 This is called The Best Eid Ever and this is by Esmat Mubin Uddin. Are you guys ready? By the way, what do I say before I start a book? Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. All right, Anissa sat in her bed looking out the window. Her parents were away at the Hajj pilgrimage and she missed them. Saudi Arabia was so far from her home in America. She thought about last Eid's holiday. When she had worn her shalwar kamis with flowery orange henna designs on her hands, Daddy had said she looked just like a princess. Mommy had let her eat candy for breakfast. They all went to Eid prayers together and then visited friends all day. But today the house was quiet. Just then Anissa's grandmother bustled into the room. Can't see. So it sounds like her Eid this year is going to be very different than last year. We'll see. Maybe it'll be worse. Maybe it'll be better. We'll see. Anissa happy Eid. Nani sat on the bed and greeted her granddaughter with a big hug and kiss. Time to get ready for prayers. Anissa returned the hug and then slumped back onto bed. Why the sad face, my dear? Nani gently brushed the hair out of Anissa's eyes. Do you miss Mama and Baba? Anissa nodded. She felt like she might cry. I know it's hard without your parents here, Nani said. But please don't be sad. Today of all days we'll have fun together. Just you and me, okay? Anissa tried to smile. She didn't want her grandmother to feel bad. Okay, she said as Nani stood up and walked over to the closet. Now I have a surprise for you. Nani lifted up a blanket on the closet shelf and pulled out a gift wrapped box that had been hidden underneath. Do you guys see the gift box that was hidden underneath? What color is it? What color is the gift box? What color is the gift box? Red. It's red? It kind of looks red. To me, it looks like pink, right? We'll say reddish pink with a purple ribbon. We're going to read. Anissa pulled the ribbon off the box and opened it. Her eyes lit up as she saw the beautiful Eid clothes from Pakistan. Pulling out the kurta on top, she ran her fingers over the soft, shimmering fabric and its gold embroidery and shiny sequins. Purple and gold bangles clink together as Nani unwrapped them. Hand-made Pakistani shoes tucked in tissue paper still lay in the box. Nani, I love my new Eid clothes. How did you know that purple was my favorite color? Thank you. Anissa hugged her grandmother. I can't wait to get dressed. There's still more, Nani said, smiling as she pulled a bright red chalwal kameez and a silky yellow gharaha out of the box. Each outfit had matching bangles and shoes. There are three sets of Eid clothes. One for each day of the three days of Eid. Which one do you want to wear for prayers this morning? Which one do you think she's going to pick? The purple one, yes, because purple's her favorite color. The purple one. Nani smiled. It will look beautiful on you. I'll iron it while you're getting ready. But first, I have to serve the lamb kurma. That sounds yummy. Lamb kurma. Anissa jumped out of bed and ran to the kitchen. The aroma of her favorite dinner, cooking on the stove, made her mouth water. Please, can I taste some? Nani scooped out a spoonful of bubbling lamb curry, blew on it, made sure it wasn't too hot, and then gave Anissa a taste. Anissa savored the salty spicy curry in her mouth. Yum, it's good. I'm glad you like it. Now let's hurry and get ready. So we're not late for the prayers. That sounds good. I'm kind of hungry. What about you guys? Does that sound good? You didn't like it? Sometimes we like something when we try it. Sometimes we don't. It's very important we always try something, right? So you never know. At the prayer hall, the Imam gave a sermon about the hedge pilgrimage. Anissa had a hard time paying attention because she kept thinking about her parents and wishing they were there. After the sermon ended, the women and children in the women's section of the prayer hall folded their prayer rugs and greeted each other, and Anissa hugged so many people. The donuts on the back tables were quickly finished. Is there usually donuts when you guys go to the master donate? No? When we came from Tampa, Florida, and every aid we go, it's covered in donuts. Everywhere. So it's something that we remember. Even on the prayer hall? Outside the prayer hall. We don't want to make a mess in the prayer hall, right? Anissa noticed two young girls standing alone watching the excitement around them. The older girls hijab. Do you guys know what the hijab is? Yeah, it's a thing called that one. The scarf we were in our head, yeah. The older girls hijab was torn. The younger girls dress fell almost to the floor and she kept her arms bent so her sleeves wouldn't slip down over her hands. Anissa walked over to them. Why didn't you wear your aid clothes today? She asked. The older girl stared shyly at the floor. Seeing that her sister was not going to answer, the younger girl blurted out. We don't have no clothes this week. We have to leave all our stuff and run away because our fire burned down. The older girl turned towards her sister. Mediam, we have to be thankful the war can't get us now. We are safe and we are together. Papa says, Allah will give us whatever we need. I wish Baba was here with us now. But ever since we came to America, he always has to work, Mediam told Anissa. He even had to work on her aid. But later he's going to bring Zainab and Nikandy and we're going to go to the masjid together for the afternoon prayers. Before Anissa could say anything, Auntie Selma pulled her into a big bear hug Anissa, my dear, happy Eid. You look so pretty, masha'Allah. As God has willed, you and your nanny come and visit me today, okay? Anissa was swept up by other aunties and friends and hugs and kisses and greetings. While hugging Auntie Barak, Anissa saw Mediam pick up a piece of doughnut off the floor. The girl looked around quickly and then she put the doughnut piece into her mouth and licked the sweet glaze from her fingers. Why do you think she took it off the floor? Maybe she was really hungry and there wasn't anymore. Or maybe she didn't. Maybe. That's a good reason that we shouldn't take too much, right? Even when we have a lot of something, we should only take one or two so that we can make sure everyone gets on, right? Yes. As people were leaving the prayer hall, Anissa kept looking back at the girls. Finally, she let go of Nanny's hand and went back over to them. She didn't know what to say, but she couldn't leave them without talking to them again. Hesitantly, she asked them, maybe we could play some time together. Instantly, Mediam's face lit up. Sure, she said. With a flashing bright smile, Zanab continued to look at the floor. Where do you live now? Anissa asked. In the apartments by the mosque, Mediam answered. Zanab lifted her head to look at Anissa. A small, shy smile crossed her face in number 63. A motherly woman ushered her three children and Zanab and Mediam out of the prayer hall. That afternoon, while Nanny was heating up the food for dinner, Anissa told her about the girl she had met. Nanny listened quietly. Sometimes when families leave their home because of war or other bad problems, they have to leave everything they have behind. Nanny told her. Many families have come to America as refugees, looking for a safe, good place for their children to live and grow up. Does Allah help these families? Of course, my dear, Allah helps everyone. Nanny was stirring the curry, but sometimes not in the way you might think. He might send good people to help them through bad times. Meanwhile, the families have to work hard and trust that Allah's help is always near. Nanny opened the oven door to check on the roti. Do you remember the story of Prophet Ibrahim, his wife Hajar and their baby Ismail? Anissa nodded. Mommy and daddy had told her that many of the lessons of Hajj pilgrimage were based on this story. Prophet Ibrahim's family trusted in Allah even in very difficult times. And Allah always took care of them. Nanny and Anissa said a prayer for Zainab and Mediam's family. Then Anissa told Nanny about a plan she had made. So Anissa made a plan. Do you guys want to see what Anissa's plan is? Later that afternoon, as shadows lengthened across the city, Muslim families were leaving them as she'd after the prayer of Asad prayer. Anissa, sit quietly. Someone will hear you. Nanny whispered to her granddaughter as they crouched behind the bushes outside the apartment building next to the mosque. Here they come, duck down. Through the leaves, they saw the two girls and a man stop in front of the decorated baskets neatly arranged on the cracks tube in front of their door. What's this? In surprise, the man read the attached card. Happy Eid to Mediam, Zainab and their papa. Anissa felt as if she might burst with excitement. Would they like the presents? Zainab and Mediam opened the basket. Wow, beautiful clothes. Look at the sparkles on this yellow shirt. I can't believe this, the man said softly. Lamb and chicken, rice and vegetables, even desserts and candy. Who could have left all this? Papa, help us carry the baskets inside. Mediam was trying to drag a basket across the sidewalk. Put them down girls. The father commanded, we don't take charity. Let's see what happens. Their father paused. Then Mediam asked softly, but can I keep the yellow clothes? I love yellow. And what about the sparkly bangles? No, my dears, the father spoke again. You know that a Muslim does not beg from others. But papa, we didn't ask for them, Zainab pointed out. Papa didn't budge. I will provide for my family. There are other people who need this food and these clothes more than we do. Now let's go. Can I just eat this cookie right now? Anissa could hardly breathe. What if they didn't take the gifts? As she leaned forward to see better, a twig snapped. And she fell down. And she ducked down. What was that noise? The father asked as he turned around to face the bushes. Anissa and Nani ducked as his heavy footsteps approached their hiding space. Are they going to be found? Yeah. Let's find out. Through the leaves, Anissa could see the man's stern features and firmly set chin coming towards them. Hidden behind thick eyebrows were soft, gentle eyes. In these eyes, Anissa recognized the same look of tenderness she often saw in her own father's face. Anissa and the man looked at each other for a long moment. Then abruptly, he turned around and walked back to his daughters. What do you think is going to happen? He knelt on one knee and opened his arms. The girls wrapped their arms around him and Medium climbed onto his knee. Papa, there's more food here than we need, she said. Small fingers gently touching his cheek. Why don't we share it with the neighbors? And please, can we keep their eat clothes, please? As in, Anissa saw the man's face soften as he drew his daughters close to him. As he hugged them, he nodded and he smiled at Anissa and Nani. After Anissa and Nani returned home, Nani picked up the phone and dialed, hello, I'd like a medium vegetable pizza please for delivery. She hung up and shook her head. Eating pizza on her head? My dear child, I have never had her eat like this one. Me either, Anissa said. I can't wait to tell mommy and daddy all about it. Later in the evening, as Anissa and Nani snuck it up on the couch and ate pizza for dinner, they both agreed this has been the best read ever.