Opening the ayah…
وَيَقُولُونَ أَئِنَّا لَتَارِكُوٓا۟ ءَالِهَتِنَا لِشَاعِرٍۢ مَّجْنُونٍۭ
Wa yaqūlūna 'a'innā latārikū 'ālihatinā lishāʻirin mmaj'nūnin
And say: "What! shall we give up our gods for the sake of a Poet possessed?"
Translation: Abdullah Yusuf Ali
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Opening the guide…
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4-I guide
They said: are we to give up our gods because of a madman who makes verses?
Start with bismillah.
Ask: "What is the difference between a poem and a message from Allah?"
Watch the Al Kawthar Academy video The Prophet Was Not a Poet.
Now listen to the ayah together in the app, with the translation. Ask: "What two unfair names did they use?"
Each child keeps one wonder question, for example: "Why did they call him a poet?" Younger children can draw theirs.
Find it in the mushaf: Surah As-Saffat is surah 37. Find ayah 36. The key word sha'ir means poet. The Arabs loved poetry and held contests. The Quran was so beautiful that some said it must be poetry, but it is not. It follows no human poetry pattern and no poet could match it. Calling the most sensible man madness was simply an insult.
Fact: Which ayah in Surah Ya-Sin says Allah did not teach the Prophet poetry?
Ages 5–8: Rhyme time. Make up a short rhyme, then listen to a short surah and notice it is different.
Ages 9–12: Quran challenge. Find the ayah in Surah Al-Baqarah that challenges people to produce a surah like it.
Finish with: "I found that the ayah is Ya-Sin ___."
Talk together:
Make a small plan: "This week, I will listen to a beautiful recitation of one surah."
Action: Listen to a beautiful recitation of one surah.
