Iram, and her brother, Ahmed, were excited about the upcoming days. It was Ramadan, a time to learn appreciation for the things they had, and to think of others who didn't have as much.

They had both been saving their money all year long. Iram, who was seven years old, sat on her bed and dumped out her money Jar. Coins ran all over the blanket. "This is a lot of money. Momma says we are supposed to help someone. She wants us to think about how much we have and then think of someone who doesn't have very much, and do something nice for them," Iram said, gathering the money into a pile. "Dump out your Jar, Ahmed," she told her brother.

The coins came spilling out of his Jar onto the bed. "Wow! We can do a lot for someone with all this money," Ahmed said, smiling. "This is such a special time of year. I'm glad we can help others."

"But we have to do it secretly, Ahmed, remember. We have to pick someone and do something very nice without them knowing it is from us. Who should we pick?" Iram asked.

"Let's pick our neighbors, Rashid, and Fatima. I noticed that they had holes in their shoes," Ahmed said.

"That's a good idea. We could buy some new shoes for them. They aren't as blessed as we are. We have a lot of shoes, don't we?" Iram asked with appreciation.

"I have three pair. You have more. Let's buy some new shoes for them this Ramadan," Ahmed said, smiling.

Iram and Ahmed found their momma. She was busy washing some dates. She saw her children come into the kitchen. "I'm going to make some baklawa for tonight," she said, knowing her family loved to eat that during Ramadan.

"Pappa is at the mosque, in prayer. When he comes home, after the sun sets, we'll have some. In the meantime, you two look like you've got something on your minds."

"We want to help the poor. Ahmed and I have been saving our money all year long and we want to help Rashid and Fatima, our neighbors," Iram began.

Ahmed, with excitement, interrupted, "We want to buy them some shoes."

Momma smiled at her beautiful children. She was so proud of them.

"Aren't you hungry, Momma?" Ahmed asked. He knew she had not had anything to eat or drink since dawn that morning due to Ramadan fasting.

"I'm a little bit, but that is good for me. Don't worry about me. When you're older, you will understand more and be able to fast too," she explained. "Would you like me to take you to the store to buy the shoes?" she asked.

"Would you, Momma? Is that all right?" Iram begged.

"Why of course. Let's go," she said.

They walked to the shoe store and went inside. Iram picked out a pair of shoes for Fatima. Ahmed picked out a pair for Rashid. They were both so proud that they'd saved their money so they could do this to help. Later, they went home and wrapped the shoe boxes in plain brown paper. They waited anxiously for night to come. It would be dark and they could deliver their gifts.

The sun began to drop behind the horizon. A little while later, Pappa came home. He and Momma had some lentil soup, then tomato and cucumber sandwiches. Momma called to her children, "Iram. Ahmed. Come and have some baklawa, and some fresh dates." The children came running into the kitchen. Momma cut them a big piece.

They gobbled it down quickly as they were anxious to do their good deed. "Slow down, children," Pappa urged, laughing.

It was soon dark outside. Momma had the children go and get the boxes they'd wrapped so carefully. They put their coats on and walked quietly over to Rashid and Fatima's house. Momma whispered, "All right, children. We must be very quiet and very fast. Ahmed, you knock on the door and then run over here, to this bush, where Iram and I will be hiding. We'll watch as they come and find their gifts."

Iram and Ahmed giggled with delight. Iram and Momma hid, and Ahmed tiptoed up to the door. He put both of the boxes down on the porch, and knocked hard. Then he ran, and ran, and ran, as fast as he could, to where Iram and Momma were. "Shhh," Momma whispered. "Someone opened the door."

They watched as Rashid and Fatima came out onto the porch. "Look! There are presents for us. Someone left them here," Rashid cried out with excitement. He and Fatima looked around. It was very dark and they couldn't see anyone. They picked up the boxes and took them inside.

After a minute or two, waiting to make sure they wouldn't be seen, Momma, Ahmed, and Iram, snuck quietly back to their house. Ahmed started laughing. "Pappa! Pappa! We did it! We snuck up and left the presents!"

Iram added, "They didn't see us, Pappa. They don't know it was us." She was laughing too.

Momma and Pappa stood back and looked at their children. They were so proud of them. They knew their children knew the real meaning of giving and of sacrifice. The next morning, as Momma, Pappa, Iram, and Ahmed went to their car to drive into town, they saw Rashid and Fatima outside playing. They were both wearing their brand new shoes. Nobody said a thing. Iram and Ahmed just smiled, because it is one of the best Ramadan for them.

Shuaib received an automobile from his brother as an Ramadhan Eid present. On Ramadhan Eid day when Shuaib came out of his office, a street urchin was walking around the shiny new car, admiring it. "Is this your car, Uncle?" he asked. Shuaib nodded. "My brother gave it to me for Ramadhan Eid." The boy was astounded.

"You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn't cost you nothing? Boy, I wish..." He hesitated. Of course Shuaib knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the lad said jarred Shuaib all the way down to his heels. "I wish," the boy went on, "that I could be a brother like that." Shuaib looked at the boy in astonishment, and then impulsively he added, "Would you like to take a ride in my automobile?" "Oh yes, I would love that."

After a short ride, the boy turned and with his eyes aglow, said, "Uncle, would you mind driving in front of my house?" Shuaib smiled a little. He thought he knew what the lad wanted. He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big automobile.

But Shuaib was wrong again. "Will you stop where those two steps are?" the boy asked. He ran up the steps. Then in a little while Shuaib heard him coming back, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled brother. He sat him down on the bottom step, then sort of squeezed up against him and pointed to the car.

"There she is, uncle, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Ramadhan Eid and it did not cost him a penny. And some day I'm gonna give you one just like it...then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in the Shop windows that I have been trying to tell you about."

Shuaib got out and lifted the boy to the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began a memorable holiday ride. That Ramadhan Eid, Shuaib learned what Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) meant when he had said: "love for your brother what you love for yourself".

Imam Ali (as) Says: "He who helps you in your time of trouble is your brother."

It was the day of celebration and a day of rejoicing. There was an air of festivity in the streets of Madina. All the people, both young and old were dressed in their best clothes, especially for this special day of Ramadhan Eid.

As it was time for early morning Ramadhan Eid prayers everyone made their way to an open piece of land on the outskirts of the city of Madina. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) arrived and led the prayers. After they had finished they all greeted each other and everyone was walking back home. The children running and playing in excitement, smiling and laughing, without a care in the world.

As Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) walked back home, he suddenly became aware of a little boy (Zuhair Bin Saghir) sitting by himself on the side of the path. The little boy was crying and looked very sad. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) bent down and patted him on the shoulders and asked 'why are you crying?' 'Please leave me alone' sobbed the little boy. The boy didn't even see who was talking to him. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) ran his fingers through the boy's hair and very gently and kindly asked him again why he was crying. This time the boy said, 'My father was martyred fighting, and now my mother has married again and my stepfather does not want me to live at home any more. Today is Ramadhan Eid and everyone is happy. All the children have new clothes and nice things to eat, but I don't have any clothes except what I am wearing. I have no food and I don't even have a place to live.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said to him, 'I know how you feel, I lost both my mother and father when I was a little boy.' The boy was surprised to hear that it was an orphan who was comforting him, and when he looked up to his great surprise it was the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and he immediately jumped up to his feet out of love and respect.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said to him 'If I were to become your new father and my wife you new mother, and my daughter your new sister, would that make you feel better?' 'Oh yes, that would be the best thing in the world!' The boy started smiling. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) took him home and gave him new clothes and good food on this beautiful day of Ramadhan Eid. The boy indeed had a wonderful Ramadhan Eid that day.

Moral: We should think of others that are less fortunate than ourselves on this beautiful day of Ramadhan Eid. Not everyone has such a wonderful day. It is a day of celebration, but take a moment to stop and think of those who are less fortunate than ourselves by following the Sunnah of our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).