A Smile for the Vegetable Lady

On Saturday morning, Umi took Baby Ais and Baby Mo to the market. It was so busy. There were red tents, blue tents and yellow tents like giant umbrellas.

Baby Ais held tightly to the edge of Umi's dress. She loved the market. It smelled of everything at once: oranges, fish and sweet pandan cakes.

"Let's buy tomatoes and carrots from the Vegetable Lady," said Umi.

The Vegetable Lady sat behind a pile of red tomatoes. But today her face wasn't the same as usual. Her eyebrows drooped. Her mouth was flat. She counted out change and let out a long sigh.

"Umi," whispered Baby Ais, "what's wrong with the Vegetable Lady?"

"Maybe she's tired, sweetheart. She comes to the market before dawn."

Baby Ais watched the Vegetable Lady for a long time. She wanted to help. But she had no money. She couldn't lift a sack of carrots. She couldn't even count change yet.

Then she remembered what Abi said at dinner the night before: "A smile is charity, you know. Charity that doesn't need any money."

Baby Ais took a breath. She stepped forward until her head was right in front of the pile of tomatoes.

Then she smiled. The widest smile she had. So wide her cheeks went up and her eyes squeezed small.

"Assalamu'alaikum, Vegetable Lady!"

The Vegetable Lady looked up. For a moment she said nothing. Then… the corner of her mouth moved. A little. Then more. Then she smiled too!

"Wa'alaikumussalam, sweetie," she said. Her voice went soft.

The smile spread like laughter. Baby Mo smiled. Umi smiled. Even the fish seller next door smiled, though he didn't know why.

Baby Ais whispered to herself, "A little smile, a big charity. A little smile, a big charity."

The Vegetable Lady picked out the reddest tomatoes and the straightest carrots. Then she added something to the bag: one orange.

"This is for the girl with the sweetest smile in the market today," she said.

On the way home, Baby Ais held the orange in both hands like treasure.

"Umi, I gave charity with a smile, and I got an orange," she said, amazed.

Umi laughed. "Kindness does like to come back, sweetheart. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:"

"Your smile in the face of your brother is charity for you." (Tirmidhi 1956)

From that day on, every trip to the market, Baby Ais had an important job. Before buying anything, she handed out smiles first. One for the Vegetable Lady. One for the fish seller. One for the pandan cake lady. Free, and they never ran out.

Talk it over with your little one: who can we give a smile to today? Let's count how many smiles you share before bedtime! 😊