The Two-Wheeled Bike

In the park, there were big kids riding two-wheeled bikes. They zoomed along, their hair flying in the wind. Whoooosh!

Baby Mo watched them with shining eyes. "Abi, I want to ride a two-wheeled bike!"

Abi smiled and took a red bike out of the car boot. The training wheels were already off. "Let's give it a try."

Baby Mo put on his helmet. He sat on the saddle. His feet on the pedals. Abi held the saddle from behind.

"Pedal, Mo!"

Baby Mo pedalled. The bike wobbled to the left. Wobbled to the right. Then… CRASH! Baby Mo fell onto the grass.

His knee got a little scratch. Baby Mo winced. "Ouch…"

Abi helped him up and blew on his knee. "Does it hurt? Do you want a rest?"

Baby Mo shook his head. He got back on. Pedalled again. The bike wobbled again. And… CRASH! He fell again.

Once more. Fell. Once more. Fell again.

This time Baby Mo sat on the grass and cried. "I can't do it! The bike is naughty! I don't want to any more!"

Abi sat beside him. They were quiet for a while, watching a bird fly over the tree.

"Mo," said Abi, "do you know, when you were learning to walk? You fell all the time. A hundred times, maybe a thousand. But you got up again, and again, and again. Now you can run."

Baby Mo wiped his tears. "A thousand times?"

"Maybe more," said Abi with a smile. "And there's one thing we haven't done yet. We haven't asked Allah for help."

Baby Mo raised his hands. "Ya Allah, please help me ride my bike. Aamiin."

Abi taught him a little line: "Fall down once, get up again. Bismillah, try again!"

Baby Mo stood up. He put his helmet back on. He climbed on the bike. "Bismillah," he whispered.

He pedalled. Abi held the saddle and ran beside him. The bike wobbled… but Baby Mo kept pedalling. Straight. Faster. Even straighter.

"Abi, don't let go!" shouted Baby Mo.

But Abi had let go a while ago. Abi was standing far behind, clapping.

Baby Mo was riding all by himself! The wind blew on his cheeks. Whoooosh! He laughed out loud.

"I CAN DO IT! ABI, I CAN DO IT!"

Abi ran to catch up and hugged him. "Masha Allah! You didn't give up, Mo. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:"

"Strive for what benefits you, seek help from Allah, and do not lose heart." (Muslim 2664)

That afternoon, Baby Mo rode around the park again and again. Sometimes he still wobbled. Once he still fell. But every time he fell, he got straight up and said, "Fall down once, get up again. Bismillah, try again!"

Talk it over with your little one: what was hard before but you can do now? What do you want to try again tomorrow? 🚲