Bonus Reward From Allah

 RAMADAN LESSON # 7

UNIMAGINABLE REWARDS FROM ALLAH

Subhanallah ...We can never praise and Exalt Allah enough, He not only promises rewards multiplied  by ten  or 70 times in Ramadan, but also tells us that .........

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle Sallallaho alaihiwasallam  said, 

“Allah said, ‘All the deeds of Adam’s sons (people) are for them, except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it.’ Sahih Bukhari

ALLAHO AKBAR

Copywork: print or cursive

The magnitude of the rewards from Allah are simply unimaginable 
Subhanallah !

Allah loves the "Saim" (faster) so much that He has built a special gate in Jannah through which only those shall enter who were diligent and keen on fasting.

By that it means not only the fasting in Ramadan but also who fasted on days other than Ramadan.

What days are those ?

• 6 days of Shawwal
• Ayyam ul Beed 
• Mondays and Thursdays
• Day of Ashura
• Day of Arafat

Here's our Ramadan Lapbook Flap showing them.

We made this with this printable from TJ Ramadan

HADITH

There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting.”

Sahih Bukhari

Copywork: print or cursive

Narrated Sahl: The Prophet said, 

“There is a gate in Paradise called Ar-Raiyan, and those who observe fasts will enter through it on the Day of Resurrection and none except them will enter through it. It will be said, ‘Where are those who used to observe fasts?’ They will get up, and none except them will enter through it. After their entry the gate will be closed and nobody will enter through it.”

Copywork: print or cursive 

We illustrated this fact through the following activity.

All depiction is through our imagination. Only Allah knows what it's going to be like.

The shining golden Bab ur Rayyan and people standing outside hoping to enter. The lego people with yellow heads are Saim whose faces are glowing :)

The light glowing from inside, spreading as the doors open 

Only the Saim are allowed to enter with their faces glowing Subhanallah

Once all the Saim have entered, the doors close again

My Lil Muallims LOVED this activity Alhumdillah. The whole process of making the gate and the set up got them very excited Mashllah ! I hope this will be a long lasting memory for them, and it will serve the purpose of instilling the desire to strive to enter through Bab ur Rayyan INSHALLAH

Print your own Bab ur Rayyan 

Levels of Fasting

RAMADAN LESSON # 6

LEVELS OF FASTING

What are the thoughts on my mind ?

Does the  time seem to go slow ?

Can I not stop thinking about food cause that's not what fasting is about ? 

Do I avoid arguments and fights ?

Am I mindful of Allah ?

Do make extra efforts to do more dhikr and tilawah ?

 May Allah help us to keep maqbool fasts Ameen.

We get many chances to discuss the do's and don'ts of fasting during the day. These reminders (as frustrating as the can get at times) are a blessing, as these are the building blocks of understanding the essence of fasting.

The meaning of Saum can be reviewed from Ramadan Lesson # 1

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting.)”

Sahih Bukhari:  Book# 31  Hadith# 127

Copywork (Use the blank space under the text to write reflections): print or cursive

RAMADAN HIGHWAY CODE



source: Islamic Posters

After discussing todays lesson in the lights of different ahadith and every day examples, Lil Muallims made their own Levels of Fasting posters, like the one below.

The levels of fasting poster was inspired by a small diagram in this amazing book

Click on the image to buy this book

Extended Activity

Make a list of things that come under each level. 

• Observe the difference
• make an goal for yourself 
• make an action plan for yourself

Download

Levels of Fasting Poster Colored
 Levels of Fasting Poster Blank 
Levels of Fasting Extended Activity
Levels of Fasting Goal Setting

Quran was Revealed in Ramadan

RAMADAN LESSON # 5

ALLAH SAYS IN THE QURAN

" Shahro Ramadan allaazi Unzila feehil Quran"

(Surah Tul Baqarah - Verse 185)

Translation

"The month of Ramadân in which was revealed the Qur'ân,....."

Copywork: print or cursive

I gave Lil Muallim # 2 the picture of an open mushaf to color and then asked him to write numbers in Arabic in a grid just like they would be in a calendar. I did write down the numbers in sequence for him to copy from. Next we pasted the papers on bristol board. I traced out the words Ramadn (for the name of the month on top of the calendar dates) which Lil Muallim # 2 traced.

 Finally we glued thin craft sticks to connect the two cut outs to depict 'unzila' (revealed/sent down). To make sure the sicks didn't move while the glue dried we taped them to the table, and weighed it down with a thick book. When done we also taped the sticks from the back (just in case :))

The final craft on our Ramadan craft wall......Mashallah!

Later we reviewed the craft a couple of times during the day, with me pointing to each part of the craft and Lil Mualim # 2 reciting the Ayah. Mashallah!

Download:

You can find the printable for this craft here and here.

IMPORATNT NOTE


Every single Book of Allah was revealed in Ramadan as we know from Ahadith

The Suhuf of Ibrahim (A) was revealed on the 3rd day of Ramadan

The Torah was revealed to Musa (A) on the 6th day of Ramadan

The Zabur was revealed to Dawud (A) on the 18th day of Ramadan

The Injeel was revealed to Eesa (A) on the 13th of Ramadan


The Quran was revealed to Muhammad (SAW) on the 24th of Ramadan

ALLAHO AKBAR.......How divine is this Month !

Fasting is a shield

RAMADAN LESSON # 4

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: 

"Fasting is  a Shield"

Sahih Muslim : Book# 6  Hadith# 2565

Copywork: print or cursive

Meaning that just like in war a shield protects a soldier from being hit by  a sword a fast protects  a fasting person from doing bad deeds as he is constantly thinking of Allah and doesn't want to spoil his fast or reduce his ajr. So as a reminder of that to stop ypur self from doing something wrong you can say 

"As Siyamo Junnah!"

Lil Muallimah's Shield

Lil Muallim # 2's Shield

Download

Shield Craft Printable

In previous years they have made their own out of paper plates and aluminium foil with their own hand drawn sword or design stuck on them. 

Lil muallim # 1 and Lil maullim # 2 had also made one as a cover for Fasting is a Shield booklet for our Ramadan lapbook some years ago. For this they had very patiently stick tiny pieces of aluminium foil one  by one around the design. Mashallah!

Opening the Fast

RAMADAN LESSON # 3

DUA AT IFTAR TIME

 
Iftar (opening the fast) at sun down is a special time in Ramadan. It is a blessed time as Allah listens to all and any suplications, we make at this time. Why ? Because He loves us and appreciates our abstaining from all forbidden things for His sake. The rewards are from Him and based on the purity of our intention Subhanallah!

“By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, the smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. (Allah says about the fasting person), ‘He has left his food, drink and desires for My sake. The fast is for Me. So I will reward (the fasting person) for it and the reward of good deeds is multiplied ten times.”

Sahih Bukhari:  Book# 31 Hadith# 118

Copywork (Use the blank space under the text to write reflections):print or cursive

As mentioned in the  book of Ibn Maja, Abdullah bin 'Amru bin 'Al-As (R) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallaho alaihi wasallam) said:

  “Indeed, as to the faster, about the time he breaks his fast, his

du'a, (supplication) will not be turned away by Allah.”

Copywork: print or cursive

In another hadith in Tirmidhi  the Messenger of Allah (saas) has been reported as saying:

"There are three categories of people whose du'a (supplications)

 will not be rejected: the person who observes the fast until he

breaks, a just ruler, and the person who has been wronged."

Copywork: print or cursive

This hadith supports the previous one, while adding that when

prayers are offered during fasting, supplications are highly

encouraged.

There is also a special dua our dear Ptrophet Muhammad Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam taught us to read before opening fast.

TRANSLATION:

"The thirst is gone and the throats are wet again and the reward is established, Allah willing"

IFTAR DUA MAGNET

Project for Lil Muallim # 2. Made a printout with the iftaar dua and colored the picture drawn bu Ummi :) They can draw themselves too :). Next we stuck it on a recycled piece of carton and laminated it with protective sheet. Lastly we stuck 2 pieces of magnetic sticker strip at the back. Voila our Iftaar dua fridge magnet was ready.

See it here:

Later on we gifted ours to a dear elderly relative. You can make these as gift items too, or to make and sell to collect money for any charitable cause Inshallah eg (Masjid construction, funding digging a well, school supplies for the poor, our famine struck brethren around the world, sponsor an orphan or any other cause you may know of)

Please remind the kids to do it ONLY to seek Allah's pleasure Inshallah!

May Allah accept it from us Ameen

Next year....... First I aksed Lil Muallim # 2 to recite the iftar dua. Then I asked him to add the harakahs, he did this with my help. Next he colored it in with constant questions of what would make it look good? :) I drew the outline for the smaller heart to enclose the dua so he could shade lighlty in that. Once he was done the coloring I cut it out and he stuck onto the magnetic sheet. I helped him laminate the top with contact sheet. 

On our fridge.

There was actually a mistake in the harakat placements which I later fixed with a permanent marker over the contact sheet.

I really enjoyed the fact that Lil Muallim # 1 and # 2 checked the magnet a couple of times at Iftar dua while reciting the dua to fix their vowels :) Alhumdolillah !

Printable for this craft is available here.

Fastometer

RAMADAN LESSON # 2

source: Boston Globe Ramadan 2010

This is a such a cute picture Mashallah! May Allah protect and preserve these children Ameen

HOW AM I FASTING ?

FASTOMETER

  One my favorite Ramadan projects from previous years is our Fastometer. I was going through a lesson on levels of fasting in a book and had a Eureka moment. I instantly started making this project with Lil Muallim # 2.  We titled it, FASTOMETER, how did I fast today? Then we drew a kind of a thermometer, dividing it in 3 parts. 

Level 1: Ordinary 

Level 2: Special 

Level 3: Extraordinary. 

We pasted related images in front of each level. Again we used images from here.

 Then I made a surprise for the kids when they weren't around. I doubled a piece of bristol board and cut one edge like a pointer. Then I cut a slit along one side of the Fastometer and slid the arrow through it till only the pointer showed on the fastometer. Then I folded the point of the extra length of the arrows extended part onto our chart so as to secure it.

Voila! So now they can judge their own fast everyday self assessing themselves. But how would they know how differentiate between the levels. That brings us to our next project below. But first see the pictures of our fastometer. I am attaching pictures of how I made it too. :)

Fasting is Ibadah

RAMADAN LESSON # 1

WHAT IS FASTING ?

Fasting is an act of worship (Ibadah). Allah says in the Quran in ayah number 183 "O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may learn self restraint,"

Copy work (Use the blank space under the text to write points on how one will learn self restraint): print or cursive

Self restraint can be discussed with kids, through a fun discussion. Fasting should not be taught as "staying away from eating and drinking from morn to dusk". The word for fasting in arabic is "Saum" which means to abstain (stay away). Stay away from what, is where the fun discussion comes in :)

Doing bad things ....

What kind of bad things ?

Discuss examples of all kinds of bad things that can be done with eyes, ears and mouth (talking). 

Are these good things to do ? If not should we do them whether we are fasting or not ?

If not, and as fasting means staying away that means we can't do any of those things at all while we are fasting, if we want to please Allah.

As...........Fasting is an Ibadah .... an act of worship :)

Discuss the definition of Ibadah at the kids level.

Ibadah is a way of showing our love for Allah Subhanawa ta'allah, by telling Him all you have, what you would like to have, praising Him and most of all Thanking Him for everything. Ibadah makes us feel close to Allah because we talk to Him from our heart while doing it.

We can do Ibadah by:

• Praying Salah
• Dua (supplicate to Allah
• Dhikr (rememberance of Allah and Exalting Him)
• Tilawah (recitation of the Quran in a beautiful manner) 

Lil Muallim # 1 made a small chart on what fasting is. In his words : 

"Fasting is a state of Ibadah I should spend it Glorifying and Praising Allah" 

Ofcourse Ummi needs to remind but then isn't that what Ummis are for?

The image was taken from here.

  
Here is a powerful Ramadhan prep talk, in the light many authentic ahadith which will be the base of upcoming Ramadan Lessons pages Beidhnillah.