Amar’s Fajr Reward by Amire Hoxha illustrated by Hilmy An Nabhany
As Muslim authored stories are increasingly more available, certain cultural Muslim stories continue to be limited or none existent. Since 2021, when four of us reviewers created the Muslim Book Reviewers and Muslim Book Awards space, we have constantly been encouraging Amire to work on her dream of being an author, and write a joyful Muslim Kosavar book. Through Ruqaya’s Bookshelf, her dream has become a reality, Alhumdulillah, in the form of this 32 page, 8.5 by 11, full color books for early elementary readers. In all my years of reviewing I have not ready many Kosavar books, and of those few, none have been OWN voice, and all have focused on the war. Enter Amar’s Fajr Reward, a simple story of a boy and his Gjyshi, going for fajr at the masjid, finding the door locked, and the obstacles, determination, and results that transpire, not just for Amar but his grandfather as well.
The book starts with Gyjishi splashing water on Amar to wake him up for Fajr, while reminding him that “Prayer is better than sleep.” Grandpa’s quick steps and a sleepy little boy, keep Amar hustling after his Gyjishi only to arrive at the masjid and find the door locked.
Gyshi cannot be deterred by his grandson wanting to go home and pray, or a locked door and decides to jump the fence, something he has done in the past. Calamity strikes, when he falls and hurts his foot and it is up to Amar to help. But he can neither scale the wall or find anyone to help. When the muadhin finally runs up the street Fajr can be made, Gjyshi can be assisted, and changes can be made so that hopefully getting locked out doesn’t happen again.
I love that there are pronunciation tips on the cover page of Gjyshi, grandfather, and Axhi, uncle, but I do wish there was some backmatter showcasing Muslims in Kosovo. Are Muslim communities spread out in large diverse areas, or do they tend to have neighborhoods that are tied together by faith? As a place not often seen or heard about, a little layering of details would have deepened the story. Especially, if the reasons are cultural or societal explaining why people don’t wake up until the athan is called, but were annoyed that Amar was knocking on the doors at that time, or maybe why the didn’t just pray outside the masjid, calling the athan and waking up the regulars that attend. Also about why the key to the masjid is “special.” Are places of worship regulated or only allowed to be open at certain times? I also wish it would have given a little build up about Amar and this particular day. At the start he wants to pray at home as it seems like that is his norm, and Gjyshi going to the masjid seems to be the grandfather’s norm, so was this something special, a right of passage, are kids not typically seen in masjids is he visiting his grandfather?
The book is sweet and warm, with a lot of heart and I love that it takes place in a masjid and threads in that salah is better than sleep, and that praying in congregation is 27 times the reward. I also love that the author fulfilled her dream inspired by her own grandfather, and inshaAllah she will continue to write and bring Kosovar stories to our bookshelves, ameen.
