MY FIRST BOOK ABOUT SALAH

An explanation of the second pillar of Islam.

Starting with the “Night Journey, known as Isra wal Miraj,” Khan describes how Prophet Muhammad reached the Al-Aqsa Mosque and “was raised up to the heavens and invited to meet Allah Who gave him the most precious gift to share with us all…The Gift of Salah.” Simple, descriptive language outlines the importance of Salah, or the five daily prayers, in which Muslims thank, remember, and ask Allah for forgiveness. The prayers—Fajr, Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha—are clearly listed, with illustrations using color to indicate the time of day for each. Khan emphasizes the importance of cleanliness before praying and offers a relevant verse from the Quran. The book also names and depicts the different parts of Salah. Lodge uses the same style as in her and Khan’s My First Book About the Qur’an (2017)—bright illustrations of figures with sweet, rounded faces, often surrounded by stars and butterflies. Her images pair well with Khan’s words, capturing the movement of the prayers. A spread depicting the call to prayer, with text flowing across the page as if from the muezzin’s mouth, is especially effective. Some Arabic words include the English meanings, while others do not and may need to be defined. The people depicted are racially diverse; one spread portrays someone who uses a wheelchair. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A simple, child-friendly introduction to Salah.