Start with bismillah.

Ask: "How do you feel when a team you support loses?"

Watch the FreeQuranEducation illustrated tafseer Predictions of the Quran.

Now listen to the ayah together in the app, with the translation. Ask: "Who was defeated?"

Each child keeps one wonder question, for example: "Why would the Quran mention the Romans?" Younger children can draw theirs.

Find it in the mushaf: Surah Ar-Rum is surah 30. Find ayah 2. The key word ghulibat means was defeated. In the Prophet's time, two great empires fought each other: the Romans, who were Christians and believed in a revealed Book, and the Persians, who worshipped fire. The Persians had badly beaten the Romans. The Muslims in Makkah were sad, and the idol-worshippers were pleased.

Fact: Which empire defeated the Romans and captured Jerusalem around the year 614?

Ages 5–8: Map colours. Colour two big areas on a simple map, one for each empire.

Ages 9–12: Two empires. Make a table comparing the Roman and Persian empires of the Prophet's time.

Finish with: "I found that it was the ___ Empire."

Talk together:

• Why were the early Muslims sad about the defeat?
• Which name of Allah does this remind you of?
• How did people in Makkah react?
• What can we learn from history?
• What would you like to ask about this ayah?

Make a small plan: "This week, I will learn one fact about the world in the Prophet's time."

• Learn a history fact.
• Colour a map.
• Share two empires.
• Next time: the next ayah (30:3) predicts what will happen next. Explore it together!

Action: Learn one fact about the world in the Prophet's time.