Opening the ayah…
وَمَن نُّعَمِّرْهُ نُنَكِّسْهُ فِى ٱلْخَلْقِ ۖ أَفَلَا يَعْقِلُونَ
Wa man nnuʻammir'hu nunakkis'hu fī l-khal'qi . 'afalā yaʻ'qilūna
If We grant long life to any, We cause him to be reversed in nature: Will they not then understand?
Translation: Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Looking for reflections…
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Guided by the 4-I journey: Inspire, Investigate, Integrate, Impart. Use it as a starting point and make it your own.
Opening the guide…
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4-I guide
Those given a long life become weaker again, as they were when young, so people should reflect.
Start with bismillah.
Ask: "What can your grandparents do now that they could not do as babies, and what has become harder?"
Watch the Little Islamic Values video Respecting Elders.
Now listen to the ayah together in the app, with the translation. Ask: "What happens to people who live long?"
Each child keeps one wonder question, for example: "How can I help older people?" Younger children can draw theirs.
Find it in the mushaf: Surah Ya-Sin is surah 36. Find ayah 68. The key word nunakkis-hu means We reverse him. Life goes from weakness as a baby, to strength, then back to weakness in old age. Strength is borrowed from Allah. Seeing this helps us be humble and gentle with older people, who once cared for us.
Fact: Which surah describes the stages of life from weakness to strength and back to weakness?
Ages 5–8: Helper day. Help an older relative with one task, like carrying a bag.
Ages 9–12: Life stages. Interview a grandparent about what they could do at your age and what is harder now.
Finish with: "I found that the stages are described in surah ___."
Talk together:
Make a small plan: "This week, I will help an older person with something every day."
Action: Help an older person with something every day.
