Assalamu-alaykum and welcome to the first issue of the Musalla kids newsletter.

It might sound strange but this is actually YOUR newsletter. No, not just this copy you are holding but the whole idea, the magazine, the name - everything.

You are the proud owners and you pull all the strings. Tell us what you want to see inside it. Send us your ideas, poems, letters, pictures, photos, drawing and anything else you want to see inside your newsletter.

We will read it and print it inside the next issue, Insha-Allah.

As long as you keep sending your stuff we will print it. We will send it out to all the rest of your fellow Muslim friends all over Scotland so please start today.

The Ka'bah is the house of Allah. It was built by prophet Ibrahim (as) and his son Ismael (as), thousands of years ago. Allah had told Ibrahim (as) to build the Ka'bah at this spot so that people will come here and worship Allah.

Ibrahim (as) and Ismael (as) used big stones to build the Ka'bah. The Ka'bah was so big that Ibrahim (as) could not reach the higher part of it to put the stones there. He never had a ladder so he stood on a rock. Allah made the rock rise of the ground so he could reach higher up.

This rock still has Ibrahim's (as) footprints on it and is called the Maqaam-i-Ibrahim.

Ibrahim (as) was a great prophet of Allah. He was given the title of Khalil-Allah which means the friend of Allah. He was commanded to take his newly born son Ismael and wife Hajra to a distant land and leave them there. This was in a barren valley between the Hills of Safa and Marwa in a place that we know as Makkah today.

The family made the long journey together and Ibrahim (as) left them, just as Allah had commanded him. He left them with some dates and water. Ibrahim (as) said farewell and made the long journey back to his first wife Sarah.

The food and water ran out and Hajra was panicking. As baby Ismael began to cry she panicked and ran between the hills of Safa and Marwa in search for water. She was hopeful she might see some travellers and get water or food from them.

After running between the two hills seven times, she returned to baby Ismael. She found that where Ismael was kicking his feet in the sand, a spring had sprung from the ground. The water was sweet and both mother and baby drank from it.

This spring is still there today and is know as Zam zam. When the Hajjis return to their families they bring a special gift of zam zam. When you drink this water think back to baby Ismael and the great favour Allah had given to him. This is the same water that Allah caused to come from the ground many thousands of years ago.

There are many religions in the world and most of them believe in a god, in some form or other.

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Some people worship the sun, moon or stars and treat them as their god.

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Some people believe that certain human beings or holy people are gods and they worship them.

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Some people worship fire, animals or plants, saying these are their god.

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Some people make their own gods out of stone with their own hands. They worship and pray to them.

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Some people believe in thousands of gods whilst others believe that there are none!

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In Islam, we know that Allah is the one and only God and nothing can be worshipped apart from Allah.

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Allah is nothing like anything we can see or imagine. He is unlike anything on Earth or in the sky.

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Allah is not like a human being and is not in need of things such as food, drink, sleep or family.

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Allah does not rely on anything but everything relies on Allah.

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We know about Allah and can understand Him better through reading the Holy Qur'an.

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Allah is the creator of everything and made all mankind including you and me.

People thought that the Earth was flat and you could fall off the end. Columbus proved this wrong in 1492 when he tried to travel to India by going in the opposite direction. He discovered America .

Muslim Scientists knew this fact long before then and had already calculated the circumference and diameter of the Earth in the 9th century.

Who built the Ka'bah ?

Where is the well of zam zam ?

Who made the stars in the sky ?

What does Allah look like ?

Who does Musalla-Kidz belong to?

Assalamu-alaykum, I am penpal, your mighty friend. Come on don't laugh I am strong and brave . you must have heard, "The pen is mightier than the sword." Sometimes it gets lonely in here so start sending your stuff in today. Missing you already PP

The Prophet (pbuh) always spoke the truth and was never known to tell a lie.

To download a copy of this newsletter then please click on the link below. If you wish to get this newsletter in a different format then email the centre.