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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! ✨
Wisdom is knowing the right path. No, no. Wisdom is not getting distracted by sparkly pebbles when telling a story.
Nura:Too late, Uncle Zaki. You already tripped over a date stand while monologuing to a cactus.
Zaki:That cactus had a very intelligent posture.
Nura:It looked confused.
Captain Suhail:Hey, it is the classic plight of the overthinking bird. Filling the skies with fancy words and forgetting the ground 'neath your claws.
Zaki:I wasn't overthinking. I was strategizing narrative structure.
Nura:You were stuck trying to rhyme Kaaba with Ah-Ha again, weren't you?
Zaki:It almost worked until, the falafel incident.
Nura:Wait. Fish can spot storms?
Captain Suhail:Only the wise ones.
Zaki:The Amazing Stories with Zaki the Hoopoe. Season two episode 10, The Black Stone.
Zaki:Well, well, well, my fine feathered friends. Salaam. I hope your wings are warmed and your hearts are ready because today's story is not about battles or beasts, but about something even more powerful.
Nura:Oh, like invisible lasers?
Zaki:No, Nunu. Not invisible lasers.
Captain Suhail:Though I have been hit by a flying ladle once, nearly lost me dignity and me soup.
Nura:Wait. You lost your soup and your dignity?
Zaki:Anyway, today we travel back to the time before the prophet Muhammad received revelation. Back when he was known simply as Muhammad ibn Abdullah. A kind and trustworthy man who lived in a city filled with proud tribes and big tempers. And a problem brewing like a storm in a teacup, a broken wall, a sacred stone, and too many feathers ruffled.
Nura:Uncle Zaki, what's so special about the black stone anyway?
Zaki:Ah, the Hajar Al Aswad, the black stone. It's part of the Kaaba, our holiest place. It's said to have come from heaven. It's more than a rock, Nunu. It's a
Captain Suhail:symbol of unity. Aye. And when something sacred becomes a prize, that's when folks start fighting to be the one who holds it.
Nura:So who did get to place it?
Zaki:That, my dear junior storyteller, is where the real story begins. Ready your scrolls and fluff your feathers. We're diving into a tale of shattered walls, soaring egos, and one very wise solution. Before prophet Muhammad's prophethood started, something important happened in Makkah, something about the Kaaba.
Nura:Was it stolen?
Zaki:Not stolen, but damaged. There was a big storm and the Kaaba's walls started to break. Rain poured, water rushed through the streets, and one side of the Kaaba collapsed.
Captain Suhail:Like a mighty ship with a cracked hull, she was sinking in the sand lass.
Zaki:The Quraysh, Makkah's tribes, loved the Kaaba. They said, let's rebuild it ourselves. So they cleared away the old stones and brought in fresh strong ones.
Nura:They use cement?
Zaki:Not exactly, mud and stone mostly. But they worked together, lifting heavy rocks, smoothing the walls.
Captain Suhail:Even the leaders rolled up their sleeves. No job too small when you're rebuilding something sacred.
Zaki:At last, the Kaaba was almost finished. The walls were strong. The shape was complete. There was just one piece left.
Nura:Wait. What piece?
Zaki:The black stone.
Nura:The black stone? What is it?
Captain Suhail:Ah, the Hajar Al Aswad Lass, not just any stone. A gift sent down from the heavens, they say.
Nura:From the heavens?
Zaki:Yes. When prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismail built the Kaaba, they placed this stone in one corner. It shines dark and smooth.
Nura:That's beautiful. So where does it go?
Zaki:In the corner of the Kaaba, low enough for people to touch as they walk by.
Nura:So putting it in the wall is a big deal.
Zaki:A very big deal, like placing the final jewel on a crown.
Captain Suhail:And everyone in wanted the honor of placing it.
Zaki:But that is a part of the story we'll get to next. Now remember, each tribe in Makkah had helped rebuild the Kaaba, and each one thought they deserved the honor of placing the black stone.
Captain Suhail:And none of them liked to share. It was like four captains fighting over one ship's wheel.
Nura:But couldn't they all just take turns?
Zaki:Oh, if only. But in Maka back then, honor was everything. If one tribe got the credit, the others would feel insulted, and insult in those days could lead to war. Tribal loyalty back then was super intense. They were very protective of their tribe's name and status and
Nura:Wait, Uncle Zucky, what is a tribe exactly?
Zaki:Oh, yes, a tribe is like a big family, lots of cousins, uncles, and aunties who stick together. In Maka, people were loyal to their tribe before anything else.
Captain Suhail:Think of it like a flock of birds that only flies with its own feathers. Proud, loud, and ready to flap at anyone else who gets in their sky.
Nura:So they all wanted to be the heroes, but no one wanted to share the heroine.
Zaki:Exactly. And this is what we call a sociopolitical honor crisis fueled by ego based tribalism.
Captain Suhail:A what? He means they were
Zaki:acting like puffed up peacocks with swords, all pride no peace. Tensions grew higher, no one would back down. The Kaaba stood waiting, the black stone sat untouched, and the people, ready to start fighting. Over one stone? Yes, Nora dear.
Zaki:But to them, it wasn't just a stone. To them, it was about what it meant. Power, respect, history. And when folks start fighting over honor, someone wise has to step in before feathers and families start falling, a true hero. The shouting grew louder.
Zaki:Some chiefs gripped their swords. The Kaaba, almost finished, stood quiet. And the black stone, still on the ground.
Nura:Were they really going to fight? Like, for real?
Captain Suhail:It was moments away, girl. One wrong word and steel would sing.
Zaki:But just when it seemed like Maka would break apart, someone had an idea, a wise elder cried out, Let's ask the next man who enters the gate to decide.
Nura:And who was the next person to enter through the gate?
Zaki:It was the prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. And remember the nickname everyone gave him? Al Amin, the trustworthy. The moment they saw him, the tribes cheered. It's him.
Zaki:We trust him.
Captain Suhail:A man whose honesty made mountains listen. That's a treasure rarer than pearls lass.
Zaki:They told him everything, the arguments, the anger. And he listened. Quietly, thoughtfully. He let everyone have their turn to explain their story. He did not interrupt them or tell them if they were right or wrong.
Zaki:He just listened. After everyone was done, Prophet Muhammad asked for someone to bring him a cloak.
Nura:A cloak.
Captain Suhail:Not the wear and type, the solvent type.
Zaki:Prophet Muhammad laid the cloak flat on the ground. He picked up Hajar al Aswad with his hands and placed it in the center. He then invited each tribe leader to grab part of the cloak.
Captain Suhail:He turned a tug of war into tug of work.
Zaki:Smart man! Together they lifted the cloak. Every hand shared the honor. Everyone was putting in the same effort in lifting the black stone. And when the cloak was raised high enough, Muhammad picked up Hajar al Aswad and placed it gently into its place with his own two hands.
Nura:No fights, no swords, just one smart plan.
Zaki:One wise plan. It was simple, fair, and peaceful.
Captain Suhail:That's what real wisdom does, Nunu. It don't shout to be heard. It listens, thinks, and brings people together.
Zaki:You know, I've been thinking. I kept trying to sound wise earlier, using big words and complicated ideas, like socio political ego crisis.
Nura:Yeah, my brain melted a little bit when you said that.
Zaki:Right. But what the Prophet showed that day wasn't flashy wisdom. It was calm, clear, fair. He didn't try to be the smartest, he helped everyone feel included. And you asked great questions today, Nunu.
Zaki:That helped more than all my fancy words.
Nura:Thanks. I like asking stuff. It helps my brain sparkle.
Captain Suhail:Just don't go asking a pirate for directions. We mostly guess.
Zaki:You know, Nora, we may not be building Kaaba's or settling tribal disputes, but we've got our own little tribe, don't we?
Nura:The story squad.
Captain Suhail:I suppose that makes me the wise elder,
Zaki:You're definitely the elder.
Nura:But sometimes you're just wise by accident.
Captain Suhail:Accident. I meant to fall into that barrel of honey last week. Strategy less. Sticky strategy.
Zaki:Well, I've learned that being part of a tribe means listening, sharing, and not always needing to be the loudest bird in the sky. And next time, we'll follow someone else's journey, not in the middle of a crowd, but in a cave, a quiet place, a very important beginning.
Nura:It sounds big.
Captain Suhail:Let's just say if wisdom starts with peace, next time it starts with silence. With the next story, we'll be flying in the big winds.
Zaki:Until then, stay curious, stay kind
Nura:And keep your cloaks ready for teamwork.
Captain Suhail:Or just do what I do. Wait till everyone's arguing, then sneak off with the snacks.
Zaki:This story was produced by Meraj Digital. Voices provided by Wayne Holland as Zaki and Curtis Fletcher as Captain Sohail. Episode written, directed, and edited by Syed Kashif and Atef Hussein. For more content by Meraj Digital, please visit our site at www.meraj.digital.
Copyright:Content copyright and production copyright 2025 by Meraj Digital.