An Ocean in One Drop

An Ocean in One Drop is a children’s picture book retelling the ancient Islamic tale of Hajar’s desert struggle to find water for her infant son. This story is revered by Muslims worldwide and is honored within the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage.

Jamila’s grandmother has returned from Hajj with some wondrous Zamzam water!

Join Jamila on a storytelling adventure as she learns about this water and how it connects to Hajar – the woman at the heart of Hajj.

Pilgrims reflect on Hajar’s story through the Sa’ee; a ritual where they follow in her footsteps running between two large hills seven times.

Using poetic rhyming couplets and stunning water color visuals, this children’s book explores the importance of this story through the opposing themes of water and desert, life and death, and ancient heritage in modern times.

The book promotes the power of women’s narratives so that future generations can transcend gender inequality and injustice.

Background story

An Ocean in One Drop children’s book is based on an ancient Islamic story about the family of prophet Ibrahim (AS), the origins of the ‘Zamzam’ well and the establishment of early Makkah – the site of Islam’s holiest city.

Muslims believe that thousands of years ago prophet Ibrahim (AS) was told by Allah to travel towards a desert land (now known as Makkah) with his wife Hajar (AS) and his infant son Isma’il (AS). He was told to leave them in this area and, although they were not sure why, they had faith that this was part of Allah’s bigger plan.

The Sa’ee part within the Islamic pilgrimage at Makkah remembers Hajar’s (AS) struggle to find water and help in the desert once Prophet Ibrahim (AS) had left them. The story is based on a Hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas, one of Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) cousins. Sahih al-Bukhari 3365.