Start with bismillah.

Ask: "How many letters are in the Arabic alphabet?"

Watch the Learn Extra video How to read huroof muqattaat.

Now listen to the ayah together in the app, with the translation. Ask: "How is this opening different from other Ha-Mim surahs?"

Each child keeps one wonder question, for example: "Why does this surah have two sets of letters?" Younger children can draw theirs.

Find it in the mushaf: Surah Ash-Shura is surah 42. Find ayah 2. The key words ain sin qaf are the names of three Arabic letters. Surah Ash-Shura is unusual: its opening letters are split over two ayat, first Ha Mim and then these three. Such letters appear at the start of twenty-nine surahs, and Allah knows their full meaning. They remind us that the Quran is made of the same letters people speak, yet no one can produce anything like it.

Fact: Which surah has the letter Qaf on its own as its opening?

Ages 5–8: Letter trace. Trace the letters Ain, Sin and Qaf in sand, salt or flour.

Ages 9–12: Letter count. Find each of the three letters in a page of the mushaf and count which appears most.

Finish with: "I found that the surah opening with Qaf alone is ___."

Talk together:

• What makes the Quran's words special?
• Which name of Allah does this remind you of?
• Which Arabic letter do you find hardest to say?
• Why might Allah begin surahs with letters?
• What would you like to ask about this ayah?

Make a small plan: "This week, I will practise saying three Arabic letters clearly."

• Practise three letters.
• Trace them in sand.
• Share your letter count.
• Next time: the next ayah (42:3) tells how revelation came to many prophets. Explore it together!

Action: Practise saying three Arabic letters clearly.