To my parents,

  with love and gratitude —H. K.

  To Abbas —M. A.

  Red is the rug Dad kneels on to pray, facing toward Mecca, five times a day.

  Blue is the hijab Mom likes to wear. It’s a scarf she uses to cover her hair.

  Gold is the dome of the mosque, big and grand.

  Beside it two towering minarets stand.

  White is a kufi, round and flat.

  Grandpa wears this traditional hat.

  Black is the ink I use to draw the Arabic letters that spell Allah.

  Brown is a date, plump and sweet.

  During Ramadan, it’s my favorite treat.

  Orange is the color of my henna designs. They cover my hands in leafy vines.

  Purple is an Eid gift just for me. I open it up and love what I see.

  Yellow is the box we fill on Eid with gifts of zakat for those in need.

  Green is the Quran I read with pride. Grandma explains the lessons inside.

  Silver is a fanoos, a twinkling light, a shiny lantern that glows at night.

  All of the colorful things we’ve seen make up the world of my faith, my deen.

  Glossary

  Allah (al-LAH): the Arabic word for “God.”

  Deen: an Arabic word that translates to “religion” or “way of life.”

  Eid (EED): an Islamic holiday. There are two Eid holidays. Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, and Eid-ul-Adha is a celebration of life focusing on sacrifice and devotion to God.

  Fanoos (fun-OOSE): a lantern used in the Middle East that is made out of tin and glass. In Middle Eastern countries, fanoos are lit by children in celebration of Ramadan.

  Henna: a dye made from dried leaves used to temporarily decorate skin with a dark orange tint. Muslim women from various cultures decorate their hands with henna for celebrations, including Eid and weddings.

  Hijab (hih-JAB): the head covering that many Muslim women wear, especially while praying or in public. The word hijab means “curtain” or “cover” in Arabic.

  Kufi (KOO-fee): a short, brimless, rounded cap worn by Muslim men and boys from various countries.

  Mecca (MEK-ka): a city in Saudi Arabia. It is the most sacred place in Islam. Every day, Muslims all over the world kneel on prayer rugs to pray in the direction of Mecca.

  Minaret (min-ah-RET): a tower at a mosque. A “call to prayer” is broadcast from a minaret to let Muslims know it is time to pray.

  Mosque (MOSK): a place where Muslims gather to pray together.

  Quran (kur-AHN): the holy book of Islam. Muslims are encouraged to memorize portions of the Quran, and to read it with love and devotion.

  Ramadan (rahm-uh-DAHN): the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, and the holiest month for Muslims. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset each day, and they traditionally break the fast with dates and milk. Muslims also say extra prayers and give to charity during Ramadan.

  Zakat (zah-KAT): money given by Muslims to the poor and others in need.

  Hena Khan has written children’s books on a wide variety of topics, and she takes particular interest in writing about her Muslim culture. Her first picture book, Night of the Moon: A Muslim Holiday Story, was one of Booklist’s 2009 Top 10 Religion Books for Youth. Hena is a native of Rockville, Maryland, where she lives with her husband and their two sons.

  Mehrdokht Amini grew up in Iran and now lives in Surrey, England. She has illustrated eleven books for children, published in Iran, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. For this work, she was inspired by the idea of bringing classical elements of Islamic art into a modern setting.

  Text © 2012 by Hena Khan.

  Illustrations © 2012 by Mehrdokht Amini.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

  ISBN 978-1-4521-1376-0 (digital)

  The Library of Congress has cataloged the previous edition as follows

  Khan, Hena.

  Golden domes and silver lanterns: a Muslim book of colors / by Hena Khan ; illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini.

  p. cm.

  Summary: In simple rhyming text a young Muslim girl and her family guide the reader through the traditions and colors of Islam.

  ISBN 978-0-8118-7905-7

  1. Islam—Customs and practices—Juvenile fiction. 2. Muslims—Juvenile fiction. 3. Colors—Juvenile fiction. 4. Stories in rhyme. [1. Stories in rhyme. 2. Islam—Customs and practices—Fiction. 3. Muslims—Fiction. 4. Color—Fiction.] I. Amini, Mehrdokht, ill. II. Title.

  PZ8.3.K493Go 2012

  [E]—dc23

  2011030672

  Chronicle Books LLC, 680 Second Street, San Francisco, California 94107

  www.chroniclekids.com

 

 

  Hena Khan, Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns

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