Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Zaki (00:02):
Alright. Focus, Zaki.
Expand the entrance for easier
twig delivery. Check. Open floorplan, obviously.
Skylight? Oh, a bird needs askylight. Add a second perch for
stargazing. Double check. Andoh, maybe a shiny pebble mosaic
(00:22):
for the wall?
Classy, but not too flashy. Oris it too flashy? Why is this so
complicated? Oh, and thenthere's the budget. Who knew
shiny things could cost so much?
Do I really need a goldenfeather chandelier? Wait. Of
course, I do. Gah. I'm so torn.
(00:43):
Decisions. Decisions.
Captain Suhail (00:44):
Ho there, young
feathers. By the crest of the
crashing waves, what on earthare you fussing about now? Let
me guess, another nestexpansion?
Zaki (00:54):
Captain Suhail, must you
appear out of nowhere like that
every time?
Captain Suhail (00:58):
Apologies, lad.
Swoop ins in me nature after
all. Now I see schematics andscribbles. Are ye building a
nest or a palace?
Zaki (01:08):
I don't even know anymore,
captain. Skylights, perches,
mosaics, my mind's spinning. Iwant it to be perfect, but I
also don't wanna go brokescrounging for every shiny
pebble in a hundred mile radius.Mhmm.
Captain Suhail (01:22):
A tough call
indeed. You could skip the
chandelier unless you want afancy nest that screams, look at
me. I am Zucky the Hoopoe, fancybird extraordinaire.
Zaki (01:34):
Well, maybe I do, but
maybe I don't. I'm so
conflicted.
Captain Suhail (01:38):
Relax, matey.
Once you figure out which bits
are truly important, the restwill come naturally. Besides, if
you can't decide, best to stepaway from the plans for a bit.
Zaki (01:50):
You might be right.
Building a new house is hard. I
need a snack or maybe a nap ormaybe both.
Meraj Digital presents TheAmazing Stories with Zaki the
Hoopoe, Episode 20, The House ofAllah.
(02:19):
Salam, my wonderful friends.It's me, Zaki, your favorite
Hoopoe bird. Back again withanother amazing story. Now let
me ask you something, have youheard of the Kaaba? Maybe you've
seen pictures of it? It's thatbig cube shaped building in the
center of a place called Makkah.
Millions of people visit itevery year. But do you know why
(02:43):
it's so special? Well, the Kaabais called the House Of Allah.
But hold on, does that meanAllah lives there? Nope, not at
all.
Allah is everywhere and doesn'tneed a house to live in like we
do. The Kaaba is a symbol.What's a symbol you ask?
Excellent question my wingmates.A symbol is something that
(03:06):
represents a bigger idea, likehow a heart can mean love or a
flag can represent a country.
The Kaaba is a symbol thatreminds us all to focus on Allah
no matter where we are.
Captain Suhail (03:19):
I, bigger
indeed, me scallywagon friend.
You might say it's, oh, how doyour landlubbers put it? Bigger
than the seven seas. Though I dofind that a bit suspicious. The
seas are quite vast, you know.
Zaki (03:36):
True, captain. But trust
me, spiritually, it's even
bigger. Now guess what? ProphetIbrahim is back in today's
story.
Yep. This is his sixth storywith us, like the superhero of
prophets. And his son, Ismail,is here too for the third time.
Oh, and to answer your nextquestion, this takes place after
(03:57):
the story of the sacrifice ofIsmail. Well, today's story
shows how Ibrahim and Ishmael'sfaith led to something amazing,
building the Kaaba.
Captain Suhail (04:08):
Oh, so that's
who we're talking about. Good
old Ibrahim. The lad's done moretraveling than me, and that's
saying something. I wonder ifhe's ever tried crossing the
high seas.
Zaki (04:20):
He's definitely done a
lot, captain, but let's see how
they built something somonumental. Let's flap our wings
and soar into this incredibleadventure. A long time ago in
the wide golden deserts ofArabia, Prophet Ibrahim received
(04:40):
a very special message fromAllah. Allah commanded him to
build a sacred house wherepeople could worship and
remember him. A house for Allah?
Now that's a big project. Andlet me tell you, this wasn't
going to be any ordinary house.It had to be special, just like
the one it was being built for.But prophet Ibrahim didn't have
(05:01):
to do it alone. His son Ishmael,now a strong and helpful young
man, was there to assist him.
Together, they made a great teamfull of love, trust, and
determination.
Captain Suhail (05:15):
Father and son
building side by side, Reminds
me of the time me old pop and Itried building a raft out of
driftwood. We ended up afloatfor a mere five minutes before
the sea claimed our masterpiece.But that's a story for another
tide.
Zaki (05:33):
I'm guessing they had
better luck than you, captain.
Let's see how. Prophet Ibrahimand Ishmael chose the site
carefully. Do you remember thestory of the well of Zam Zam?
Yes, the miraculous well thatsaved Ishmael and his mother
Hajar from thirst in the desert.
That very spot was where Allahcommanded them to build the
(05:55):
Kaaba. Amazing, right? The Kaabawas built right where the well
of Zam Zam was found. It's likethe land itself was blessed,
chosen for something so special.And get this, the well didn't
just save lives, it also helpedthem build.
They could drink the water tostay strong while they worked.
How cool is that? ProphetIbrahim and Ishmael began
(06:18):
collecting stones from nearbyhills and valleys. They carried
heavy rocks under the blazingsun using their bare hands to
shape and stack them.
Captain Suhail (06:28):
Collecting
stones under the desert sun, ye
say, brings me back to my daysscouring beaches for shiny
shells. A seagull's work isnever done.
Zaki (06:40):
Yes. Well, this might have
been a bit more intense,
captain. They were building abig house after all. As they
worked, they talked about howthe Kaaba should look.
Ibrahim decided it should besimple, just a strong cube
shaped structure. The cube shapesymbolized equality, unity, and
(07:02):
focus from all directions. Hey,there's that word again symbol.
The cube shape of the Kaaba isnot just about structure. It
represents equality, unity, andfocus.
No side is more important thananother, reminding us that all
people are equal before Allah.No matter where we are in the
(07:22):
world, we face the Kaaba inprayer showing that we are all
connected in worship.
Captain Suhail (07:28):
Aye. That's a
clever design indeed. Everyone
from the far corners of theearth can be pointed to the same
spot. Almost like a compass offaith, Precisely, captain.
Zaki (07:41):
As the walls of the Kaaba
grew taller, it became harder to
place the stones. But thatdidn't stop them. Prophet
Ibrahim stood on a special rock,which miraculously moved to lift
him higher. This rock, calledMaqam Ibrahim, helped them
finish the upper walls. Oh,that's right.
Ibrahim and Ishmael had aspecial rock that could rise up
(08:03):
and down like a divine elevator.You imagine? A rock that moves
all on its own to help build theKaaba. If I had that, I'd never
have to flap my wings to reachhigh places again. What an
awesome way to get those heavyrocks up there.
I wonder if I can buy one fromAmazon. I mean, I do live in a
forest, but I've never been tothe Amazon. But I hear they sell
(08:27):
everything.
Captain Suhail (08:27):
Zuckiladi, have
you considered just flying, you
know, with your wings?
Zaki (08:32):
Anyways, back to Maqam
Ibrahim. That rock is still
there today. People can even seeit when they visit the Kaaba.
They prayed while they workedsaying, oh Allah, accept this
from us. You are the allhearing, the all knowing.
Their prayers filled the air,making the work feel lighter and
(08:52):
more meaningful. It wasn't justabout the building, it was about
the love and faith they put intoit. Every stone they placed was
like a prayer, a promise toworship Allah forever. Alright,
my friends. Let's talk about howIbrahim and Ismail actually
built the Kaaba.
Brick by brick, stone by stone,and with their own two hands.
(09:14):
They didn't have fancy machines.No cranes, no cement mixers, not
even a simple pulley. Just theirstrength, patience, and faith.
And talk about tools.
These were the most basic toolsyou can think of. We're hammers,
and their own hands to shape andplace each rock. It must have
been exhausting. Every singlerock had to be carried, placed,
(09:36):
and stacked one by one. Andlet's not forget, they were
making a building that was meantto last for thousands of years.
This must have taken them areally, really long time. No one
knows for sure, but it couldhave taken months, maybe even up
to a few years. That's someserious dedication. That's a
long construction project. I betif they had to file a permit,
(09:59):
the paperwork alone would havetaken just as long.
Captain Suhail (10:02):
I I'd wager
they'd still be waiting on some
desert bureaucrat's stamp ifthey tried that today. Probably
a queue longer than a hungryseagull's wish list.
Zaki (10:13):
When the Kaaba was finally
finished, it stood tall and
proud in the heart of thedesert. It wasn't covered in
gold or jewels, but it was morebeautiful than any palace
because it was built with love,faith, and the intention to
please Allah.
Captain Suhail (10:34):
Built by mere
mortals, yet touched by the
divine, Makes me old heartflutter like a fish out of
water.
Zaki (10:42):
Now, you might be
wondering, why is the Kaaba so
simple? No golden domes, nofancy decorations, no shining
jewels. Well, my friends, that'sexactly the point. The Kaaba
isn't about showing off, it'sabout focusing on Allah. Imagine
if it was covered in gold andgems, people might get
(11:03):
distracted by how fancy it looksinstead of remembering why they
are there.
Think about it like this. If yougo to a friend's house and they
have the biggest, shiniest, mostover the top decorations, you
might spend all your timestaring at them instead of
actually enjoying your time withyour friend. But the Kaaba, it's
(11:23):
meant to bring people together,to remind everyone that we are
all equal before Allah. Nodistractions, no look at me
moments. Just pure devotion.
And that, my friends, is thebeauty of simplicity. No need to
be flashy when the real valuecomes from what's in our hearts.
Just imagine, a house built notfor one person or one family,
(11:44):
but for everyone who believes inAllah. It's a reminder of unity,
love, and worship. A place wherehearts connect with the creator.
Prophet Ibrahim and Ismailwalked around the Kaaba, praying
and thanking Allah for helpingthem complete such an important
task.
Captain Suhail (12:02):
I I never
thought I'd say this, but that's
a mighty moving story. The seashave their wonders, but this
here is a wonder of the desert.Wouldn't you say, young
feathers?
Zaki (12:12):
I would, captain. I truly
would. Wow, my friends. Wasn't
that an amazing story? ProphetIbrahim and Ishmael showed us
something so important that whenyou work hard with faith in your
heart, incredible things canhappen.
The Kaaba wasn't just abuilding. It was a symbol of
their love, dedication, andtrust in Allah. Every stone they
(12:35):
carried, every prayer theywhispered was an act of worship.
You know, working hard isn'talways easy. Sometimes it feels
tiring, and you might wonder ifit's even worth it.
But just like Ibrahim andIshmael, when you give your best
effort and trust in Allah, yourwork can create something truly
lasting. Maybe it's not a bighouse like the Kaaba? Maybe it's
(12:58):
learning something new, helpinga friend, or even being kind to
someone who needs it. Everysmall effort matters.
Captain Suhail (13:06):
Aye, ye speak
truth, lad. Sometimes the
smallest acts can build thegrandest legacies. And if you
ever need a hand hauling stonesor fish or rope, just call on
old captain Sahel.
Zaki (13:21):
I will definitely keep
that in mind, captain. Teamwork
makes even big tasks easier.Right? And let's not forget
another big lesson from today'sstory, teamwork. Ibrahim and
Ishmael worked together, andthat made all the difference.
Isn't it amazing what we canaccomplish when we help each
other? Now I know what you'rethinking, What's next? Well, my
(13:45):
friends, next time, we'll hearabout a promise made long, long
ago, a promise about the lastand greatest messenger. I don't
wanna give too much away, buttrust me, it's a story you won't
want to miss. So stay tuned forour next adventure, the promise
of the last messenger.
Captain Suhail (14:05):
Sounds grand, my
dear man. But, Zaki, who are ye
whispering to?
Zaki (14:11):
To the kids listening to
this story.
Captain Suhail (14:13):
What kids?
Zaki (14:15):
Oh, goodness. Until then,
remember to work hard, stay
kind, and never forget thatevery effort counts. Whether
it's building a nest, building aKaaba, or building a better you.
Thanks for joining me today, mywonderful friends. I'll see you
next time. Salam.
(14:37):
This story was produced by MerajDigital. Narration by Wayne
Holland. Episode written,edited, and directed by Syed
Kashif and Atif Hussein. Formore content by Meraj Digital,
please visit our site atwww.meraj.digital.
Copyright (14:59):
Content copyright and
production copyright, 2025 by
Meraj Digital.