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Introducing "Amazing Stories with Zaki the Hoopoe!" 🎉
Get ready for a storytelling adventure that’s not just for kids, but for the whole family—including parents! Zaki, the lively and clever hoopoe bird, invites everyone to explore the wonders of ancient tales, where prophets, brave animals, and magical moments come to life. 🌟 Tailored for kids aged 5-8, but with plenty of fun, humor, and fascinating lessons to keep parents entertained, too!
Zaki's adventures take you to deserts, seas, and enchanted forests, where you’ll meet the brave ant that stood up to Prophet Sulaiman 🐜, Prophet Ibrahim standing up against the evil King Nimrod, Prophet Nuh and his legendary Ark, and many more legendary Prophets. With a sprinkle of jokes, interactive questions, and exciting sound effects, each episode is an engaging experience for all ages!
Parents, you’ll love the way Zaki weaves timeless lessons with humor and charm, making this the perfect family bonding time. Whether in the car, during bedtime, or just for fun, Amazing Stories with Zaki is your go-to source for entertaining, educational stories that spark curiosity and values in kids—and even surprise grown-ups!
So, gather around, sit back, and let Zaki take you on a magical journey that everyone will enjoy. Ready? Let’s fly into adventure! ✨
Okay, okay, a dash of za'atar, a sprinkle of sumac and uh-oh, not the Cayenne again! Why does cayenne always look like cinnamon? This pot has turned into a volcano.
Noora:Uncle Zaki, is that supposed to be soup or a potion? It smells like it could grant wishes or make you sneeze for a week.
Zaki:It's experimental, inspired by ancient culinary scrolls. Probably, it just needs to simmer for five to six miracles.
Captain Suhail:By the burnt barnacles of Bahrain, I think it blinked at me. If it moves again, I'm flying out the window.
Zaki:It's not that bad. I just wanted to host a nice dinner. You know, candles, conversation, and a big announcement. An elegant soiree of support.
Noora:Oh, what's the big announcement? Are you finally naming your feather collection?
Zaki:No. No. I mean, yes. But that's not it. I was going to, well, inspire my loved ones to join me in something important, something big.
Zaki:But now, all I've done is burn the bread, set off the smoke bell and accidentally invite the neighbor's goats.
Captain Suhail:Nothing says join my noble cause like spicy steam and a bleating buffet.
Zaki:Maybe hosting a dinner to win support isn't as easy as it sounds.
Noora:I think it's brave you tried, even if the soup bites back.
Captain Suhail:I It takes courage to serve something that might fight you for the spoon.
Zaki:Meraj Digital presents The Amazing Stories with Zaki the Hoopoe.
Zaki:Season two, episode 13, The Dinner Party.
Zaki:Salaam, my amazing friends. It's me, Zaki the Hoopoe, your favorite feathered storyteller. Though maybe not your favorite chef.
Captain Suhail:Not unless you fancy flaming stew and goat cameos at dinner.
Zaki:Let's just say, tonight's meal didn't exactly go as planned, but it reminded me of a very important story. One about a real dinner. One where something incredible happened. A dinner with courage, truth, and the very first person to stand up for the Prophet Muhammad. Peace be upon him.
Noora:Was it a big feast? Were there scrolls? Were there spices?
Zaki:Oh, there was something even greater than food, Nunu. There was a message, a message of Islam. And at that dinner sat someone very special, a young boy who did something brave when everyone else stayed silent. Don't tell me. He complimented the cook.
Zaki:Even braver than that, captain. He stood up for the truth when no one else would. Then let's begin, my friends. This is the story of the dinner of Dulashira. A long time ago in the sacred city of Makkah, something extraordinary was about to happen.
Zaki:Not on a battlefield or a mountain, but around a humble dinner. Now remember my friends, at this point, only a few people had become Muslims. They were worshiping Allah in secret, meeting quietly in hidden places. It was dangerous to be open about Islam.
Noora:So the prophet was still keeping it quiet?
Zaki:Yes, Nunu. But that was about to change. The prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, had received a divine command. Warn your closest relatives. This was the beginning of a new chapter, and it started with a family invitation.
Captain Suhail:Groaning family dinners. I, they sound like a lovely idea, but next thing you
Zaki:know, someone brings up camels, old politics, and who forgot the date's last Ramadan. It's all drama, burnt bread, and three months of emotional recovery. It's true. But this dinner was unlike any other. It wasn't just about food.
Zaki:It was a call to truth. To help prepare, the prophet turned to someone young and deeply loyal, his cousin Ali.
Captain Suhail:The lad with a lion's heart, and if I recall, a talent for carrying water jugs bigger than himself.
Zaki:Ali was just 13, but he helped the prophet cook, clean, and prepare for the guests. Dates, meat, barley bread, and milk, simple, blessed, and full of meaning. Every dish was placed with love. The Prophet's family began to arrive. There was his uncle Abu Talib, the kind and protective one.
Zaki:Abbas, strong and thoughtful. Hamza, the brave and even Abu Lahab, who often scowled more than he smiled. They all sat down, filling their plates and sharing a good time. The meal was nearly done. The fire crackled and then the prophet stood.
Zaki:Everything was about to change. The prophet stood. The room quieted. Every eye turned to him, not as a nephew or cousin, but as a man about to say something important. His heart was steady and his voice calm.
Zaki:Oh, children of Abdul Mutalib, if I told you there was an enemy hiding behind this hill, would you believe me?
Noora:Oh, that's a serious way to start a dinner speech.
Zaki:It caught their attention. Everyone nodded. They all knew the prophet never lied. Then, you know, he said, I have been sent by Eliza Warner. I invite you to worship him alone.
Zaki:Who among you will support me in this mission?
Captain Suhail:And just like that, the room froze colder than a seabird in a snowstorm.
Zaki:The silence, it stretched like the desert horizon. Some looked away, others fidgeted, and one voice, sharp and bitter, cut through. It was Abu Lahab.
Noora:Abu Lahab. Who was he?
Captain Suhail:Ah, Abu Lahab. Uncle by blood, firebrand by nature, grumpier than a camel with a thorn in its hoof. He didn't just disbelieve, he disapproved of everything loudly like a seagull squawking at sunrise. Every family has that uncle.
Noora:I definitely do.
Zaki:Wait. Are you referring to me, Nunu?
Noora:I don't know.
Zaki:I love this chick. So anyways, Abu Lahab was one of the prophet's uncles, but he was harsh and prideful. And he'll be a thorn in the prophet's side in many stories to come.
Captain Suhail:Thorns at dinner. Never trust an uncle with opinions and dramatic exits.
Zaki:Abu Lahab said, this is what you brought us here for, to disgrace our traditions, to break our family apart. Definitely a drama queen. The moment turned tense. Faces turned down, some stood brushing crumbs from their robes. No one, no one stood beside the Prophet.
Noora:Not even one person?
Zaki:Not yet. The dinner ended in silence and shaken heads. Everyone stood up and left Muhammad's house. The prophet was left standing, with his message spoken but unanswered. But this wasn't the end, not even close.
Zaki:The very next day, the prophet did something remarkable. He invited his family again, same place, same meal, same mission.
Noora:He didn't give up.
Zaki:Not for a second. Because when something truly matters, when Allah has given you a message, you keep going even if everyone walks away the first time. Once more, the family sat, they ate, they waited, and then the prophet rose. O children of Abdul Mutalib, who among you will help me in this mission? Who will stand by me?
Zaki:Some of the uncles looked on with interest, not mocking, not hostile. Their eyes searched the prophet's face as if they were moved, but waiting, waiting to see if others would speak first. And then Ali stood, 13 years old, his eyes clear, his voice steady. I will, oh messenger of Allah, I will support you. The prophet looked at him with warmth, but said gently, sit down, oh Ali.
Zaki:Prophet Muhammad turned back to his family and spoke to them again. Who among you will help me? Who will stand by me? Ali stood again. I will, oh messenger of Allah.
Zaki:The prophet smiled at Ali and asked him to sit back down. It was still quiet in the home. No one was speaking. There was tension in the air. And then for the third time, the prophet turned to his family.
Zaki:Who will support me in this call from Allah? At once with all his power, Ali stood up and spoke loudly and clearly for everyone to hear, I will. I will stand with you.
Noora:He stood up in front of all those adults, all three times?
Zaki:He did. And this time the prophet placed his hand on Ali's shoulder. This is my brother, my inheritor, and my helper among you,
Captain Suhail:and already bolder than a full ship of captains in a storm. I say, that lad had iron in his bones.
Zaki:But not everyone was happy. Some of the uncles were mean teasing Abu Talib. Looks like you'll be bowing to your son before long, one said with a smirk. And though the other still scoffed or stayed silent, something had changed. A seed of courage had been planted.
Zaki:You know, my brilliant listeners, it only takes one. One heart that believes, one voice that speaks the truth, one person brave enough to stand, even when everyone else is sitting.
Noora:Ali wasn't the strongest or the tallest, but he was the one who stood up.
Zaki:Exactly, Nunu. Allah doesn't wait for someone to be the biggest or oldest. He looks at who has iman, true faith, and the courage to act on it. Even though he was the youngest, Ali's heart was the boldest, and because he stood that day, a new chapter in Islam began, one filled with loyalty, sacrifice, and love for the truth.
Captain Suhail:So standing up first makes you a hero.
Zaki:Standing up for the right thing, even when you're alone, that's what makes you a hero.
Captain Suhail:I once stood up first at a seagull poetry recital. They made me read my poem twice. I was just trying to go to the bathroom.
Zaki:Well, bravery comes in many forms, captain.
Noora:I wanna stand up like Ali too. Maybe not at a poetry recital, though.
Zaki:You already are, Nunu. Every time you choose what's right, Wood, even if it's hard, you're standing with the brave. And that, my brilliant friends, was the story of how young Ali stood up when no one else would. And how courage can shine even at a dinner.
Noora:That was so good. I made a sound for the moment he stood up. Whoosh thump. That's the sound of bravery landing in a room.
Captain Suhail:I thought that was the sound of the soup hitting the floor back at your dinner, Zockey.
Zaki:Fair enough, captain. But you know what? I never did get to share my big announcement.
Noora:Oh, yeah. What was it?
Zaki:I was going to ask you both to be my official storytelling team, my helpers, my partners in scroll.
Captain Suhail:Wait a minute. If this is the beginning, then what was all the squawking I've been doing since season one?
Noora:Assistant storyteller.
Zaki:Assistant TO THE storyteller.
Captain Suhail:By the salty scrolls of Sinbad, accept as long as there are snacks and no more blinking soup.
Noora:I stand up for stories, and I sit down for snacks. So what's the next story?
Zaki:Next time, we'll journey to a city filled with stones and sorrow where the prophet is rejected, and the people are really mean.
Captain Suhail:Rejected cities, sorrow, mean people. I'm bringing my fedora hat, whip, and a torch.
Zaki:You bring that, captain. I'll bring the leather jacket. Until then, stay curious, stay kind, and always, always stand for what's right.
Captain Suhail:But sit down if your food starts moving.
Zaki:This story was produced by Meraj Digital. Voices provided by Wayne Holland as Zaki and Curtis Fletcher as Captain Sohail. Episode written, directed, edited by Syed Kashif and Atif Hussain. For more content by Mirage Digital, please visit our site at www.meraj.digital.
Copyright:Content copyright and production copyright 2025 by Meraj Digital.