THEY call her “a special lady” and they mean it. She endeavors to perform a vital service in bringing up children who will be both caring and sharing. In addition, they should also become tomorrow’s citizens, able to contribute to technology, knowledge and understanding in the truest spirit of Islam.

She is Hadeel Alabbasi, a 30-year-old Saudi as delicate as the children’s books that she writes. Born in Makkah, she has a bachelor in economics degree from King Abdul Aziz University (KAAU).

“I have been interested in writing ever since I was a child,” Alabbasi told Arab News. After she married and had children — she has four: Saeed 11, Yasmin 9, Layan 6, and Maarya 2 — she realized the need for Islamic books in Arabic for children.

“I had to read books meant for adults and then tell my children the gist in simple language. But that is not the same as a book that they can see, touch and feel. The very fact that it is their book, meant for them to keep and cherish, makes a lot of difference. It makes them feel important,” she said.

“We all know that the first word of the revelation of the Qur’an to the Prophet (pbuh) was ‘Iqra’ (read). ‘Read in the name of Allah.’ So, the importance of reading as a source of knowledge, education and learning can never be minimized,” she said.

Alabbasi said that with all the distractions of TV and video games, there is a strong likelihood of children not giving proper importance to Allah. “When people visit a bookstore, they go to the English section for children’s books, not to the Arabic one because there are not enough good books for children in Arabic” she explained, adding, “Not only do we need good books for children, but we also need to read to children on a daily basis.”

“In our schools we learn about Allah but we are taught religion in a heavy way so children think religion is something heavy and unwieldy. Simple books can thus be useful,” she said.

She wrote her first book — ‘Allah Gave Me,’ about four years ago. The size of a slim card holder and also hard bound, it was beautifully published by Dar Alhudat for Publishing. As the child turns the pages, he sees himself in two tiny mirrors on the first two pages — an admirable way of stressing the ‘me’ aspect. Each page has just one word. Available at Jarir Bookstores, the book begins with verses from the Qur’an and sayings from the Prophet (pbuh), Allah’s divine and invaluable gifts to us, goes on to mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, houses and toys, schools and friends, food and drinks, and ends with the words ‘Shukran Ya Allah’ (Thank You O Allah).

“We selected the illustrations very carefully so that they would grab and keep the children’s attention, and also allow them to infer the message,” Alabbasi explained. “But the person who reads it to children has to elaborate, and expand on the theme.”

The book teaches children many things: That Allah has given so much to each child personally, and to mankind in general that the child must be thankful to Him.

Her second book, ‘Allah Loves Me,’ was published by the same publisher about six months ago, and is available at Tihama bookstores. It is also hardbound, but magazine size and in full-color. With just a few words on each page, it teaches that Allah loves those who try to be good Muslims — those who read and learn, seek knowledge, remember their Creator, think, are helpful, brave and courageous in the face of adversity and calamity, take care of their mental and physical health and are caring and sharing.

Alabbasi’s third book — ‘I See With My Hand,’ would have been out by now were it not for the war in Lebanon. The publisher, Dar Al Ilm Al Lilmalain, is based in Beirut, and there has been no contact for a long time.

The book is the true-life story of Dr. Wahi Luqman, who teaches commercial law at King Abdul Aziz University. “She became completely blind at the age of 12 but even from birth she could not see well,” Alabbasi said. “I selected the story because it is very inspiring.”

The planned fourth book is about teaching children to take stock of what they did during the day. It teaches the importance of prayer and asking God’s forgiveness. Yet another book, also to be produced by the publisher in Beirut, is a true story about a 12-year-old girl whose parents are divorced.