see ... who will they be today?"

 

Osama raised his hand high up into the air. He watched his teacher as she looked around the carpet and tried to choose a person. "Our first painter is ... David," she said. Osama stretched his hand up higher. "Our second painter is Mariam," she said. Osama stretched his hand even higher up in the air. "And our third painter is ... Osama!"

 

Osama was so excited. He jumped up singing, "Thank you, thank you, thank you." He walked over to the painting station and there, after putting on his apron, he began his picture. Osama used all sorts of colours and painted all sorts of animals. He painted birds and cats and dogs and giraffes and elephants and tigers and lions and bears. When the picture was finished, Osama told his teacher.

 

"Well, isn't this a beautiful picture," she marveled. "I will hang it up to dry so you can take it home tonight and show it to your parents. They will be so proud." Osama smiled broadly - he was very happy about the picture. Then it was time for everybody to go to the carpet. There the teacher announced, "Okay class we're going to play Duck-Duck-Goose.

 

Who would like to be it?"

Osama raised his hand high in the air. All the other children had their hands up too. The teacher picked Leila. Osama hoped that Leila would pick him.

 

"Duck, duck, duck," she said. As she came closer, Osama got ready to run. He hoped she would pick him. "Duck," she said as she tapped his head. Osama sighed. Leila picked Andrea and they ran around the circle.

 

When it was Andrea's turn to pick, Osama hoped she would pick him, but she picked Mohamed instead. Osama really hoped Mohamed would pick him, but Mohamed just passed right by him, saying, "duck" as he tapped his head. Mohamed picked Alan.

 

Osama hoped that Alan would pick him. "Say goose, say goose,"

 

Osama whispered as Alan came closer. "Duck," Alan said as he tapped Osama's head. Alan picked Melissa.

 

"Pick me, pick me," Osama pointed at himself as Melissa came over, but she picked Safia.

 

"Safia," Osama whispered to her, "pick me." Safia didn't pick him - she picked Omar.

 

Osama was getting sadder and sadder. Every time somebody was picked to be it, he hoped they would pick him. And every time, they picked somebody else. The entire game, nobody picked Osama and he never got to be it.

 

"Alright class," the teacher said after Duck-Duck-Goose, "it's snack time. Everybody wash your hands and sit down to eat your snacks."

 

Osama washed his hands and sat down at his table. "Bismillah," he said as he opened up his lunch box. "Allahuma Baarik lanaa feemaa razaqtana wa qinaa 'athaaban nar?"[2] Osama ate half of his cheese sandwich.

 

Then he ate a piece of his nice, juicy apple and drank his juice.

 

"Snack time is finished, class," his teacher said. "Everybody clean up please."

(Continued)