Yusuf Shares His Lunch

A story to learn good manners: Yusuf is a boy in our story, and today is a busy school day.

It was lunchtime at school. Yusuf opened his lunch box. Inside there was a cheese sandwich, a juicy apple and two sweet dates. Yum! “Bismillah,” said Yusuf, and he was just about to take a big bite.

Then he saw his friend Bilal sitting on the next bench. Bilal was looking down at his empty hands. He had left his lunch at home. His tummy made a loud rumbling sound. Bilal looked very sad.

Yusuf looked at his sandwich. He was hungry too. Then he remembered what his mum had told him at breakfast. The Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said that food for two people is enough for three. And he also taught us that we should love for our brother what we love for ourselves.

Yusuf thought: “I love having lunch when I am hungry. Bilal would love that too.” So he walked over to Bilal and sat down beside him. “Would you like to share my lunch?” he asked.

Bilal looked up and his eyes lit up. “Really? Are you sure?” “Of course!” said Yusuf. He broke the sandwich in half and gave Bilal the bigger piece. They shared the apple, bite by bite, and they had one date each.

“Jazakallahu khairan, Yusuf,” said Bilal. That means, may Allah reward you with good. “Wa iyyakum!” said Yusuf. “And you too!” The two friends sat together on the bench, munching and chatting and laughing, until there was not a single crumb left.

When the bell rang, Yusuf noticed something surprising. He did not feel hungry at all. He had eaten only half his lunch, but his tummy felt full and his heart felt even fuller. Sharing had made the food enough for two, just as the Prophet had said.