How do you manage to keep things light when you are talking about the memory of dead children? It helps if it is spring, of course, and it's always nice to know that the Qur'an can shine a light of hope on tragedy, and set it in an ameliorating context of eternal beauty.

It creeps up on you suddenly. First there’s just an occasional crocus, then a daffodil or two - then suddenly hosts of them. I’m not removing too many sweaters just yet, but I think I must accept that Spring is here. On Friday of this week we even have the Vernal Equinox when daylight once more overtakes the night, and for a muslim, who’s prayers are linked to the times of the sun’s rising and setting, this is always a noteworthy event.

Especially in Scotland, so close to the Arctic Circle, where the event may serve as a reminder of the extremes of night and day that we face at the solstices. From the light night skies of summer to the seemingly endless winter gloom - a great cycle of light and dark, written large to remind us that as in the comparatively petty ups and downs of our own lives and psyches, things keep changing, the pendulum swings, this too will pass.

But with the signs of spring we associate hope – the buds turning to leaf on the branches almost force us to face up to new life. So it is that we plant gardens of remembrance, as did the bereaved parents of Dunblane where a garden memorial was dedicated this weekend. Of course, some things take longer to fade away than others, so as well as flowers the Garden includes sandstone and granite, but given enough time the Scottish rain will wash even those traces away, just as death washes away all our earthly sorrows.

The Qur’an describes Paradise as a heavenly garden. Of course, it is a garden beyond our imagining, but we do have a garden down here to give us hope – a memorial garden that is not man-made.

“And the earth – We stretched it forth, and cast on it firm mountains, and We caused to grow therein of every joyous kind, for an insight and a reminder to every penitent servant. And We sent down out of heaven water, blessed, and caused to grow thereby gardens and grain of harvest, and tall palm-trees with fruit-spathes compact, a provision for the servants. And thereby We revived a land that was dead. Even so is the coming forth.”