Start with bismillah.

Ask: "Why might a book start with letters instead of words?"

Watch the Muslim Central video Broken Letters in the Quran: What Is Their Meaning?

Now listen to the ayah together in the app, with the translation. Ask: "Which three letters do you hear?"

Each child keeps one wonder question, for example: "Why do some surahs start with letters?" Younger children can draw theirs.

Find it in the mushaf: Surah As-Sajdah is surah 32, and it has thirty ayat. As-Sajdah means the Prostration. The surah opens with alif, lam, mim, three of the separate letters called al-huruf al-muqatta'at. Allah knows their full meaning. One lesson scholars mention: the Quran is made of the same letters people use, yet no one can produce anything like it.

Fact: Which surah, the second in the mushaf, also opens with alif, lam, mim?

Ages 5–8: Letter hunt. Find alif, lam and mim in the mushaf and trace them in the air.

Ages 9–12: Letter openings. List three other surahs that also begin with alif, lam, mim.

Finish with: "I found that it is Surah ___."

Talk together:

• Why is it fine not to know everything?
• Which name of Allah does this remind you of?
• How does the Quran use the same letters we use?
• What would you like to learn about Arabic?
• What would you like to ask about this ayah?

Make a small plan: "This week, I will practise writing one Arabic letter each day."

• Practise an Arabic letter daily.
• Go on a letter hunt.
• Share letter openings.
• Next time: the next ayah (32:2) says this Book has no doubt in it. Explore it together!

Action: Practise writing one Arabic letter each day.