This portion of Al-Kitab is about a group of Jews who chose not to return to Palestine in the time of Uzair and Nehemiah (pbut), but instead established themselves in Persia. It is a little unusual because there is no mention of Allah anywhere in its 10 chapters. Nonetheless, Allah’s watchcare over his people is very obvious in the story. Esther is the name of an orphaned Jewish young lady who eventually became queen of the Persian Empire. This section of Al-Kitab is named after her, because it tells her story. Every year, Jews read Esther during a special festival called the “Feast of Purim.” The story here describes how this festival began.
