Opening the ayah…
وَكَيْفَ تَأْخُذُونَهُۥ وَقَدْ أَفْضَىٰ بَعْضُكُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍۢ وَأَخَذْنَ مِنكُم مِّيثَٰقًا غَلِيظًۭا
Wa kay'fa ta''khudhūnahu waqad' 'af'ḍā baʻ'ḍukum' 'ilā baʻ'ḍin wa'akhadh'na minkum mmīthāqan ghalīẓan
And how could ye take it when ye have gone in unto each other, and they have Taken from you a solemn covenant?
Translation: Abdullah Yusuf Ali
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Opening the guide…
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4-I guide
How could anyone take back the gift after husband and wife have shared their lives, and after the wife received a firm promise from him?
Start with bismillah.
Ask: "What makes a promise strong?"
Put on a recitation of ayah 21 from Ummah Muslim and sit still; our topic is 'A Firm Promise'.
Now listen to the ayah together in the app, with the translation. Ask: "What is marriage called here?"
Each child keeps one wonder question, for example: "Why is marriage a firm promise?" Younger children can draw theirs.
Find it in the mushaf: Surah An-Nisa' is surah 4. Find ayah 21. The Qur'an calls marriage 'mithaqan ghaliza', a firm covenant. The same words are used for Allah's covenant with the prophets.
Fact: Where else 'mithaqan ghaliza' appears? Al-Ahzab 33:7, about the prophets' covenant.
Ages 5–8: Strong knot. Tie a strong knot and talk about strong promises.
Ages 9–12: Firm covenant. Write why the Qur'an uses such strong words for marriage.
Finish with: "Marriage is a firm ___."
Talk together:
Make a small plan: "This week, I will keep a promise to my family."
Action: Keep a promise to your family.
