Opening the ayah…
وَمَا هَٰذِهِ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا لَهْوٌۭ وَلَعِبٌۭ ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلدَّارَ ٱلْءَاخِرَةَ لَهِىَ ٱلْحَيَوَانُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ
Wa mā hādhihi l-ḥayātu ddun'yā 'illā lah'wun walaʻibun . wa'inna ddāra l-'ākhirata lahiya l-ḥayawānu . law' kānū yaʻ'lamūna
What is the life of this world but amusement and play? but verily the Home in the Hereafter,- that is life indeed, if they but knew.
Translation: Abdullah Yusuf Ali
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4-I guide
This worldly life is like amusement and play, but the Home of the Hereafter is the real life, if only people knew.
Start with bismillah.
Ask: "How long does the fun of a game last?"
Watch the Living Journey clip Know That the Life of This World Is But Amusement.
Now listen to the ayah together in the app, with the translation. Ask: "What is the real life?"
Each child keeps one wonder question, for example: "How can I enjoy this life while preparing for the real one?" Younger children can draw theirs.
Find it in the mushaf: Surah Al-'Ankabut is surah 29. Find ayah 64. The key word la-hiya al-hayawan means it is truly life. Games are fun, but when they end, nothing remains. This world is short, like a game; the Hereafter is lasting, true life. Believers enjoy good things here while investing in what lasts.
Fact: About how many hours does an average person spend playing games in a year?
Ages 5–8: Game and garden. Compare a game you finish in minutes with a plant that keeps growing.
Ages 9–12: Invest wisely. Make a list of things that last only in this world and things that last forever.
Finish with: "I found that people spend about ___ hours a year on games."
Talk together:
Make a small plan: "This week, I will swap some game time for something lasting."
Action: Swap some game time for something lasting.
