Yan's Hajj

It goes without saying that it is a lifetime ambition of every Muslim to make the pilgrimage to Makkah for the fulfilment of one of the major obligations of their faith. The chronicles of history reveal that Hajj has been the subject matter of numerous travelogues, autobiographies, poetry, essays and other popular and academic works. Stories for children about this once-in-a-life-time religious experience abound too. The book under review, recommended for ages above five, has been written by Gilani who specialises in character development of young people. She has produced several books for promoting intercultural literacy, emotional development and social flourishing. The aim of her latest short book seems to be a reminder about the purpose of performing the Hajj. At its core, the story wants to instil the love of Allah from a young age whilst simultaneously inspire and prepare young Muslims to think about the potential struggles that some Muslims have to face in performing the Hajj. These struggles have been conceptualised differently by the author in this child-friendly narrative. In addition, Gilani appears to have problematised the issue of serving Allah and being philanthropic.